Consumer complaint received 2019-03-08
Company: Bass & Associates, P.C., Attorneys at Law
State: NY
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Federal student loan debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Seized or attempted to seize your property

Complaint:
UNFAIR FTC COLLECTION VIOLATION REF # XXXX BASS & ASSOCIATES P.C.,  illegally seized my XXXX tax refund, after I made a dispute in XX/XX/XXXX. 
I disputed that I owed a Student Loan, from XXXX College, NY. I paid this debt in full between the dates of XXXX - XXXX ( approximate ). I confirmed with the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, that this debt was no longer owed. It was paid by confiscating all tax refunds through the period of XXXX - XXXX ( approximate dates ). Once I received a refund from the Federal Government, I call the Student Loan Department, and was told that I no longer owe this debt. Now, I receive a letter, almost 28 years later, from Bass & Associates P.C., stating that I still owe this debt. It became very confusing, thus, I faxed a letter to Bass & Associates P.C.,  disputing this claim. I never heard another word back from Bass & Associates P.C., either to confirm that I did not owe this student loan, or that there had been some type of mistake made. On XX/XX/XXXX, I discovered that Bass & Associates P.C. illegally seized by XXXX Tax Refund. No notices, judgment, nor factual and historical financial data was given. How can an collection agency confiscate my tax refund, without providing me with proof of this debt? Bass & Associates P.C., provided me nothing! No notices, no proof of owing this debt, absolutely nothing was provided to me, supporting that I did owe this debt. Bass & Associates just took my XXXX tax refund. If I had owed this debt, why didn't they do their research into this matter, then make contact with me on their updated information? I would have then asked for an installment plan, due to the facts that I'm no longer employed, and am living off Social Security Retirement Benefits. I have very little income to spare. There were no notifications at all, coming from Bass & Associates P.C., in response to my letter faxed over on XX/XX/XXXX, disputing their claim of debt owed for a student loan. UNFAIR PRACTICES according to FTC, and ILLEGAL CONFISCATING OF MY XXXX TAX REFUND. I DEMAND TO BE REFUNDED IMMEDIATELY. Once finished with Bass & Associates research to find this discrepancy in my payments for this student loan is over, and there is a difference that I owe, then I will set up an installment plan for ONLY THE PRINCIPAL OWED, NOT INTEREST, NOR COLLECTION FEES. I say this because, it was not my error in how I re-paid the student loan owed to XXXX College. Somewhere, there was a mistake made, and not by my fault. I will only pay any differences based upon the principal balance only. I DEMAND JUSTICE FOR WHAT BASS & ASSOCIATES DID, ILLEGALLY CONFISCATING MY XXXX TAX REFUND, WITHOUT RESPONDING TO MY DISPUTE MADE ON XX/XX/XXXX.. 

Consumer 's Desired Resolution : Refund the illegal confiscation of my tax refund for XXXX, in the amount of $ XXXX.Do your research in responding to my dispute letter dated, XX/XX/XXXX, then get back to me with an installment plan, if indeed I owe this debt. I'm sure that I don't owe this debt, which was confirmed by the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, several years ago, I was told that I was paid in full this debt.I also refuse to pay any interest, or collection fees, based on the fact that I was just notified in XX/XX/XXXX, that this student loan debt was purchased by your collection agency, and to collect this debt. It is not my error. The error lies somewhere over the rainbow!

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation