Consumer complaint received 2022-08-26
Company: Kramer & Frank, P.C.
State: KS
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Private student loan debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Collected or attempted to collect exempt funds

Complaint:
I was notified by my employer on XX/XX/XXXX that Kramer & Frank garnishing my checks even though they have had prior knowledge ( 4 years prior ) that I was working with a debt consolidation firm, XXXX XXXX, XXXX. I never received a letter in the mail which they lied and said they sent this certified letter in XXXX. Where is it? I check my mailbox every day. 



They waited 4 years, failed to notify me, and started to garnish my wages on a debt that was to be consolidated with other student loan debts. They had prior knowledge that I was working with XXXX, because they have settled other debts with Kramer & Frank prior to this action.

The lump sum has been paid in full to Kramer & Frank, the settlement amount ( Over {$10000.00}! ) plus over {$3700.00} dollars that was garnished from my wages. They have promised me and my attorney, XXXX XXXX that these funds would be returned. This is per my attorney on XXXX, XX/XX/2022 at XXXX XXXX, I just called and left you a message. I just heard back from their attorney, and I received an offer to settle for {$12000.00}. With the balance of {$10000.00} in your client trust account, it would require an additional {$1800.00} from you to accept their offer. The other option would be to try to go back with a counter offer, either for less or to stretch their offer over a few months. However, there is no guarantee they would move from where they are at, and depending on how much time it takes for them to respond, the garnishment would proceed. Let me know your thoughts at your earliest opportunity. 

He also wrote on XXXX, XX/XX/2022 at XXXX XXXX, I was able to talk to the attorney and she is going to put in a request to release the garnishment anyway before they get the payment, just on my word that we have the settlement. Now, it may take some time for all that to process, so depending on the timing of your paycheck, it's still possible you may see it again - but hopefully not. Either way, she said they did not receive any funds from the garnishment yet, and so any money that they receive from that, they agreed to refund it. In other words, the settlement is just for the {$12000.00}, and the {$930.00} or so that's already come out plus anything else they may get on top of that will be refunded back to you. But that process to stop the garnishment is already started, so whether we can pull the funds XXXX  or on the XXXX  of the month won't make a difference as far as that goes. 

I will attach these emails to this claim, if possible or needed. 

A courtesy copy of the garnishment was requested at the beginning of XXXX. My lawyer nor me have seen this yet, as they promised. 

I have called numerous times, sent numerous emails, called them to no avail. They either hang up or will not answer my calls. They will not speak to me and tell me have your lawyer call us even though they have claimed that I have refused payment on court documents. This is a false accusation. They, on the same hand, note that I am represented by XXXX XXXX. 

They continue to illegal garnish my wages, without any explanation. They are ignoring any attempts of communication with them. 

XXXX XXXX is the person of contact. She will not answer my calls, have laughed at me and eventually hung up the phone on me. Please help me settle this matter. This company has been paid IN FULL and the garnishment needs to be released at this point.

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