Consumer complaint received 2021-03-05
Company: Populus Financial Group, Inc. (F/K/A Ace Cash Express)
State: MN
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Payday loan debt
Issue: Written notification about debt
Sub-issue: Didn't receive enough information to verify debt

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX around XXXX, I received a call from my father **** and he told me that a man name XXXX XXXX reached out to him via phone asking about me. Shortly before this, XXXX had called my stepmom **** and left a similar message. The message said : This message is intended for ****, claim number ***. This is XXXX XXXX contacting you regarding an order that was submitted to my office this morning. I need to verify an address to present you with your formal claim at your residence or place of employment. *** there may be a claim brought against you, at this point you have an opportunity to contact the firm handling your claim to discuss this matter. They can be reached at XXXX. Your claim number listed on this order is XXXX. ***you have officially been notified. 

At this point, I had had yet to receive a call from XXXX XXXX myself. He had just reached out to XXXX. I then called the number XXXX to see who the creditor even was and to get more information. I call the XXXX and first spoke with a XXXX who directed to me a XXXX. He identified the company as XXXX XXXX XXXX. 
I had never heard of or from XXXX XXXX or XXXX XXXX until this day. 
XXXX asked me my information and explain that the debt was in their office from the original creditor AceCash Express. He asked how I would like to proceed with this matter and informed me that they hired a locator to present me with papers but that can be stopped if I set up a payment plan with them. I told him that I did not understand why this locator would be reaching out to my family members and still had yet to reach out to me. He explained that XXXX is just trying to find me and gathering information. I then asked for validation of the debt and the original paperwork that has my information and signatures regarding this debt. I was then informed by XXXX that the locator ( XXXX ) has all this paperwork and I need to accept it from him, but also that if I do accept it from him I can no longer work with the collection company directly and thats its within the courts now. I told him that does not make sense, I am asking for validation of the debt and Im not just going to accept paperwork from a man I had never heard of regarding a matter that I am not certain is mine. He kept telling me that I needed to accept the paperwork from the locator. Again I told him Im just asking for validation of the debt and XXXX would cut me off and tell me to accept the paperwork for validation. We went back and forth for at least 10 minutes, at this point XXXX said I dont know what else to tell you except for Good Luck and then he hung up on me. 

I called the same number back and XXXX answered the call. I told him I was hung up on and would like to speak with someone else. I was then directed to a woman ( whose name I didnt catch ) and explained the situation all over ; this locator is calling my family and didnt call me, I want validation of the debt. She cut me off and asked what validation do you need? Your social security is attached to this debt I proceed to tell her that even if my social is attached to it that it doesnt mean its mine and she needs to provide me with validation of this debt. She also told me I just needed to accept the paperwork from the locator but that if I do accept it they will no longer be able to help me directly. I asked them then how can you help me. She told me my balance was {$710.00} but if I set up some payment schedules they will take off the {$200.00} locator fee ( because they hired XXXX to find me ) so my balance with their office would be {$510.00} also at this time if I set up payment arrangements they would call off the locator and he would stop attempting to find me. I asked questions regarding payment arrangements and told her that I can make {$100.00} a month until paid in full would work for me. I was told it needed to be paid off in three payments of roughly {$170.00} payments and the first payment would need to be made within a week. I asked if I made a smaller payment within the next two days of {$100.00} if the other payments would be lowered and if the first payment could be pushed out about two weeks. She agreed that was fine. My {$100.00} payment was to come out of my account on XX/XX/XXXX. The remaining {$130.00} and odd change payments were to come out on XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX at which point the account would be paid in full. She informed me that if I needed to change a date or alter anything I would need to call the office. She then stated that since I set up a plan with them that she would email me validation of the debt and a copy of my payment schedule. I was then transferred to another gentleman to confirm my card number and payment dates. At the end of my call I expected an email regarding all the information I asked for, validation of the debt and a payment schedule. This email never came. A payment of {$100.00} was taken out of my account on XX/XX/XXXX. 

On Friday XX/XX/XXXX, I did some searching online regarding Debt Consolidation. I received a quote from a **** with XXXX XXXX XXXX. I worked out a consolidation plan with her that included XXXX XXXX XXXX as a creditor to be paid back. I had called XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX asking them for a confirmation email on my payment schedules so I was giving the correct amount to XXXX XXXX. I was given the number to XXXX at XXXX. I tried to call her to request the confirmation email and I got her voicemail. On the morning of XX/XX/XXXX I called again and got through to her. I told her I was supposed to receive an email last week with paperwork and had yet to receive anything. XXXX told me that it didnt appear that a request was put in to send me paperwork but then she would be able to provide me with a payment confirmation. Within 30 minutes I received an email with a statement from XXXX XXXX Validation of my debt was not included. 
I forward this statement to XXXX with XXXX XXXX to include the {$410.00} into my payback plan. Upon finalizing paperwork and signing documents with XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX, I called XXXX XXXX to ask them to disable my automatic payments. I called and first spoke to XXXX again and explained that I wanted to modify my payments. I was transferred to XXXX. I explained that I signed contracts with XXXX XXXX for debt consolidation and that XXXX XXXX was included. I asked that my automatic payments with their office be deleted as I will not be paying them directly anymore, they will get payments from XXXX XXXX. XXXX told me that if I canceled my arrangement with their office that they would resend out the locator to deliver my papers. I again explained to her that I have set up an arrangement with a third party company. I asked if she wanted their name and number to confirm or if a representative from XXXX XXXX needed to call them to confirm. She said no, they still are going to send out the locator, once again said Good Luck and hung up on me. I called them back again because I had not even received confirmation that my automatic payments were going to be deleted. XXXX answered first, I told him I need to speak to XXXX who hung up on me. I was transferred back over, I told her I did not appreciate being hung up on and that I still need confirmation that payments werent going to be pulled from my account. She told me they were deleted. I asked for a confirmation email stating that payments were deleted. She told me she was unable to do that but she can assure me that they were deleted. I told her that on their end our conversation is recorded but I have no way of recording our conversation, her just telling me that they arent going to pull a payment doesnt mean a whole lot to me at this point in working with XXXX XXXX. I have been hung up on, Ive gotten attitude from everyone Ive talked to, I tried to work out a payment schedule that worked for me and was denied and told I needed to pay a higher amount or the locator was going to serve me papers. XXXX XXXX word mean nothing to me. I need an email confirmation. She again said she couldnt do that but they wouldnt be resending out the locator if payments were scheduled, hence payments were deleted because they already planned on resending out the locator. Our conversation ended with nothing resolved. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, at XXXX I received a text from my stepmom ***** that XXXX XXXX left her another message regarding me. 
On XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX I received a call from XXXX. I answered and the man identified himself as XXXX XXXX. He stated that he needed to deliver papers that I needed to sign and we needed to figure out a way to do that. He asked if I was currently at home, I said no. He asked if I was at work, I said no. He asked where I was because he could meet me somewhere within 10 minutes. I told him I will not be meeting him anywhere. He told me I needed to take it up with XXXX XXXX because hes just trying to do his job and I wasnt understanding. I told him he wasnt understanding, I already talked with XXXX XXXX  who is not accepting my answers to this problem. He told me it doesnt matter he needs to give the papers to me. I told him he can leave them at my residence. He told me he needs a signature and cant just leave them somewhere. He proceeded to tell me that he will be stopping by my work tomorrow XX/XX/XXXX to deliver papers. I told him I do not authorize him to come to my work. He said it doesnt matter he will be coming to my work to find me. He ended the call with, Have a good rest of your day. I immediately called back, was sent straight to voicemail. His voicemail states that this is XXXX XXXX and this number does not accept voicemails, I was unable to leave him a message. 
On XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX I received a call from my dad, **** that he received another call from XXXX XXXX. 
On XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX I received two calls back to back from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX No voicemail was left. 

As you can also see from the attachment, the company does not even list an address. The phone number that is used for the signature is not the same number I have been given this whole time to call and discuss my claim. When you do call the number listed it goes right to a voicemail for XXXX XXXX XXXX and you have to leave your name and number to receive a call back.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation