Consumer complaint received 2016-02-13
Company: Revenue Assistance Corporation dba Revenue Group
State: VA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical
Issue: Taking/threatening an illegal action
Sub-issue: Attempted to/Collected exempt funds

Complaint:
This afternoon I received a call from an XXXX number. I do not answer numbers I do not recognize ; they left a voice message. The voice message sounded like any other from a collections agency. I called back and the woman stated she was attempting to collect a debt in the amount of {$1300.00} from an outstanding medical bill I had under workman 's compensation in 2014. The voicemail and woman stated to be with The Revenue Group ... A company located in XXXX, Ohio. 

I explained to her and apologized that the insurance company responsible for the claim had not been timely with the paying of some of my bills and that I would contact them to get things taken care of. She then interrupted me and said that this was a debt moved to them and that it had been outstanding for so long that I had to pay right then and there in order to avoid my credit score being ruined. 

Unfortunately the insurance company responsible for my claim has given me the run around, assigning me to different agents- many of which never seemed to give me the time of day, let alone follow up on the bills regarding my claim. So that being said I am familiar with how collections agencies handle these issues. I know I am better off being polite to work with the associate on the issue than argue. I was cordial and even though I was trying to explain the matter to her she just interrupted me again. 

I then again said " I 'm sorry but I have never even received anything from you in the mail regarding any outstanding debt. I also do n't have anything currently on my reports saying that either. '' She became even more irate ; saying I needed to pay now on the phone and that she would n't call back. She had no interest in providing me with any literature on the matter and avoided the subject with threats. 

She wanted a credit card. Right then. Right there. Right now ... Her behavior and complete lack of professionalism brought along my skepticism on the matter. I asked her to send me their collection matters in the mail for me to read and she refused. She then accused me of being rude and disrespectful when I have a debt in collections when she in fact was the person being rude and disrespectful. I told her I was not going to " just shell out a credit card number on the phone for anyone with no proof ''. Then even more threats such as ; " I have all your information here ... '' and " I do n't think you understand how badly this can mess you up ''. 

After even more banter she eventually just hung up on me on the phone after barraging me with a bunch of barely professional, cut throat mumbo jumbo. 

I logged on my credit monitoring service which I have had for 2 years and has been rather accurate in all the details of my credit profile. There was in fact a debt that went to collections for {$1300.00} ( a bit less than she said ) from the same medical name. HOWEVER, that debt has been closed for over 6 months. This was reported by both XXXX and XXXX. 

So, is it a scam? I do not know, I got the call Friday afternoon and the billing dept for the medical company is closed. I did visit " The Revenue Group '' website and their toll free number begins with an XXXX. I also called " The Revenue Group '' and the automated prompts are not the same. 

The number that called me was XXXX and they claimed to be " The Revenue Group ''.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation