Consumer complaint received 2022-04-27
Company: PORTFOLIO RECOVERY ASSOCIATES INC
State: WA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Written notification about debt
Sub-issue: Didn't receive notice of right to dispute

Complaint:
From XXXX to XXXX, I was living in Idaho. I purchased a home in XXXX Idaho in XXXX. In XXXX, my marriage of 21 years sadly ended due to my spouses substance abuse issues. At the same time, my mom died, I was laid off my job, and I contracted a XXXX XXXX and made me temporarily XXXX and unable to walk without fainting, I was in a wheelchair for 6 months. I had 2 young children and I worked diligently to find resources to make sure we did not end up living in our car. Because my ex-spouse did not pay his portion of child support or any debts, I did not have enough money to pay the creditors. When I was healthy and back to working full time, I was only making {$10.00} per hour as a Substitute Teacher. Although I was working with the bank to get a forbearance, they eventually took my house. In XXXX, XXXX XXXX  took me to Court for a XXXX XXXX concerning a credit card debt of around {$20000.00}. Upon seeing I did not have my house or even a bank account, they said they would file a Judgement against me. 
Periodically, XXXX XXXX would contact me and when I showed them my financials, they could see I really didnt have the resources to pay against the debt. By XXXX I stopped hearing from XXXX XXXX  and the Judgement stopped showing on my credit report by XXXX. 
Because I had sustained such a harsh financial set-back from the divorce, it took everything I could do to have enough money to live on. I tried and was unsuccessful in gaining permanent employment and continued as a XXXX XXXX until I moved in XXXX to Washington State. 
My daughter had received a scholarship to attend an XXXX XXXX in XXXX, but it did not include living expenses. Unable to help her financially and unable to obtain credit, In XXXX we moved to Washington to use my limited housing budget for her to be able to live at home & go to school. I was also hoping I could possibly earn a better income in a larger city. In Washington I was able to gain temporary contract work, but nothing permanent until XX/XX/XXXX when I was hired as a permanent employee of XXXX  XXXX XXXX. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a notification in the mail from XXXX  XXXX XXXX including documents showing Portfolio Associates were garnishing my wages and taking 25 %. I called Portfolio Associates and they told me that they were representing XXXX XXXX  on a Judgement from XXXX. I told them I was not aware that the bank was still trying to collect and asked how they could still pursue this after 10 years. The representative told me that they had renewed the Judgement in XXXX and again in XX/XX/XXXX. 

I emailed Portfolio Associates and their attorneys listed on the paperwork, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Utah. I sent a letter requesting a settlement and/or installment plan that was more reasonable than the 25 % they were garnishing. I also sent a completed IRS Form XXXX showing my income and assets. I explained I was not aware that they were still pursuing this debt and that I was not contacted before the garnishment to be allowed to work out a payment arrangement. Portfolio Associates responded to my email and told me to contact their attorneys who are XXXX XXXX of XXXX Utah ( XXXX ). 
I contacted XXXX XXXX and I spoke to their representative XXXX XXXX, Collection Manager XXXX XXXX. I asked XXXX XXXX if he had reviewed my email, and he said yes. He said that they would not accept my offer to settle this. I asked XXXX that if my offer wasn't good enough, tell me what would be workable, he said keeping the garnishment or paying it in full. I explained that I will be without enough money to have housing, and he said they dont care because they are allowed to garnish 25 % had sent me notices. 
Interestingly, XXXX XXXX continually repeated that they had notified me prior to the garnishment and that is the reason they wont work out a settlement on this account. He had mentioned that they work with the Sherrifs Office in Idaho. I told him my employer is not located in Idaho. XXXX XXXX said, its because You live in Idaho. I said to XXXX XXXX that I havent lived in Idaho for several years. He asked me where I lived, and I told him I live in Washington State. He was completely unaware that I no longer live in Idaho, and he said, I will have to update the file with your address. 
I never received any prior notifications on this garnishment. It is clear that the attorneys office did not know I was no longer living in Idaho and consequently did not send me notification. The last contact was in XXXX. They sent the garnishment paperwork to my employer, and they did not send it to me. 
Within 5 months of obtaining permanent employment, this agency decided to garnish my wages and diminish my ability to support my family. I simply dont have the resources for this old debt. I am now XXXX XXXX XXXX, and finding employment is challenging because businesses dont readily hire employees in my age group. At the time this debt was incurred, I had no resources. I was not aware that this debt still existed, and I dont have the ability to pay the entire balance. I offered to pay {$6000.00} by XX/XX/XXXX, if they would agree to remove the garnishment and accept this amount to settle the account. This will take all my savings, but I simply can not afford the garnishment. I also asked that they work with me on a reduced settlement balance and/or a reduced installment plan, they refused. 
I need help because the garnishment amount is excessive and I was not notified in advance and was not given the opportunity to settle this matter first. The organization did not notify me and revealed that they didn't know where I lived, they only notified my employer. Also, the debt is from XXXX and I was not aware they were still trying to collect. I don't know if the debt is too old for allowing a garnishment either. Any assistance in clearing this matter would be very much appreciated and urgently needed. 

Thank you, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, WA XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation