Consumer complaint received 2021-02-10
Company: Law Office of Michael J. Scott, PC
State: SC
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Threatened to contact someone or share information improperly
Sub-issue: Contacted your employer

Complaint:
The following is taken from a letter I wrote to the court and copied in Scott & Associates before the case was dismissed. I never received a response regarding the letter from Scott and Associates. ( I attached the letter also ). 

At first I never received any phone call or anything from Scott & Associates because some how they put my information into their system incorrectly - which was confirmed by one of their representatives ( THEY ADMITTED FAULT ). I would like to point out that once they updated their files, I have always either answered their calls or returned them the same day, only to be transferred around person, to person one after another with none of them knowing the current status of the account I was trying to work with them to settle. 

Even though the length of time was their fault, they refuse to budge on the amount due. They claimed the length of time trying to collect was the factor ( which was their fault ). Not wanting to waste the courts time and taxpayer money and being that I have no assets, I do not want them to waste their time trying to collect on the judgement they will receive, I agreed to pay the {$3800.00} ( in installments ) which, according to a Mr. XXXX at Scott & Associates, will save me on court costs and legal fees. 

Following that conversation, I received an email from a XXXX. The email had an attachment which outlined eight stipulations as part of a Payment Agreement. I wrote back to XXXX telling her that I do not agree with point # 8. 

Over the next month or so, I received multiple automated calls from Scott & Associates asking me to call them, which I did. And EACH time the representative asked me about the status of the payment as part of the agreement ( which, mind you, they never received the paperwork back for and out of ALL of those calls, not one single person asked me about the status of the paperwork until I brought it up. I found that to be rather odd ). 

I emailed XXXX again and no response ( but no surprise either ). So, I emailed her again and attached the paperwork with section 8 crossed out and initialed ( I also modified the installment payment amount because in the meantime I worked out payment issues with other creditors ). After getting no response I did a follow up email. Finally, I got an automated response saying that someone from the organization would contact me in two business days. Well, those two days came and went so I emailed XXXX yet again. Then I received another automated message and I called them back and once again the representative was looking for payment and had no clue about the paperwork until I asked him. He transferred me to Mr. XXXX ( who already knew I was on the phone as he was messaging the representative while I was on the call ). 

Here 's my complaint : On XX/XX/XXXX, Mr. XXXX asked about the payment and I told him I thought they were contacting me about the paperwork. He then starts telling me how they only have the signature page of the paperwork. For reasons unknown, he did not know that XXXX was emailed the entire document on Monday and was he looking at the initial paperwork or something different. Once again, no one there has any clue what is going on. Yet they continue to constantly call me. 

I told Mr. XXXX that I did not agree with point # 8. He said that the document titled Payment Agreement ( enclosed ) is a legal document and he was absolutely, adamant that it could not be changed. This went out for several minutes before Mr. XXXX said something to the effect of, look, if you want to talk about the lawsuit then go ahead, thats your choice. Its no big deal. ( section # 8 says that I can not do that ). 

I reminded him that he just got done telling me over and over and over that it is a LEGAL document. I also told him if it is no big deal then remove the verbiage. He said he can not under any circumstances and that they have never had someone dispute bullet-point 8. 

This is what I have been dealing with. 

I would also like to add that each time I speak with Scott & Associates, they ask me if it is ok to contact me at XXXX ( which is my cell phone ), and if it is ok to leave a message. I always tell them yes. But for some reason, on XX/XX/XXXX, they decided to call my employer and they left a message there for me. This is something I never gave them permission to do. 

The matter has been resolved out of court but I feel like someone should know about the shady practices happening at Scott & Associates. Telling someone to sign a LEGAL document then to advise them to go against that document seems like it should illegal. Those calls are supposedly taped for " quality '' - I would certainly like a government official to hear that tape.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation