Consumer complaint received 2023-09-01
Company: FAIR COLLECTIONS & OUTSOURCING, INC.
State: FL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Attempted to collect wrong amount

Complaint:
I was living in this apartment and due to covid I was laid off. I had to move out of this apartment and was able to obtain government assistance to pay off the two months that I thought I was behind. Unfortunately I was wrong but the apartment complex would not accept my calls. XXXX is the assistant manager and I have her cell therefore we maintained communication and she I had advised her that I received an email from the assistance group that the checks had not been deposited. She stated that she did receive it and would apply it. Well I continue to advise to her that the amount that I was being billed did not show an accurate amount and after a year or so she finally called the credit company to change the amount. It was this year in XXXX of XXXX so actually almost two years. I asked her since she had taken this long of a time if they can please permit me to pay them directly and she stated that it would not be possible. Time went by I would call and no answer, leave messages and no call backs. Sent her a text and it was just her telling me to go to the credit company. In XXXX I had my credit pulled to purchase a home and they advised it was reporting two debts totaling over $ XXXX. I reached out to her again and she advised that she would take care of it of which we are just to get this handled. I called and called last week and they never returned my call. I went into the office to speak to the office manager and he advised that he already knew my answer before I could sit down. He stated that there was nothing that he can do that i just had to pay what it stated I owed. I advised to him that I had called a couple of times and did not receive a call back and he stated that he knew and also advised that he ignored my calls. He asked why i waited 2 year to want this handled and I advised to him that this was not new and that I had been in contact with XXXX via text and he became upset and asked why I was texting her. I told him that they don't answer calls and I needed this handled. He stated Thursday when I went in, that he would call them to follow up on the balance and get back to me and has not done so. I called back a couple of times and neither XXXX or the office manager have returned the call. He treated me so badly when I went into the office. He kept repeating himself that I just needed to pay the amount owed. I told him to give me the number of which he was not sure of, but he was not going to assist. I asked him why I never got an updated bill and given the opportunity to pay them directly he said it goes straight to credit and collections handles that. He said it would not be removed for 5 to 10 years. He also asked what I wanted, and I said I wanted the opportunity to pay directly outside of the collection 's agency and the negative incorrect information removed from my credit and he advised he could not help, but that he would call them to lower the price of the amount owed. I again advised ones again, my only concern was to pay and have the negative removed since they were reporting inaccurate information. He stated he would call me back that afternoon and as of today XXXX. no calls have been returned or any communication. The worst experience.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation