Consumer complaint received 2019-07-02
Company: Patient Accounting Service Center
State: TX
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical debt
Issue: Communication tactics
Sub-issue: You told them to stop contacting you, but they keep trying

Complaint:
XXXX 2019, I received a collection notice from Arstrat dated XXXX/XXXX/19. Because I believe this notice to be sent in error, I sent a certified letter to Arstrat on XXXX/XXXX/19 asking for validation of this account and requested that the company cease all communication with me regarding this account. Arstrat signed for my letter and the return receipt was received by me on XXXX/XXXX/19. 

XXXX 2019, I received letter from Arstrat dated XXXX/XXXX/19 notifying me that the account was not longer placed with their office. 

XXXX XXXX, 2019, received phone call from very rude Arstrat employee demanding payment for the above referenced account. I informed her that I received a letter from them stating they no longer had the account in their office. She told me the letter didnt come from them. I read the letter to her and she replied, Okay. They put the account back in our office on the third, yesterday. I proceeded to tell her that I did not owe what they said I owed and she demanded that I send her proof. I tried to explain to her that I had sent them a cease and desist letter in XXXX, but she talked over me, demanded the money again, and hung up on me before I could finish my sentence. I have a recording of this phone call. 

On XXXX/XXXX/19, I received a letter in the mail from Arstrat ; the same letter I received in XXXX, with the same account number from the first letter, informing me of the account being closed. The only difference is the date for the most recent letter reads XXXX/XXXX/19, the same date of the phone call. Even the typos in the letter are the same. 

Everything that occurred during this phone conversation was a direct violation of my rights as a consumer. I was subjected to abuse by the employee when she demanded payment for something that I do not owe, and that Arstrat has no legal right to attempt to collect. The abuse continued when she repeatedly talked over me, demanded I send proof of payment, lied about the account being placed back in their office on XXXX/XXXX/19, and then hung up on me. I also consider this contact from Arstrat to be harassment because they have absolutely no reason to speak with me at this point because I requested for them to cease all communication concerning this account. The abusive, harassing phone call and the continued communication are both violations of the FDCPA. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I mailed a certified letter of complaint to the legal department at Arstrat. They signed for my letter on XXXX/XXXX/19. In this letter, I described the phone call that I received and the reasons why I believe this to be in violation of the FDCPA. I also asked for the company to settle with me out of court by paying {$XX/XX/XXXX} in damages. 

On XXXX/XXXX/19, I received a call from XXXX attorney. She informed me that the employee followed procedure, but that she would investigate further and call me back. 

On XX/XX/XXXX19, I called the attorney for Arstrat because she still had not called to update me. She didnt answer and I left a message asking her to return my call. 

On XXXX/XXXX/19, after not receiving a return call, I called again and spoke with the attorney. She mentioned she would email her team and call me to update. As of the date of this complaint, I have not heard from her. 

I have attempted to resolve this outside of litigation but to date ; Arstrat and their attorney have been unresponsive and dismissive of my efforts to reach out in order to settle this matter.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation