Consumer complaint received 2016-01-20
Company: Populus Financial Group, Inc. (F/K/A Ace Cash Express)
State: OR
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Payday loan
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Impersonated an attorney or official

Complaint:
I received XXXX phone calls yesterday from a supposed " litigation firm '' threatening me with check garnishment. I hung up on the first call because this supposed " litigation specialist '' did NOT read the debt collecting disclosure " I need to let you know that this is an attempt to collect, and any information will be used to collect on this debt .... '' etc. They called me back immediately with the same nonsense- talking over me, not listening to me when I told them that they are required to show me proof of this debt, that I wanted a letter and statement with my account number delivered by certified mail, etc. 

The first call was at XXXX XXXX and lasted 4 minutes ; the XXXX call came at XXXX XXXX and lasted for 5 minutes. These people will absolutely edit or shorten recorded calls to prove that they were n't making threats and were n't being unprofessional. If they want anyone to listen to their calls to prove they 're not acting like lunatics, please pay attention the duration of the phone calls. 

I asked both the " litigation specialist/debt collector '' and the supervisor for specific information, including the account number of the debt they 're saying I owe, the breakdown of the balance, the name of their company, where they 're located, their website address. ( The first caller also told me that it 's not a debt collection agency and that the debt was getting ready for garnishment. The debt they 're saying I owe is $ 185'ish ). Re : the website. The man first said that their website was under construction ; I asked to see it anyway. He began threatening me and taunting me with garnishment, asking me why I was arguing over them not having a website and named off people that I have listed as references in the past. I mean, come on- anyone can XXXX names of people and see who they 're connected to online, and the ages/cities, etc., of these people ). I had asked for a supervisor after I could n't get a legit physical address or website. He then transferred me to someone equally ridiculous. The supervisor gave me this website below : http : //apirecoverysolutions.com/ As you 'll see, it 's a XXXX website. I 'm thinking that any litigation firm that wants to be taken seriously will pay for a website NOT powered by XXXX. If you XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, you 'll see a litany of ripoff reports/scam alerts. They said on the phone they are called XXXX, XXXX and XXXX, but the website does n't list these names at all. 

I would n't give a dime to these people, even if this debt was sent to them by the payday loan provider ( which I honestly doubt is legit because payday loans- I do n't do them anymore- are debited from your checking account through your debit card number by the due date- I can not stop it. ) I know that it 's on them to provide valid, official and detailed proof of the debt, and they refuse to do that. They offered me a letter to my email address and I declined. I told them it needed to be certified mailed to my physical address. 

I called them TODAY to get a physical address and some names ; the woman who answered would n't give me her name, but when I asked what the XXXX in the business name stands for, she said " XXXX, XXXX and XXXX. '' I told her that I 've been told XXXX, not XXXX. She then transferred me to the administrative assistant. This XXXX began speaking over me and would n't let me talk at all. 

The phone number on their website is XXXX. They 've also called me from XXXX. When you call the XXXX number, nobody ever answers and there is no greeting with the business name. I got someone on the phone today at the XXXX number above. 

The physical address I was given is this : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX NY XXXX These people have my personal information ( the XXXX told me this ) I 'm concerned and am going to be contacting the credit bureaus about this.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation