Consumer complaint received 2016-03-15
Company: Merchants Credit Corporation
State: WA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Indicated shouldn't respond to lawsuit

Complaint:
Debt occurred XXXX, Charge off amount XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX {$8900.00}. On my credit report shows charged off account closed. Have not heard from them or this debt since XXXX XXXX XXXX Served Papers at my home ( 20 days to respond to court ) Amount owed {$15000.00} XXXX/XXXX/XXXX I called Merchants asking if they would work with me to settle this debt.Collection agent stated to submit in writing my settlement offer Submitted settlement offer XXXX/XXXX/XXXX ( {$4000.00} one lump sum ) No response XXXX/XXXX/XXXX submitted a second time offer {$4000.00} settlement offer Received a call that night from collection agent XXXX XXXX stating client rejected the offer and no counter offer was given XXXX/XXXX/XXXX received letter from Merchants legal department requesting a call to set up payments with a stipulation for judgment XXXX/XXXX/XXXX Received motion for court hearing for XXXX/XXXX/XXXX. XXXX/XXXX/XXXX Called Merchants spoke to XXXX XXXX he told me to submit best offer that included payments as long as I could, and to state I was a single mother and this was all that I could do. He stated that they do n't negotiate amounts ; so I have to guess the correct settlement amount for it to be accepted, which they always accept principle + legal fees, but only offer what I can afford. If I submitted it by Monday XXXX/XXXX/XXXX he would speak to their legal team and try to get this settled prior to court. XXXX/XXXX/XXXX Submitted settlement offer of {$4000.00} cash, pmts {$160.00} over 2 years = total settlement offer of {$8000.00} XXXX/XXXX/XXXX called Merchants to check on settlement offer, spoke to XXXX XXXX . XXXX XXXX stated the settlement was not rejected and XXXX ( attorney ) wanted to discuss amount with me before court on XXXX. XXXX XXXX told me they do settle with clients and to go to court XXXX and everything would be taken care of prior to the court hearing. XX/XX/XXXX-I took 3 hours off of work unpaid to go to court. Someone else representing Merchants was there not XXXX. I stopped him in the hall before going into court and he told me they do n't settle before a judgment and Merchants does not do stipulations for judgments that after a judgment is against me ( that day ) then I can call their office and set up payment arraignments. This was not what the letter stated and not what I had been told on the phone, which I had been trying to work with them for almost 3 months now with little communication. XXXX/XXXX/XXXX called the office to try to settle this and start payments as I was then told in court to do, left a message to XXXX XXXX, still have not heard back from the office. XXXX/XXXX/XXXX submitted to their office exactly what I was told to submit, full principle of the credit card debt + all legal fees ( {$9800.00} ) I would pay {$4000.00} by XXXX and pay in equal payments until XXXX/XXXX/XXXX which this debt will be paid in full. I was requesting that if paid on time they have my judgment vacated since this was preventable and I have letters to support that. I asked all correspondence needed to be in writing since I had been lied to by their company several times. XXXX The office has called me twice once on XXXX and once today without ever leaving a message. I decided to call back to find out what was going on. XXXX/XXXX/XXXX I called the office and again XXXX XXXX was the one who had been calling me to tell me that the legal department did not have my file anymore he did and he can set me up on payment arraignments, instead of garnishing my wages. I told him that I did what he told me to do and submitted a settlement offer of full principle + all legal fees, which he told me they always accept because they do n't care about interest. XXXX XXXX today told me that XXXX XXXX union rejected my offer and will not settle with me now. I owe more than what the judgment was for because they are adding more legal fees which are now over {$15000.00}. I told him that they violated my rights and

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation