Consumer complaint received 2016-12-15
Company: EXPERT GLOBAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other (i.e. phone, health club, etc.)
Issue: Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not mine

Complaint:
I am contacting your organization to seek assistance about a disreputable, fraudulent, and I consider illegal business practice known as the Courier 'Advancement Fee Scam ', that continues to be pursued by International XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) and XXXX . My particular case involves XXXX and NCO Financial Services. In XXXX of this year I purchased an item from a Merchant in the USA, for which all Shipping and Handling costs were included. At no time did I contract with XXXX to ship or perform any service for me. Therefore I was surprised to have XXXX show up at my door and deliver the item and then weeks later to receive an additional bill from XXXX that requested {$14.00} for what they have named as an 'Advancement Fee ', that stated was done on my behalf. It should be made clear this has nothing do to with Duties/Taxes on the item themselves as per the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ). This is an administrative/brokerage fee XXXX charges Shippers and Couriers to process their packages through the clearing warehouses. I repeat that at no time did I contract XXXX to ship anything for me, I certainly never contracted or requested that they pay any 'Advancement Fee ' on my behalf. As XXXX has notified, any XXXX citizen can easily clear an item through their local XXXX XXXX as you are not required to go to the actual port of entry to clear an item/package. XXXX also places a XXXX % mark up on the clearance that costs only a few dollars and that I could have easily arranged via my local XXXX XXXX. At which stage the item would have been released back to XXXX for delivery. If I had of known up front when the item was delivered that XXXX had added these bogus 'Advancement Fees ', I would have refused delivery and sent it back and contacted the Merchant about the problem, and/or disputed all charges with my Credit Card company. After receiving an invoice from XXXX I immediately sent a letter to XXXX disputing the charges and demanding validation and proof of contract in respect of shipping and 'Advancement Fees ', and that lack of would result in no monies being sent by me. Several weeks later I received a notice from NCO Financial Services Inc. harassing me about debt collection in regards to this matter. In summary : - XXXX never validated that I have an account with them, that the fees are valid or that there is a contractual obligation, inclusive of my signature, which is required by law and must be more than just an invoice they generate in their company, - I reiterate that 'Advancement Fees ' are not Duties/Taxes, but administrative brokerage charges to clear the XXXX XXXX. The charge is up to me to deal with unless I specifically arrange otherwise. XXXX has no ethical or legal right to assume they can provide a service not requested and charge a grossly marked up fee after the fact, - XXXX Collection Department gave my personal information without my permission to a XXXX XXXX - NCO Financial Services Inc., which I consider to be a violation of the 'Privacy Act ' in XXXX and the USA , - They have also reported debt to the credit reporting agencies that can not be validated, which is a violation of the law, - After requesting that they no longer harass me, particularly given my medical problems as an elder Veteran, they proceeded to threaten, intimidate and harass by having NCO Financial Services get involved, to which I also have no contractual obligation with what-so-ever, I have sent or am prepared letters/emails of complaint to the following : - XXXX XXXX XXXX - XXXX XXXX XXXX - XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX PA, USA - Media Outlets : the XXXX XXXX ; XXXX ; XXXX XXXX 'XXXX ' & XXXX XXXX ' - NCO Financial Services Inc. Head Office in XXXX, PA, XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation