Consumer complaint received 2016-08-19
Company: Advance America, Cash Advance Centers, Inc.
State: TN
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Payday loan
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Impersonated an attorney or official

Complaint:
I got a call from a " XXXX XXXX '' XXXX at my work at XXXX. He stated that he is a compliance officer, employed by the State of Tennessee and has called to speak with my supervisor about me committing fraud and a warrant being issued for my arrest. He gave me a " case # '' and told me to call XXXX immediately or he would come to my work and notify my employer that I have committed fraud. He would not tell me who I owed the debt to. I told him I would call the XXXX number immediately so no further contact at my job would be necessary. He said he would give me time to call them. As I was on the phone with the company that I still have no idea what their name is, he called my husband, told him I had committed fraud and I have an outstanding warrant and XXXX XXXX is trying to locate me. He then immediately called my mother and told her I had committed XXXX counts of fraud, he is sure I do n't want to be standing in front of a judge and there is a warrant for my arrest. He also told both my husband and my mother that he was a compliance officer employed by the State of Tennessee. He told all XXXX of us that I should know what this is about. When he was asked what company he represents, he stated, " The State of Tennessee. I am an officer, assigned to locate you. '' I called the XXXX number and spoke with XXXX XXXX ( ext XXXX ) When I told her that I acknowledge the debt and would like to work out a payment arrangement, she stated the best she could do was {$130.00} every other week and she had to have my credit card number. I also was required to pay something before the end of XXXX. At this point, I was in fear of them sending someone to my job and getting me in trouble and/or fired so I agreed because this officer with the state of Tennessee has told me I have a warrant for committing fraud. I had borrowed {$420.00} from Advance America. They had been paid well over {$1000.00} in fees from me. I stopped paying on it because a payment of mine was " lost ''. Biggest mistake of my life. Now I am forced to give access to my bank account to this company because they threatened me so maliciously and harrassed my family and put my job at risk. I called XXXX XXXX back after discovering this XXXX XXXX had contacted my family and violated my privacy. She apologized for his unprofessional behavior. I told her I had undergone collection law training and knew what he had done was illegal. I feel like I have been extorted. They first told me if I paid right then, it would only be {$400.00}. Then it jumped to {$600.00}. Now I am stuck with payments that I can not afford and I am going to have to hire an attorney with money I do not have. The following Tennessee state collection laws that were violated are Section 392.301 ( 2,5,6 ) Section 392.302 ( 4 ) Section 392.303 ( 3,8,9,12,19 ). I feel harassed and violated. This caused undue trauma to my XXXX XXXX XXXX mother. This caused undue stress and drama at my place of employment. This is also going to cause a huge financial burden to my family. I own borrowing the money. I feel that I have paid more than enough already and I am being threatened and intimidated into paying a collection agency. I do n't mind making suitable arrangements but taking 40 % of my take home pay and them requiring that I give them access to my account is both abusive and excessive.

Company public response: Company believes complaint caused principally by actions of third party outside the control or direction of the company
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation