Consumer complaint received 2018-03-13
Company: ProCollect, Inc.
State: MS
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Attempted to collect wrong amount

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX XXXX I called the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX  ) at XXXX and asked to speak to the property manager. I was informed by the office staff member that the manager XXXX was unavailable at the moment. I told them that I would call back. I decided to go to the XXXX  and speak with XXXX instead of calling back. Once there, I asked XXXX if there was some way that we could work out a settlement for the {$1400.00} that was owed to the XXXX  from XX/XX/XXXX. She stated the collection company ProCollect - has the account and if I work out a settlement with them to let her know. She gave me a number to contact them on XXXX. At XXXX I called and spoke with a young lady who claimed to be an account manager. She stated that they already sent me a settlement letter on XX/XX/XXXX for {$730.00}. I stated that is incorrect, I have never received a letter and I would have most certainly paid a 50 % off settlement. She claims they did. I asked to speak to her supervisor and she puts me on hold. She them comes back to the line and says her manager said no settlements, no payments. I again, asked to speak to the manager and this girl said that they were too busy to talk to me. I asked for the supervisors name and she said it did not matter because they were all going to tell me the same thing. She was putting me down as a refusal to pay and that the balance was due in 2 days. I asked what will happen to me if I dont pay it she said its due in 2 days. We hung up and I called the owners of the XXXX XXXX XXXX at XXXX and spoke with XXXX. She said that the general manager would call me back and see if there was something that could be done. I advised her that would be great. 
On XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX I called XXXX XXXX because I had not heard from the general manager yet. Again, I spoke with XXXX and she said she would find out what happened and call me back. At XXXX am XXXX called me back to let me know the general manager was in a conference and would call me back on Friday ( XX/XX/XXXX ). At XXXX on the same day the XXXX  property manager, XXXX, called me and we discussed the issue. She said she would call Procollect and work out a settlement with them ; we spoke for 3 minutes. At XXXX, XXXX called me and said before she calls them she wanted to know what settlement I was able to pay. I told her I had planned for {$820.00} ( my paycheck ) but since ProCollect offered the settlement in XX/XX/XXXX for {$730.00}, I could definitely pay that ASAP. XXXX said, ok, between XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX dollars?. I said yes maam. We spoke for 1 minute. 
On XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX I called XXXX at the XXXX to ask her if there was a settlement reached. She said the collection agency will call you and hung up. At XXXX I called ProCollect at XXXX and spoke with XXXX XXXX. She said there was a settlement that she just got emailed to her for {$1000.00}. She then asked me if I had received the settlement letter yet. I stated that I had not and that amount did not sound right. She gets loud and rude with me. I tell her that I will have to speak to someone else and hang up. At XXXX I called proCollect at XXXX and spoke to XXXX XXXX an account collections manager. She stated that she did see the settlement and she gave me all of the information that I needed to mail a money order in. I advised her that this settlement did not sound right as thats not what we ( XXXX and myself ) discussed. She said she will try to reach out to them and put me on hold. She comes back to the line and says that she can not get them but that she would work on it the rest of the day and Monday XX/XX/XXXX. She gave me her extention and I asked if she would be the one to call me before XXXX XXXX  on XX/XX/XXXX because everyone I had spoken with was extrememly rude. She said yes. She will call me back on Monday. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a call from a Procollect collections agent at XXXX advising me that the settlement was for {$1000.00}. I advised them that I was waiting for XXXX XXXX to call me back as she is working on the account. I hung up. I called the XXXX at XXXX and was advised that XXXX was busy. I then called XXXX XXXX at XXXX and left a message with XXXX to please have the general manager to call me back. At XXXX, XXXX from the XXXX called and said that corporate decided the settlement not her. 
On XX/XX/XXXX I called ProCollect at XXXX and spoke with XXXX XXXX. For 9 minutes he refused to let me speak to XXXX XXXX, demanded my debit card information, and repeatedly put me on hold. He claimed that the XXXX  had no control over what I pay because the account is in HIS office. He said that I couldnt speak to XXXX XXXX because the account is updated and anyone can help me I didnt need to speak to her. I asked him what day the settlement letter was mailed out for this settlement ( since I was told previously that there was one ) and he said they dont send out letters. He would not give me any information without screaming it at me. He stated that I could send a money order in by regular mail but if it wasnt there by XX/XX/XXXX that the whole balance would be due. I obtained the mailing address and my account number. He hung up on me. At XXXX I contacted XXXX at the XXXX extremely upset and crying. I advised her what XXXX XXXX said and she told me that he was spouting nonsense. It took her a minute to get me to calm down as XXXX XXXX upset me severely by the way he was speaking to me. She told me to send the money order the way I had planned regular mail, certified. She told me to keep a check on the money order and when they cash it to check the balance there. If it was a balance left that they were trying to charge me, to let her know and she would take care of it from there. At XXXX, I called ProCollect back to update them on what XXXX had said to me and was once again speaking to XXXX XXXX. Again, he screamed at me and was obnoxiously rude. He was very loud and aggressive towards me. He demanded that I send the payment overnight or through XXXX XXXX. He again said that the full balance would be due after XX/XX/XXXX. I advised him that I was going to do what XXXX told me to do. He continued to put me on hold and when he would come back to the phone he would be loud and aggressively rude again. I verified the account number and address again and told him that I was very glad the calls were recorded and I hung up. 

On XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX I called ProCollect and again, I was transferred to XXXX XXXX. He advised me that since I did not pay the settlement by XX/XX/XXXX that the full balance ( {$1400.00} ) was due. He then demanded my debit card information and stated that I could pay through XXXX XXXX. I advised him that I was calling in to let them know that I was mailing the {$1000.00} money order today. I asked him to verify the account number and address again. He refused. I asked several times and he wouldnt verify until I started speaking the account number. I asked him if they would send me a receipt do I need to include a self addressed stamped envelope? He said they do not accept any mail and that he would mail my money order back to me. I told him to have a great day and I hung up. At XXXX I called the XXXX and left a message for XXXX that I mailed the {$1000.00} settlement money order to ProCollect by certified mail. I also asked the office staff to please let her know that XXXX XXXX said he was going to mail my money order back to me if it was not the full amount. The office staff said she will definitely let her know.

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