Consumer complaint received 2018-05-09
Company: Bread Financial Holdings, Inc.
State: NJ
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Communication tactics
Sub-issue: Used obscene, profane, or other abusive language

Complaint:
My Wife has a credit card debt with XXXX XXXX XXXX acct # XXXX. XXXX is the financial backer. My wife realizes the debt went bad due to income changes, and we even enrolled her in a debt management program. Unfortunately the payments we were making did not make any progress into lowering the balance. Her only option will probably be a bankruptcy. I received a call on my cell number ( XXXX ) XXXX on XX/XX/2018 from a XXXX XXXX from XXXX which is a 1st party collector. How they got my number since I am not on the account in any way, I do not know. She left information with me to pass along to my wife. 
I let my wife know that they called and my wife did return their call the same day, as we do not avoid anything. She did not get XXXX XXXX. Instead she spoke to a XXXX XXXX who started the call of with a statement of " This is really bad ''. XXXX XXXX proceeded to be rude to my wife on the phone, when my wife said she would be filing bankruptcy. She asked for my wife 's attorney name, which we can not provide at this time only because he has not been fully retained, and therefore would not be able to provide information to them anyway. XXXX XXXX proceeded to say rudely, " I need to know what you are going to do about this balance ''. Again my wife told her the route she has to go. She also told XXXX XXXX to remove my cell number as I should not be contacted. XXXX XXXX then said " Does your husband know about this? '' Upon my wife telling me this, I was livid. That is none of her business and has no bearing on collecting a debt. It is a guilt tactic, which upset my wife and is an abusive tactic under UDAAP. I am a compliance person so I know how people should be treated in this industry, and this is unprofessional and why collections unfortunately gets a bad reputation. This is a collector who has no business being one. 
Towards the end of the call, my wife asked for her name since my wife felt harassed, and XXXX XXXX replied " I already told you my name ''. At this point, XXXX XXXX is failing to identify herself knowing that my wife was unhappy with XXXX XXXX 's treatment of her and failed to give this info. 
I called them back the same day and reached XXXX XXXX. She told me she was on lunch at the time my wife called back and apologized that my wife went through this. She transferred me to a complaint specialist by their terms, whose name was XXXX. He located the account and the reps name ( XXXX XXXX ). I told him I wanted the call pulled and listened and that we are filing a complaint with the CFPB and attorney general. This never should have never happened and she should not be on the phone speaking to consumers. She greatly upset my wife and myself. I have not heard from XXXX since. This does not surprise me, since they will probably attempt to sweep in under the carpet. I am requesting that the CFPB have XXXX upload the call between my wife and XXXX XXXX, so the CFPB can hear this call. XXXX claimed he had the call at that time. At this time I want a Cease and Desist from XXXX, until we hear back from them that they are addressing this and what that consists of and make full restitution for the harassment and bad treatment of my wife. In addition, I need to know how XXXX obtained my cell number, when it was never part of this account, and never obtained consent to contact my cell, which is a violation of the TCPA.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief