Consumer complaint received 2022-03-14
Company: Army and Air Force Exchange Service
State: MA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Written notification about debt
Sub-issue: Didn't receive notice of right to dispute

Complaint:
In XXXX as a brand new XXXX, I was approved for the military Star Card from the Army & Air Force Exchange Service ( AAFES ). I used the card for 19 years with excellent payment history ( I owed {$5500.00} ), until I became incarcerated at the end of XXXX. My final bank-auto-payment stopped not long after, because my wages were stopped and I couldn't reach all my creditors except the ones that reached out to me in prison. I never got any CORRESPONDENCE from AAFES from XX/XX/XXXX to my release, XX/XX/XXXX. In XX/XX/XXXX I found out from the IRS that my 1st and 2nd stimulus checks were garnished by AAFES, I called AAFES and was referred to XXXX XXXX XXXX, who told me the US Treasury gave them {$1700.00} of the {$1800.00} ( minus admin fees ) on XXXX XX/XX/XXXX. I never got any CORRESPONDENCE from the Treasury Dept either. The XXXX representative also stated that I now owed {$15000.00} with 15 % interest accrual per each {$1000.00}, per month, but if I requested for hardship consideration, they will send me a Statement of Financial Status. I later asked why wasn't the debt forgiven after seven years and it's no longer on my credit reports, and the lady said that AAFES do not forgive debts and it will be back in my credit reports soon, in collections. I received their first letter with the Statement of Financial Status, late XXXX, dated XX/XX/XXXX. I decided to consult a Pro-Bono attorney from the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and later worked with a XXXX XXXX volunteer who researched the issue and found, 1. Its unlawful not to inform or attempt to collect from the debtor before putting a lien on his or her SSN. - I was at a XXXX XXXX XXXX  for six years before transferring to a Federal establishment, I was reachable. 2. The US Treasury Dept must inform the debtor of their action upon garnishment. - I sent an IRS Change of Address forms upon release to the XXXX  XXXX  that the federal prison released me to. In both instances, I was reachable, and I was in the hands of the US government. 

I first requested my {$1200.00} stimulus, XXXX XX/XX/XXXX via XXXX, as instructed by the IRS, and I sent it via Certified Mail. I waited and waited, until the IRS re-instructed that this time it must me claimed as a XXXX tax refund which I did again but at this time, the second stimulus was added to make it {$1800.00}. 

I also asked XXXX for a complete debt profile from the beginning of this debt to now, but they say that process will take 30 days, I haven't gotten that yet. 

The reason I couldn't work any financials with them is because I'm currently XXXX with XXXX XXXX since my release, so I have no income. I tried my hand at temp-work for 2-1/2 months, but that only aggravated my condition, so I'm currently XXXX  and living at a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  while receiving treatment.

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