Consumer complaint received 2019-10-21
Company: Populus Financial Group, Inc. (F/K/A Ace Cash Express)
State: FL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Payday loan debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Threatened to sue you for very old debt

Complaint:
In XXXX, I took out a PayDay Loan with Ace Cash Express. After flipping the payday loan several times, I asked the clerk on how to get out of the debt cycle. She suggested that I " Stop payment '' on the check ; then in a couple of months, pay it in full since it would not hurt your credit, nor would they take you to court.I did exactly that. 

In late XXXX, I got divorced. I was ordered to pay {$1400.00} in XXXX XXXX for XXXX kids. 
I had to work two jobs for two years. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I had a XXXX XXXX, four XXXX XXXX in my XXXX. This is due to XXXX and working two jobs to pay down divorce debt. I almost died in my living room.I was on XXXX for 1 month trying to recover. 

Fast foward to XXXX of XXXX. My brother was called by a company named " XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX ''. He called me to let me know that someone is suing me and they needed to get in touch with me before the court date was established. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called " XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX '' ( phone number : XXXX ) and asked to speak with a representative. 
The lady responded that she needed to " verify '' my identity in order to " Unlock '' my account. I verified who I was, and was transferred to a lady named " XXXX XXXX ''. 

XXXX notified me of the past debt with Ace Cash Express in the amount of {$550.00}. 
She asked me how I got in this situation. She was extremely nice, seemed empathetic that I almost lost my life in XXXX from working two jobs, then losing my job for taking FMLA only months later ... then being XXXX between XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX. 
She stated to me that she worked in the " Processing '' Department and was about to send my " File '' over to start " Court proceedings ''. 
She stated to me if the debt was not taken care of " TODAY '' ALL COURT fees would add up to {$1700.00}, bu t if I took care of it today, it would be {$550.00}. I told her that I just got back on my feet and was not sure how much I could pay. She stated that she could put my account in a " financial hardship '' program and I could pay {$69.00} every two weeks to satisfy my debt. 
I stated to XXXX that I would need a couple of days before I could make any promises. 

As soon as I made that statement, she started to berate me. She told me that I " know exactly how much I can afford '' and " should pay now or else she was going to put my account into " refusal to pay '' status ; this would start court action. I repeated I needed a couple of days to figure out how much I could pay. She told me it was my fault for not satisfying the debt previously, that I defrauded Ace Cash Express, and it was my fault for my health conditions. 
I tried for 15 minutes, while at work, to diffuse the situation and try to work out a payment situation. I repeated that I needed a couple of days to figure out " How much '' I could pay. Again, she threatened me with civil action. 

I told her good-bye. I called back minutes later to ask for the name of the company that had my debt. She would not answer me. She finally stated " XXXX ''. I said " XXXX '' what? XXXX stated only " XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX ''. I proceeded to ask for the address, since this could be a fake call from " ANYONE '' trying to get my personal financial information. She scoffed and provided me a PO BOX in XXXX, CA. 

At no point did she notify me that she was a debt collector. She did not try to verify her company so that I could cross-check to ensure that I was not being scammed. Once I refused to her demands for immediate payment resolution, she demeaned me and continued to threaten me with civil action. I hung up and went back to work.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation