Consumer complaint received 2020-07-15
Company: Allied Collection Services, Inc. (Nevada)
State: FL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt was paid

Complaint:
I am applying for a loan since beginning of XX/XX/2020, to buy a property. My credit score was good, but since I had a medical debt, my lending company thought it was best to pay off the debt so that my credit score could go up of many points more and it would be great for my application. The only thing that I had to do for it was to call ALLIED DEBT COLLECTOR and pay it off and get a proof that the debt was paid off. So I called the first time on XX/XX/XXXX to resolve my case and paid my amount due of {$250.00} for XXXX in one single payment. I was told by XXXX that it would take 60-90 days for the credit bureau to show it online. Explaining that I needed a proof ASAP for my lending company that my debt was paid off, I asked if I could get a proof send by email. I was told no, they never send anything by email but by mail. I gave my full address and was told that the letter would be sent right after the debt was collected, which as the next day. 
I have since, checked my mailbox every single day. I NEVER got any mail that is more important than just store advertisement. I called my banker several times on recorded line talking and keeping updates on weather this letter came into my mail or not, and the answer was always NO of course. 
In the last 10 days I tried to contact ALLIED again several times, at least 5 times without any response. Then I contacted my banker again explaining that it has been over 35 days since the debt was paid, that nobody was answering the phone at ALLIED and that on my XXXX XXXX it was showing that the debt is paid but I could not do anything without this letter. Few days ago my banker told me that my credit score went down! I was shocked since I have nothing else, no debt at that point, credit cards all paid off and no late payments. my banker said that the only way for me to have that number up again, being able to close the loan AND the closing of the property is to get this proof from ALLIED. That is the only thing that put everything on hold. There is NO other way. The closing date has also been postponed several times. 

So I called ALLIED again and spoke to a first person ( don't remember the name ), then to an XXXX, then to another person, then to XXXX and then again to XXXX. To all of them I explained my request of the importance of this letter and proof of pay off and that the letter never came in my mail. I asked to all of them if it was possible to resent this letter to me in a faster way, such as email or fax or expedited. 

The only thing that made sense of all the conversations and calls is that they all said was : " the account was closed on XX/XX/XXXX ''. " it takes 60-90 days to remove it from the bureau ''. 
Otherwise, one person told me : " the letter was sent out the next day '', " it has to be reviewed before sending, then it gets in your mail after 20 business days '', or " we never send a second letter, or same letter twice. Once it is send out, it is over '' Another said : " we never sent out letters once it is paid off '' Another one said : " we sent out letters 14days after the payment has been made, then it takes another 7 to 14 business days to get to your mail '' or also " well for us, the letter has been sent out so whatever else is none of our business and there is nothing else we can do ''. 
One person said : " we can send it to you by email, but not the same letter that the bureau but a proof of account paid off. '' Last night I had checked my credit score and credit informations online, where it was written that the debt was closed online on XX/XX/XXXX. So none of the phone conversations made sense with what was showing online. 

Regarding the call operators, one of them did not appreciate that I requested to talk to a supervisor, he said that the supervisor would " maybe '' call me back but that was not sure. I could not even speak to the accountant department, because I was not allowed to. Someone else told me that today the request to talk to a supervisor could be made and the supervisor would " maybe '' call me within 42-72hours,  but not even certain of it. Although I said it was an extremely urgent matter. There was nothing to do beside waiting the " uncertain '' phone call and also IF the supervisor would be able to send another letter or any proof of any way. 

I was also told over the phone that I had to check with my local post office, which I did but there was nothing for me. But also told : " For us it was sent out, so ... it is not up to us ''. I even proposed to pay for an overnight expedited mail, but was told that this is not up to us anymore since it had to be reviewed before mailing out. '' A review from the accountant department before mailing a copy of the letter that was already paid over a month ago and sent out? 

I am now in stand-by stupidly waiting to get an answer, phone or just a proof by mail ( if it was ever sent out, which I truly don't believe so ). If sent, why is it also so difficult to sent the same letter a second time? It is not my fault if I never got it. 

Nobody cared enough. I called my banker several times again, all phone calls are recorded by them so I have proof of that, and I know your phone calls are recorded too. 

I told everyone how extremely important and urgent this situation was for me, for my loan, to get a new copy because I never got the mail and I was supposed to do the closing for my property already Monday XXXX, then postponed 2 more times. Now probably another time but I don't even know when. The seller is getter me in trouble for it, the title company is seeking for explanations, my real estate agent has more work to do. I have no idea what to tell them. I am lost, confused, stressed out, frustrated and lied to. All of this for one single letter that would unblock everything for my husband and I. It makes me look very unprofessional in front of everyone. All this for a small loan that has been ready to be send to the title company weeks ago. Just for this matter my husband and I are ashamed. 

Allied has not been cooperative in any way. This situation is extremely ridiculous!

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation