Consumer complaint received 2017-07-07
Company: Universal Recovery Corporation
State: CA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Threatened or suggested your credit would be damaged

Complaint:
I was first contacted by the Universal Recovery Corporation on XXXX XXXX, 2017, I had not had any previous knowledge or correspondence with this company or individual before this date. When we spoke on XX/XX/XXXX, she told me that a letter had been mailed to me and I had " 30 days to dispute from the date of the letter ''. When speaking to an attorney I was told that this is incorrect. Bringing to your attention California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1013, which extends the time frame an additional 5 days. Further the debt collector must inform of the right to dispute the debt in whole or in part within 30 days of receiving the notice. The 30-day time frame starts running on the day you receive the letter, NOT the date of the letter. Therefore, when I spoke to XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX, I was well within my 30-day period and offered to pay the amount then, but she refused. Fair Collection Credit Act is a Federal Law prohibiting debt collectors from engaging in abusive or deceptive bill collections. Not only did she fail to give me my 30-day time frame, she had insisted it had expired based upon the date of the letter, which again is not accurate. Not only was she abusive and hostile to me on the phone by continuing to call me a liar, but her means of collecting were deceptive by making me believe my 30 days had expired based on the date of the letter. Since I had no correspondence in front of me, I believed her. After she bullied, threatened and scared me, I made an immediate payment of {$400.00} plus set up an additional {$200.00} to be paid on XX/XX/XXXX, which ended up coming out to {$210.00} which I am assuming is yet another fee she has added. After I received the letter I tried to call her back, but instead of talking with me, she yelled at me and again called me a liar multiple times. She not only bullied me, but she also threatened me. Based upon the above, notice is given that I dispute a portion of this claim. There is a small outstanding balance of approximately {$25.00}. This amount will be paid forthwith. Notice is hereby given that any other arrangements for payments are null and void. I notified her that she had no permission to withdraw ANY OTHER FUNDS. However, on XX/XX/XXXX she tried pulling money from XXXX separate accounts without my permission. I notified by both my bank and credit card company of the fraudulent charges.I mailed her a certified letter on XX/XX/XXXX, which she did in fact receive. I will attach all documentation. Since then she has repeatedly called my work, my work cell phone, my corporate office demanding to speak to me, my home, as well as my person cell phone. I have told her multiple times to NOT CALL ME AT WORK. These calls start from XXXX and continue throughout the day. I believe her correspondence to be deceptive and a form of bullying. Every time I try to contact her and speak to her about this situation she ends of yelling at me, speaking to me in a demeaning manner, or hanging up on me. After today 's events I am on the verge of filing a police report because this has gone above and beyond. I too have rights and they have been violated. When speaking to a lawyer I was informed of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act which I am protected under and after explaining the turn of events, I was told she was definitely in violation and out of control.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation