Consumer complaint received 2016-10-13
Company: Populus Financial Group, Inc. (F/K/A Ace Cash Express)
State: TX
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Payday loan
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Impersonated an attorney or official

Complaint:
I missed a phone call from XXXX on XXXX XXXX, 2016 at XXXX. I tried to call XXXX back at XXXX on XXXX XXXX, 2016. XXXX called me again at XXXX on XXXX XXXX, 2016 and I answered the call. 

A lady on the other end asked for me by name and identified herself as calling from the XXXX XXXX County Clerk 's Office. I immediately googled the number she was calling from and it was indeed to the XXXX XXXX XXXX Clerk 's Automated Information Line so I proceeded to listen. She informed me she had a case in her office filed by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX that she needed to serve me for " failure to appear on. '' I asked her what had I failed to appear on? She stated that I she could n't see the details of my case and then asked me if I had received my 7-day notice because she needed to have her officers serve me my legal documents. I stated no I had n't. She verified the address she had on file with me which was my old address. She then told me she was going to put my case on a 30-minute hold so I could contact XXXX XXXX XXXX since I had n't received a 7-day notice. She provided me phone number XXXX for XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX then told me to reference affidavit number XXXX when I contacted them. 

I called XXXX at XXXX on XXXX XXXX, 2016. A young lady answered the phone and I told her I was told to contact them by the XXXX XXXX County Clerks office and I have my affidavit number if she could help me. She asked me was my name XXXX XXXX, which I confirmed yes, but found odd seeing she did n't ask me for any personal information to identify me. She then proceeded to tell me that she could see the XXXX XXXX County Clerks Office put me on a 1-hour hold to handle this situation. I asked her who was she representing and was she a law office to which she replied, we have a lawyer on staff. She said I had taken out a loan from Ace Cash Express and had not paid on it and had not taken any of their phone calls. I tried to ask her why did n't her client try to make restitution with me when I called them but she cut me off about XXXX words into my question and began answering a question I had not intention of asking her ( she was doing more speaking than listening - talking over me a lot ). When she was done talking, I informed her that was n't going to be my question and asked her could I ask my question. She stated go ahead. I then asked my question ( listed above ) to which her response was, did you read your contract. You can be sued if you do n't pay. I began to reply and she started talking over me again, so I asked her could I speak to which her response was, you 've already spoken now it 's my turn to speak. I went to reply to her and she said, well, you and I ca n't talk at the same time and hung up on me. 

I immediately called the XXXX XXXX County Clerks office where I was informed I had been lied to. XXXX XXXX County Clerks office does n't have a claim against me in their office. The actual county clerk I spoke with was very nice, she actually searched me in their system by my name, address, social, birthday and nothing came up. She even asked me my middle name to ensure she did n't have it wrong. I thanked her for her time but before she let me go, she told me, even if they did have a case against me, they would only call in extreme circumstances and a payday loan is n't one of them. She apologized this had happen to me and we got off the phone.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation