Consumer complaint received 2015-06-16
Company: Frederick J. Hanna & Associates, P.C. (closed)
State: GA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card
Issue: Disclosure verification of debt
Sub-issue: Not given enough info to verify debt

Complaint:
I was sued for an old debt of XXXX in 2012 which was bought by XXXX XXXX XXXX. Settled for XXXX and the court judgment indicated that the debt is Paid In Full once paid off as agreed. The settlement of XXXX was paid off a week ago and I went to the attorney 's office for the final documentation and pay off notice for my records. Frederick J. Hanna & Associates presented me with a paper showing a XXXX balance, I asked why is there a balance showing when the account is paid off and the judgment is satisfied. I was informed that what I agreed to was a " Settlement '' and that I did n't pay off the original balance. I provided him with the court documents from 2012 clearly showing the terms of the agreement and his response was ... he does n't know how the court could write that at the time even though their signatures and the court agreement terms were provided to both parties at the court in 2012. I asked how can you change the terms of the agreement after the Civil Action was filed and completed and considering that the original account was not owed to them? The document clearly shows a balance of XXXX and nowhere does it indicate that the agreed terms were met and the balance paid off as the court required. The attorney said that I paid/agreed to a settlement and did not pay off the original balance so the balance still remains, but if you " read ' the document it 's in there. However, he insisted that there is no balance owed, that the account was paid off and I am cleared. The document is written in a way that anyone can come along and sue me for the remaining balance and I told him that. He insisted that they only had to " read '' the document. It is a clear contradiction of the terms of the court agreement and a direct move to implicate me further in this situation. Had I not met the payment agreement as the court directed, my end of the deal would be null and void and I would owe the entire balance. So how at the end of the contracted agreement can they insert a balance to an account that is PAID OFF, I met the terms when I paid the balance off as agreed? I then requested a payment schedule which was provided but showed XXXX instead because my final on the spot CASH PAYMENT was n't posted to their account and a copy of the Satisfaction of Judgment which I have n't received yet. The attorney told me if anyone asked I could show them the payment schedule and the payment schedule. He also noted that this was their standard letter and it could not be changed. Utterly ridiculous shenanigans! The document does not indicate anything was paid, not the dollar amount, not the final agreement, nothing but a remaining balance and words to the effect that I owe a balance to an account that as of last week has been satisfied and paid off. XXXX XXXX XXXX has clearly reneged on the original XXXX Judgment of 2012 and changed the terms of the agreement after the fact.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation