Consumer complaint received 2015-10-09
Company: U.S. Collections West, Inc.
State: PA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other (i.e. phone, health club, etc.)
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Attempted to collect wrong amount

Complaint:
I was contacted by mail from U.S. Collections XXXX in XXXX, AZ regarding a debt that I supposedly owe in the amount of {$8100.00} ( and continuing to add interest ), for collections from an apartment complex XXXX XXXX in XXXX, AZ. We contacted XXXX, the Manager at U.S. Collections West, and explained the situation ( detailed below ), and that I do not owe this amount. I gave him the police report, and all of the paperwork I had to prove this, and they are still trying to get me to pay outrageous amounts of money that I do not owe. He continues to harass my father ( who I gave permission to speak on my behalf ) with phone calls, yelling and getting very rude with him, and when my father attempts to explain that I do not owe this amount, and that we have sent proof, XXXX XXXX the Manager XXXX hangs up on him. He offered to lower the amount to {$3000.00} to make this all go away, is what he said, but I am not going to pay a still outrageous amount for something I do not owe. XXXX has also contacted an old friend of mine who I had listed as a reference on my lease, and he told her that I owed a debt that was trying to be collected and that he needed my contact information. He was never given permission to disclose any debt to anybody other than myself and my father. 
I lived at XXXX XXXX apartment complex until XXXX XXXX, 2014, but left TWO weeks before my lease ended, with permission, because of a shooting that occurred on XXXX XXXX, 2014 in the parking lot, and a bullet went through my apartment where myself and my infant daughter resided, and I no longer felt safe. After the shooting occurred, I spoke XXXX in the office, who gave me permission to break my lease early, regarding the circumstances of the shooting. I let him know that I would be out of the apartment as soon as possible, and asked about possibly being prorated for the remaining of XXXX. He said they would be able to work something out for me because of the situation, and to just let him know the exact day I would be out. I let him know my last day should be the XXXX, and for them to let me know what my total charges would be for the two weeks I was there. On XXXX XXXX, XXXX contacted me by email to let me know that they had n't received the XXXX rent, and that they are turning it over to their attorney to begin the eviction process. At this point, my father contacted him to verify that I was told by him that they would work out me being prorated, and that I would be out in a few days, and XXXX confirmed that yes, they would, although a final amount was never given. I even wrote a letter at the end of XXXX 2014, 60 days prior to my lease ending to the complex and had it signed by the office, AND filled out a Non-Renewal of Lease form ( as required in the lease ), that I would not be renewing my lease at the end of XXXX in the first place. The apartment I moved into was in shoddy condition upon moving in, with stains on the carpets and hinges falling off of cupboards, and months before I left, there was a hole through the ceiling/roof because of a huge rain XXXX had, which I told the office about multiple times ( which I have signed proof of, dated XXXX XXXX, 2014 XXXX, and they never fixed it. It was there for months, and upon my moving out in XXXX, still had never been fixed, as well as bullet holes through XXXX walls, which I 'm sure are repairs they are trying to charge me as part of the {$8100.00}. 
XXXX XXXX never contacted me regarding any charges for anything, even though they had my phone number, my father 's phone number, and my email address, which they had made contact through all of these before, and all of my mail had been forwarded to my new address. I do not owe this amount, and U.S. Collections West is continuing to try and collect an amount that is not owed.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation