Consumer complaint received 2017-08-08
Company: Collection Technology Incorporated
State: OH
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Sub-issue: Can't get other flexible options for repaying your loan

Complaint:
To : Consumer Financial Protection Bureau XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX, XXXX XXXX www.consumerfinance.gov XXXX Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX My name is XXXX XXXX. I have discovered your resources via the internet. I am in desperate need of assistance pertaining to an unlawful tax intercept that occurred on XX/XX/XXXX. The tax intercept was for a student loan account. The agency that issued the loan was the U.S. Department Of Education C/O XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. The loan, like a million others, has been split into two parts. One portion still remains in the care of XXXX XXXX. That portion is being held on an Income Driven Repayment Plan. Due to my economic status, I am required to pay XXXX dollars per month. The remaining portion was improperly handled by a collection agency named XXXX. The collectors name is XXXX XXXX. The account number is. The account balance is {$14000.00} ( as of XX/XX/XXXX ). This same portion had been mishandled as well as falsely reported to the collection agency ; as I understood the information given to me via the multiple agencies, my taxes were not to be intercepted so long as I was making progressive payment arrangements. On XX/XX/XXXX, I returned the Alternative Documentation of Income for Rehabilitation Repayment Agreements to XXXX XXXX XXXX. I promptly notified XXXX XXXX of my economic status as well as having limited fixed income. XXXX XXXX informed me that my payment would be required of XXXX dollars per month for nine months to keep my account in good standing and furthermore, that it would be brought out of a delinquent status after successful completion of nine on time payments In the following weeks, I would file my income taxes. I waited patiently and continued to wait until nearly two months had passed and still no word or collection of my income tax refund. I never received any notices of a tax intercept. As a result, I had no way to prepare for this sudden loss of income and had no way to advert thee imposed tax intercept. I had discovered there had been an interception via the online services offered through the Bureau of Fiscal Service. Upon discovery, I immediately began to search for answers to my questions. A few weeks later, I had received a letter from the Department of The Treasury which states that the U.S Department of Education C/O XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX had collected on the debt. The primary question was : If I am already in an economic status of hardship, then how can my earned child tax credit be taken from me? Through much discovery, I came upon few resources that could assist me in the matter of attempting to recoup my unfairly, unlawfully, taken for hostage income tax. The first agency was the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. This agency offered a refund of a tax offset that had created an economic hardship. After filling out proper documentation, I soon discovered to my dismay that the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX could be of no assistance to me because they said that they do not service accounts for XXXX XXXX. I had felt that all hope was lost, until I continued to search for answers. I then found the Collection Technology Inc. The Collection Technology Inc. Agency offered a request of a refund of tax offset ( s ) due to their understanding that the tax offset may be causing a hardship. More specifically, Collection Technology Inc. needed necessary information to process my request of their client XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. I made sure that the agency serviced XXXX XXXX, making initial contact with them via phone. Shortly after, I was emailed necessary documents that would be required of me to apply for their assistance to the matter. They had told me repeatedly that I was indeed on the right track, especially since I had just traveled the misguided path of the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. However, most importantly was the fact that the information and documentation that I sent to Collection Technology Inc. was time sensitive, meaning that the information had to be current within the last three months to be considered an economic hardship. I completed the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, I provided proof of my financial crisis, whichincluded a ( 1 ) Letter from my landlord stating my back rent and amount owed. ( 2 ) Copies of my  gross monthly income. ( 3 ) XXXX XXXX Financial Statement ( 4 ) Department of Treasury Bureau of Fiscal Service document, serving as proof that XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX collected on the debt ( 5 ) Copies of my filed income tax return ( 6 ) Proofs of my utility costs ( 7 ) Proof of everything requested on the XXXX XXXX Financial Statement. ( 8 ) A personalized letter from myself, stating specifically what I was requesting. I sent the package by certified U.S. Mail, First Class on XX/XX/XXXX. The expected delivery date was to be XX/XX/XXXX. However, with my patient understanding, I would be fine if it had taken a couple of days longer, I knew the destination of my package was a ways away. I would receive a receipt of signature once the package was received, which also provided comfort and relief. Finally, I waited six to eight weeks for the paperwork to be processed, once Collection Technology Inc. received it. I had received my signed mailed receipt approximately fourteen business days after the package was initially sent. I was grateful. I waited anxiously for two months before I made any contact with Collection Technology Inc. to check on the status of my economic hardship request. I contacted Collection Technology Inc. by phone on XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX ( Est. ) I spoke with XXXX XXXX ; who explained that she was a supervisor. Initially speaking to her, she was negative and rude and attempted to tell me that I had sent my package to the wrong address, when I told her that I had a signed certified receipt of someone at the location accepting my package, XXXX XXXX began to get even more aggressively agitated. Furthermore, I told XXXX XXXX that if in fact it was the wrong address, why wouldnt the company or whoever, send the package back addressed Return to Sender. XXXX XXXX could not give me a response then went onto explain that she would indeed have to track down the package and make contact with me when she did so. The employee Identification number that the lady supplied me with was XXXX. Her extension was XXXX. I failed to hear anything back via phone, e-mail and/or postal mail, therefore I emailed XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX asking for a response or if the package had been located. I have not heard anything since, I havent received any letters or e-mails, I havent received any phone calls, there has been no further contact on this issue and that is what has brought me to you. I am in desperate need of your assistance. I have spent a lot of time and effort in attempt to correct the matter at hand ; it is very disheartening that I havent been paid any attention. I am a single mother of XXXX and I appreciate very much so all the help that Consumer Finance. Gov can give. I have included copies of the receipts from the package that I initially sent. As well as certain documents that I felt would be helpful in assisting your company in helping me to regain a loss that should have never happened to begin with.

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