Consumer complaint received 2023-02-22
Company: U.S. Collections West, Inc.
State: AZ
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Collected or attempted to collect exempt funds

Complaint:
I received a letter from a Debt collector attorney On Monday, XX/XX/2023 I was told to contact US COLLECTIONS WEST INC. About an account I have currently in collections for the amount of {$4200.00}, It is to my understanding that this is not the Original creditor of this account and I was told that this specific amount has to be paid in full I have made a suggestion with the representative to settle it for a lower amount or be on a payment plan. I explained to the representative that I had experienced a very difficult hardship with the loss of my mother and that I am just currently unable to provide those types of funds currently I am absolutely exhausted of finances. I work less than 40 hours a week and the representative asked if I could get a loan or a " GIFT '' from someone like a family or a friend for the full amount in order to settle the debt. I advised her that I can not, she went over my finances and my income, she stated my phone bill is too high, to switch carriers " XXXX XXXX  '' and pay {$10.00} a month in order to have some sort of money coming in she asked if my son and daughters father pays child support i told her no, she stated and that I'm on very thin on finances the representative herself said that " I would need a miracle from god '' to settle this. I had made the suggestion to settle for a lower amount of {$2000.00} and she stated that she simply can't do that and she would lose her job, she came back with a settlement of {$3300.00} and that it would have to be paid in full within 30 days. not once did I refuse to pay this balance but it would be just with my current bills just be very hard for me to come up with I understand the reasoning for this balance. She went on asking if I have 401k, social security, and XXXX I advised her that no, my current job doesn't offer any type of benefits in order to me to seek those types of actions. She went on asking if I have children, what my rent is, my car note, and if their father pays child support and if that's a type of income we can use, I advised her no he doesn't pay child support she tells me well how do I live?? that my son and dauthers father still have a financial responsibility and respectfully whether he pays child support or not it is none of her concern, she went on with do I get state benefits like AHCCCS Medicaid, and SNAP I told her no, I make too much money for a single mom of XXXX and have appealed these decisions with the state in order to have health insurance. Before this encounter, I was speaking with another representative and at the time I was in a very hard position where I was sleeping in my car and living with family because I had lost the apartment ( the account is currently in collections US COLLECTIONS WEST INC ) is contacting me about because that same month I lost the apartment was the month I lost my mother and had exhausted all of my finances, my savings in order to pay for my moms funeral services and cremation. I feel like I was completely taken advantage of because of the loss of my mother I was just so overwhelmed about what was going on currently in my life and I was not trying to lose any more than what I have already lost I am scared of finding a way to settle this in the best way possible, I have cried a few times on the phone with these representatives and I am overwhelmed, trying to find a way for this agency to not garnish my wages and exhaust all my finances It would leave me with no money to support me and my XXXX children.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation