Consumer complaint received 2020-08-07
Company: California Business Bureau, Inc.
State: CA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical debt
Issue: Threatened to contact someone or share information improperly
Sub-issue: Contacted you after you asked them to stop

Complaint:
I have an outstanding medical bill with the XXXX XXXX hospital from XXXX and I wasn't aware about it or that they had submitted it to collections with the California Business Bureau. The address they have on file is not ours anymore. I do not think the hospital sent me any letters but from XXXX I have been out of state in XXXX  XXXX  and I've been moving around craiglist to craiglist and even had to set up a PO Box because my mom was being so difficult and not communicating with my mail. I can show evidence to prove all this. She eventually divorced my dad and the address has been sold since XXXX. However I do not think the XXXX XXXX had sent me anything directly anyway I think they just sent it to the collections agency. 

I have been trying to fix my credit and recently set up an XXXX account last year. I have also been working with XXXX XXXX, who also had access to my reports. Anyway It showed I had a collection item for {$900.00} with the California Business Bureau, and it showed it was from XXXX  XXXX hospital. When I called them they said they charged me interested of {$550.00} also which is a balance of {$1400.00}. 

Two representatives were really rude, last week I spoke to a girl called XXXX and she kept harrassing me and assaulting and never letting me finish my sentences. I was happy to pay the {$900.00} despite being laid off and in the tough times of COVID but she was so defiant and said no you knew about this, you made a payment in XXXX, we have been mailing you. Despite me explaining my story she was continuously attacking me. It was disgusting. I then spoke to XXXX, their supervisor yesterday, but she was just as rude saying I can offer you {$1200.00} lump sum payment, but this bill is from XXXX and its XXXX now, I know Covid has hit but you should have no excuse to pay this for now because you should have money saved for this? Are these people XXXX  XXXX? Do they know that Governor XXXX has imposed strict guidelines to ensure that people won't be evicted, so that companies can not harrass them for payments and companies are meant to be compassionate during Covid? I was so angry at her. 

Anyway I want you to acknowledge the following unreasonable and harrassing behaviour of the company - I have been happy to settle with the original amount, I have been trying to contact the hospital directly but they aren't responding. From my understanding medical bills are ineffective after 7 years and this is from XXXX but the collections agency has made this effective from XXXX - I want them to acknowledge that I haven't been aware about this bill, I have been moving around, they can see that from my report I have evidence that my mom is abusive and doesnt help me, and you can see they sold the house in XXXX. They can not express how I knew about this bill and am liable to pay. 
- We are protected in law for any forms of harrassment. The fact that I am willing to pay {$900.00} for something is still a trait of good behaviour, at least appreciate that! The communications back and forth about how I knew about the bill, I am apparently a liar, the fact that its a XXXX bill and I've left this till XXXX to try and make me feel guilty is appauling, these people need to know that the Law is in our favour when it comes to delaying bills and from any forms of harrassment. 

I hope you can look into the bahaviour of this company.

Company public response: Company believes the complaint is the result of a misunderstanding
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation