Consumer complaint received 2018-10-10
Company: Gurstel Law Firm, P.C.
State: MN
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Threatened to contact someone or share information improperly
Sub-issue: Talked to a third-party about your debt

Complaint:
I had never missed a credit card payment in nearly 10 years before I moved to XXXX XXXX XXXX. Within the first two months of moving to XXXX I was locked out of my online accounts that I used to pay bills for XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX other cc company. I was unable to connect with both credit companies via telephone so, I assumed it was due to being overseas. I called my sister over WiFi and requested that she make my payments over the phone and gave her my information to use to pay the bills. When I came back from XXXX in XXXX for 1 week I called XXXX and attempted to unlock my online account two times ; taking over an hour out of my limited visiting schedule. When the second lady said that my account was unlocked I believed her and hung up. The next attempt to log in was unsuccessful and in XXXX where I was again unable to contact XXXX via phone. When I returned to XXXX in XXXX my sister had decided that we were not speaking anymore and I was unable to make payments through her. When I moved back to the XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX my credit accounts had already been closed. At this point I didnt know what to do, I had been working since I was XXXX years old to have outstanding credit and I was just met with two defaulted credit cards, not because I didnt have the means to pay but, because I was locked out of their online accounts. In XX/XX/XXXX I had attempted to regain relations with my sister but failed.The argument my sister and I had included her frustrations with me that she had been harassed by my debtors ( whom she had told I did not live with them more than once! ). With this knowledge and the {$2000.00} I had saved with the intent to pay my monthly minimum payments while in XXXX ; I called both cc companies to attempt to make payments in good faith. The first company I called was XXXX. I was routed to the Gurstel Law Firm where I left a message requesting someone to assist me in paying off my debts. XX/XX/XXXX I spoke with XXXX XXXX about how I would like to attempt making a payment or the option to pay in full with the money that I had saved. I told him that I was locked out of my accounts and had the money the entire time and would like to pay my bill. At this point I was threatened with a lawsuit. When I was told that I would be sued I questioned why and stated that I was attempting to pay the bill. While I was speaking, XXXX XXXX repeated multiple times over me that I would be sued and then he hung up on me. I have waited 9 months wondering every day when the lawsuit would come. Finally, it is upon us. Instead of serving me, XXXX XXXX had XXXX county serve papers to my sister XX/XX/XXXX. My sister and I are still not speaking to each other so when she got the information she had to tell my brother, who forgot to tell me, and then tell my mother, who forgot to tell me until XX/XX/XXXX that I had 20 days to respond. The law firm had 9 months to write a case since the day they threatened to sue me and I have 20 days to respond. Not only did the harassment of my sister assist in our falling out months ago but, now the law firm just served my personal papers to someone in my family who then told everyone in my family that I am being sued. Not only did the lawfirm take part in the harassment of my sister and threatening me with a lawsuit but, when they finally followed through on their threat they informed someone other than myself that I was being sued for {$3000.00}. This is all on top of the crippling credit score I am unjustly credited due to the failures of XXXX  XXXX XXXX to allow me to pay them online or over the phone.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation