Consumer complaint received 2016-06-10
Company: American Credit Financial
State: IN
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Payday loan
Issue: Taking/threatening an illegal action
Sub-issue: Threatened arrest/jail if do not pay

Complaint:
I was contacted by phone with a blocked phone number twice on XXXX 2016 at XXXX & XXXX by a woman who would not give me her name or any info about her other than it was her job to contact people to have them call XXXX about a very serious legal matter and I must call them right now. I did not respond due to the call coming from a blocked number and she would not give me any more information. At XXXX I received a call from the number she told me to call XXXX which I did not answer. At XXXX an I received a second call from that same number which I answered. the woman asked if I was blank blank and I said yes who are you. She replied she was a legal debt collector and she had a warrant for my arrest on charges of check fraud. I told her I had no idea of what she was talking about. She stated I took out a payday loan with XXXX in the amount of {$1700.00} dollars with the intent to defraud the bank out of the money and if I did not repay that amount right now I would be arrested today and have to pay a court ordered amount of over XXXX because of attorney and court fees. Then she said I needed to make the payment now or go to jail. I told her I do n't know who that payday company is and I never got a loan from them.. She stated the name of the creditor could of changed since they have been trying to find me for years and never got a hold of me and they just took over this account from another creditor. I told her I need to know who it is the are saying I owe and how much was the original amount of the loan they claim I owe. If they gave me the information and I could verify I owe money to a payday loan company I would have to make arrangements to repay the loan with monthly payments of XXXX to a XXXX dollars a month. She said pay it all today or go to jail. I told her I do n't have any money right now and I am not going to pay on a loan from a company I know I never dealt with. She said they know where I worked and where I live and she did not want me to go to jail today so if I could pay {$500.00} dollars today on a prepaid visa card she would stop my arrest and give me a few more days to pay off the balance. I told her again I have no money and do n't owe the money. She said she would give me 24 hours to get a pre paid visa for {$500.00} dollars or she would have the judge have me pay the {$3000.00} dollars and I would go to jail. I told her to get back to me in 24 hours and I would work on what to do.. She said she would call me tomorrow for the money.. END of the discussion 46 minutes. I then called the Indiana government consumer protection line and I was told this is a scam they do it all the time. They have no power to arrest me and they want a prepaid visa because the money is not traceable. They told me not to answer any more calls from them.They did send me a email to pay the full amount of XXXX or I have 3 days to dispute this debt in writing to their office or they will assume the debt to be valid.They did call me today at XXXX XXXX/XXXX/2016 I did answer and I told her I know its a scam and do NOT call me again. She said have a photo ID on you, your going to jail today and you will pay {$3000.00} dollars. I hung up on her.

Company public response: Company believes the complaint is the result of a misunderstanding
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation