Consumer complaint received 2020-10-14
Company: Harris & Harris, Ltd.
State: IN
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical debt
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Attempted to collect wrong amount

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I set up an automatic payment schedule with medical provider. The balance on the bill at that tie was {$2200.00}. I also made a payment that day of {$720.00} leaving a balance of {$1500.00}. On XX/XX/XXXX another auto payment for {$500.00} was made to provider leaving a balance of {$1000.00}. Later in XXXX, I received notice from a collection agency named Harris & Harris that they were now collecting the balance due of {$2200.00}. I contacted them and after much discussion, it was confirmed that I only owed the remaining balance of {$1000.00}. I agreed to make 2 monthly payments of {$500.00} each to Harris & Harris to satisfy the debt. I believe since they had contacted the provider, the automatic withdrawal payments would cease. I made a payment to Harris on XXXX of {$500.00}, and I made another payment on XXXX of {$500.00}. However, near the end of XXXX, I received notice that the XXXX payment was returned to my bank. Not sure of the reason for the return. It was not for insufficient funds however as they people mistakenly continue to insist. When I started reviewing my bank records, I discovered that the medical provider had also taken/withdrew payment from my bank account for the remaining {$1000.00} balance on XXXX and on XXXX ( two payments of {$500.00} each ). Apparently the auto withdrawal was not cancelled, so they continued to collect the scheduled payments. When I contacted Harris on XX/XX/XXXX about my overpayment for the month of XXXX XXXX as I paid both Harris on XXXX and the medical provider on XXXX ), their only concern was about the returned check for XXXX and when was I going to make it good. Horrible listening skills. Despite my best efforts to convey that they collected an extra {$500.00}, no one would listen to my explanation, and I became frustrated, and it became a shouting match. After I was transferred to the supervisor, I was instructed by the supervisor to email them documentation supporting my payments. I followed his instruction and quickly emailed Harris evidence from my bank of all the payments made to both the provider and to Harris -- the payments totaled {$2700.00} XXXX {$500.00} too much ). I even outlined all the payments sequentially and provided a written explanation of the payments. The same day XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted the provider to verify that they had in fact been paid in full and to see if they could provide any assistance in dealing with Harris. It was confirmed by supervisor that the balance had been paid in full and that they would contact their " person '' at Harris to let them know. Later that evening that supervisor XXXX sent me an email saying that she contacted Harris, and that they stated " the payment on XX/XX/XXXX for {$500.00} posted on XX/XX/XXXX was NSF that is why they are showing a balance of {$500.00}. You would need to clear this up with the bank. That seems to be the only issue. '' You can not imagine my reaction upon receiving that email. We are back to talking about the irrelevant returned check. If the check had indeed cleared the bank, Harris would then owe me a {$1000.00} refund for overpayment. On XX/XX/XXXX, I again called the provider. This time I spoke to XXXX, and she asked me to email her the documentation I had forwarded to Harris. I promptly did so. When I didn't hear back from her, I called the provider the next day and asked for XXXX again. I explained I had gotten her email, and that no one is understanding that I paid the complete balance to the provider ( as verified by her and my bank ), and that Harris was trying to collect an additional {$500.00} payment when the balance was already paid in full and I had overpaid Harris {$500.00}. She told me she would contact Harris and explain. I was hopeful as she seemed to understand the issue. I never heard back from her, so I called Harris again on XXXX for an update on my refund, and I was told that supervisor XXXX was researching payments with the finance dept and he would call me. Again I was hopeful thinking XXXX XXXX provider 's billing office ) had spoke to them an explained the issue. I received no call. On XXXX, I called back and was told I need to talk to the supervisor. I called back since he was at lunch, and I talked to supervisor XXXX. He refused to allow me to talk, repeating the same thing over and over again, but I think there was glimmer of hope that he understood when he finally started blaming me for the fiasco and confusion by making double payments to both the provider and Harris. He told me that he would have to see if payment had cleared their bank ( I thought he was doing this when I called on XXXX -- plus i had provided documentation that the payment had indeed cleared my bank. ) I do realize that I should have paid more attention to my bank records, so that's my failure. However, my failure does not authorize them to keep my extra payment of {$500.00}. I keep getting the run around from this company, and I just want my refund of {$500.00}.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation