Consumer complaint received 2017-01-24
Company: Advance America, Cash Advance Centers, Inc.
State: CA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Payday loan
Issue: Disclosure verification of debt
Sub-issue: Not given enough info to verify debt

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX Collector called a friend that left her feeling threatened and involved in a lawsuit. His name was XXXX XXXX and addressed her by wrong name. He left no business name. Collector XXXX XXXX left a voicemail on my phone with vague statements and no business name. He used my old married name " you will be located '', spoke of case # XXXX was pending against me, matter of public record, forfeited rights, and threatened to call my work and speak with my supervisor. 
He left a phone number XXXX to call. His phone number has a full voicemail box, no business name. On XX/XX/XXXX I called during business hours ( XXXX-XXXX ET ) a woman answered without using a business name. I told her I am returning a call for a collection. She asked if I had a reference number, when I said no she transferred me to XXXX XXXX that asked me if I still lived at ( my address ) in XXXX XXXX. She said papers were filed on the XX/XX/XXXX and she 's surprised I have n't been served yet. She asked if anyone has attempted to serve me. Said if I agree to pay today she will try to reach the lawyers and see if they can stop the case. She came back and said that if I can give her a credit card and postdate payment she would talk to Advance America and see if they would settle. She said they are a mediation company and work with Advance America to see if I want to make voluntary restitution. She said I owe on a loan I defaulted on in XX/XX/XXXX. I said yes. She said I owe them for the loan and bounced check which was a total of {$510.00}. If I did n't pay it they would sue me for three times the amount, and how Advance America is very aggressive about this. I asked again what the name of the company was. She said " let me find out what it will say on your bank statement '', She put me on hold, came back and said it would say XXXX XXXX. I asked if they had sent me any e-mails, she said no they would n't have sent me any e-mails, then asked for my e-mail address. I asked her to send me a statement or bill she said they wo n't do that until after my last payment, then I would get a paid in full notice. When I questioned the collection she said I could verify with Advance America. I scheduled 2 payments of {$250.00}. She told me that if my payment bounced that the case would be resubmitted to their lawyers and refiled would n't be able to get it back.She advised me that if anyone else called or tried to serve me to tell them to call her directly at XXXX ext XXXX. I called Advance America. There was nothing under the name used, but under my maiden name. She assured me that they are not legally allowed to sue over a defaulted advance loan and that my account was turned over to XXXX XXXX XXXX and advised me to call them. I called XXXX XXXX XXXX at XXXX and spoke with a woman and asked to see if their company still had my account. She said that they are not a collection agency but handle collections by selling them to other businesses. Mine was sold to XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX. She said I owe XXXX and said do not pay them a XXXX more. I tried calling XXXX XXXX XXXX at XXXX an. A full voice mailbox picked up with no business name. I sent an e-mail inquiry through their website. No response to date.I contacted my Lawyer ( XXXX XXXX ), was advised to stop payment and demand all contact through the mail. I cancelled payment and card through the bank, and left recorded message at XXXX ext XXXX demanding full disclosure and billing through the mail and to cease all calls. Heard nothing else until XX/XX/XXXX. XXXX XXXX called my work threatening a civil suit for breach of contract and non-payment. He said there is a civil case against me through XXXX County. He gave me XXXX for my attorney to call him back and a case number XXXX through XXXX

Company public response: Company believes complaint caused principally by actions of third party outside the control or direction of the company
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation