Consumer complaint received 2022-09-15
Company: CNG FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: MI
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Payday loan debt
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Impersonated attorney, law enforcement, or government official

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2022 @ XXXX, I received a voicemail message from an unknown number, the person identified herself as XXXX XXXX and stated that a claim had been filed against me. The return phone number provided was XXXX and the message included a claim number for reference. The voicemail does not include the debt collector disclosure notice so I initially disregarded it as a scam, but then they called my son and left him a similar message intended for me, so I called the number. The first person who answered ( XXXX ) hung up on me when I started asking questions, so I called back and the same person answered, using a different name ( XXXX ), both sounded identical to the person who left the voicemail. They spoke very fast from the time they answered until the end of the call. They said they are a litigation firm hired to serve an order of garnishment for a defaulted payday loan. I don't have this type of account, but even if I did, they did not follow required debt collection procedure. The call started somewhat normally, although fast talking, they asked for the last four of my SSN and when I hesitated, they said they could tell me my entire SSN and that they just need me to acknowledge it so they could work with me to resolve the matter. I express the reason for my concern was privacy related, but they went on to give my full SSN, address, bank name, and previous employer. When I asked why nothing had been mailed to me, they said that was what the process server was for. When I asked what court it was filed in, they said that it hadn't been filed yet and they were giving me an opportunity to " de-escalate '' by paying off the debt, or providing bank records proving payment. I asked why they didn't provide the standard debt collector disclosures both during the voicemail and the phone call and they replied that they are just litigators that also handle alimony and child support, but they continued with debt collection practices. I work for a XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, so I knew what they were saying was wrong and illegal. They began the call by naming my previous employer, but I believe they may have been searching my name online because the went on to name my current employer, position, and an LLC that I have registered. They said that a process server was on the way to my employer to give them " papers '' for a garnishment order, but then they went back to saying that a lawsuit had not been filed and when I questioned how they had an order without a lawsuit, they said that " you think you know what you're talking about, but you're ignorant ''. They tried intimidating me with threatening and abusive language, calling me a XXXX for not paying my bills and that the process server would tell my employer everything. I did not disclose that my parent company is a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, I just stated that I would wait for the server to deliver the paperwork so that I could gather the information that they were not willing to provide. I explained that it was odd that they had no problem giving out my SSN, but that they wouldn't tell me the amount of the debt or provide basic details about their firm. They stated that they were registered in Michigan, but I did not find them on the XXXX entity search. The only information I could find online were several XXXX complaints describing a nearly identical interaction as my own. They ended the call by yelling at me to pay my bills. That evening, my sister-in-law called me to share a voicemail that she received from XXXX XXXX, it sounded like the exact same recording that I received earlier in the day. I explained that it was not legitimate and advised her to ignore the calls and to block the number if she is able to. 
On XX/XX/2022 at XXXX, I received a call at work from XXXX, the woman identified herself as XXXX XXXX and stated that she was outside of my office building to file papers unless I called their office to get my order reversed. She would not explain what order she was talking about and when I again tried to find out more information about her company, before hanging up on me, she yelled into the phone that she was coming inside and I better have 2 forms of Identification and that I should inform my supervisor that I am leaving early today. I tried calling XXXX back, but there was no answer so I called the XXXX number given yesterday and spoke to a person who said their name was XXXX. Again, I asked for the name and business address of the company but she would only tell me " XXXX '' and said that they don't give out their address, when I pushed for more information, she hung up on me. I immediately called back and spoke to XXXX, I asked for their business name and address, she said " XXXX '', I explained that this wasn't enough information and she said they don't have a website, I said I was searching on the State of Michigan business registry, but she talked over me and went back to asking if I was planning on paying my bill today to avoid charges. She made several threatening statements during the call, but I just kept asking questions about their firm which she refused to answer. I said that I wanted the information so that I could file a police report, but she told me I can't do that because they have legal garnishment papers to serve me, but when I again asked which court they were filed in, she said that information is sealed. I told XXXX that XXXX XXXX said that she was outside my office to serve my employer with these papers and that I wanted her to proceed with serving them because I work for a law firm and they will know what to do. Before hanging up on me, she told me that I needed 1 form of ID and would need my supervisor to witness them charging me. 
I have lived at the same address for more than a decade and have not received any letters regarding this matter so I am not able to upload any documents with this complaint. I have reported this to the FBI ( ic3.gov ), State Attorney General, and now CFPB.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation