Consumer complaint received 2016-11-23
Company: Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., L.P.A.
State: IN
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Non-federal student loan
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Impersonated an attorney or official

Complaint:
I had a private school loan that I was unaware had gone into collection that my XXXX had cosigned for. As soon as I was made aware of the status of my loan I immediately made payment arrangements with the collection company XXXX XXXX XXXX. I set up automatic withdraws from my checking account and had paid faithfully since I became aware of the loan. 
I was leaving to go on a mission trip in XXXX XX/XX/2016 so I made certain that my payment arrangements would still be taken out of my account while I was out of the country because I knew that I would be unable to have constant internet connection during my trip in remote areas. I also had budgeted my finances accordingly to make sure I had available funds in my account to cover my monthly payments of {$87.00}. 
Unfortunately, while abroad I had to have an emergency XXXX operation which caused me to have a month long hospital stay in XXXX, XXXX. There were many complications with my XXXX and my right XXXX was not functional for several weeks post operation. I had to learn to walk again not to mention I was dealing with my travel insurance who was refusing to pay my covered expenses. 
I wrote an email to XXXX letting them know that I was abroad and going through a tough time. In my email I asked if I could postpone my payments or lower them while I was recovering in the hospital, could figure out what was going on with my insurance and make it back to the United States. They replied to me via email stating that I needed to call them at a specific number never mentioning anything about adjusting my payment arrangement. 
At this time I did n't have a data plan, was unable to independently walk or get out of bed and had limited WiFi connectivity. I messaged my father to call XXXX on my behalf and explain the situation. My father had all of my information to make such a call but XXXX refused to disclose any information or take note of what was going on. 
3 Days after I received correspondence from XXXX I had a friend check my available balance and XXXX had withdrawn the entire amount of my payment agreement for that month. I assumed that since no one was able to make contact or confirm that there would be changes made to my payment arrangements that the full amount would be withdrawn each month. 
It was a very difficult time after my emergency XXXX with medications, learning how to walk again and dealing with insurance and physical therapy. Around XXXX and a half months after I was XXXX from the hospital I started to have more complications which caused me to be re-hospitalized again in XXXX. Luckily this time I was well enough to make the trip back to the XXXX to have a second emergency XXXX XXXX which I am in the progress of recovering from currently. 
Upon returning to the XXXX, my Uncle who cosigned for the loan contacted me and said that XXXX were harassing him with rude phone calls and threats of being sued because I had defaulted on my loan. I was shocked at this news. I checked my account and saw that XXXX had stopped withdrawing my payments. I called XXXX to figure out what happened and it took 2 months of me calling and asking until they finally admitted they had stopped the payments. When I asked why, the rep said because I had asked them to in an email. I was never notified that they made XXXX changes to my payment arrangement or the stipulations of said changes. This has hurt mine and my XXXX 's credit negatively and we are still receiving harassing phone calls daily. My XXXX had a family emergency recently and needed to refinance his house and was denied because the defaulted loan is shown on his credit report. It has also effected his job because the credit cards have lowered his credit limit in which he needs because he has to travel internationally. I only owe {$1000.00}

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation