Consumer complaint received 2015-10-11
Company: Modern Adjustment Bureau
State: CA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other (i.e. phone, health club, etc.)
Issue: Communication tactics
Sub-issue: Threatened to take legal action

Complaint:
I have an interest-free loan through a local organization. It is co-signed by my brother and now-deceased mother. 

Recently, my brother called alerting me an organization " has filed '' a lawsuit against him, my mother and me. He described them to be Modern Adjustment Bureau, and the lawsuit was in regards to collecting an interest-free loan of {$1600.00} provided XXXX. 

The next morning, XXXX, I received a phone call XXXX regarding an undescribed collection. I asked her to call XXXX since I was rushing to leave for work. She did not call back. The day passed without her call. Having called on a " private number '' I could not reply. 

Later that evening, I called my brother to compare the caller 's name. Realizing they were the same person, he texted me XXXX phone number and the name of the collections company. 

The next day I called XXXX back XXXX. Very curtly, she told she was expecting my call. I reminded her she had initially contacted me with a hidden number. Having to return XXXX, I asked her to call back at a specific time later. With this, she threatened me with the statement - " I 'll see you in court! '' and hung up. 

I struggled through XXXX for the remainder of the day. 

After work, I contacted the office, asking to speak to someone other than XXXX The call was handled by " XXXX. '' " XXXX '' reminded me he had contacted me in past. Between XXXX us, our conversation was courteous and respectful. I reminded him my mother had since passed away, and in a polite way alighted to him that when he had contacted her in the past on her job, threatening to sue her, I wanted to let him know he might not have been at fault of- but was certainly influential XXXX that took her life last year. We agreed XXXX tow. end of XXXX 2015 ) on a schedule of $ XXXXmonth beginning XXXX 2015. 

In the next hour, my brother called to say " XXXX '' called and asked him to contribute an additional amount ( " XXXX '' never called me afterwards to inform me had this conversation with my brother. ). I grew suspicious, and told my brother not to send anything to the company. " XXXX '' then later called my brother, who asked her to stop calling him, but rather connect with me. " XXXX '' told him that I would curse her out and hang up on her. Remember - " XXXX '' called me, threatened me, and hung up. 

Any communication then on, made to my brother, by " XXXX '' or XXXX, '' they would tell him to make sure no one else was on the phone. Either tried to convince him to make payments or they would see him and me in court. 

I refrained sending money to the XXXX XXXX address " XXXX '' provided for payments. Instead, I contacted the FTC to ask about the company 's practices, and to find out if there were any violations, et al. As recommended, I contacted the XXXX, and sent a check for {$410.00}, with letter stating it is XXXX of XXXX installments to pay off the {$1600.00} owed. 

After 4 weeks, the collections company sent me the uncashed check stapled to a letter sans letterhead, and bogus " interest charge XXXX non-descriptive ). I have attached a copy file of document. 

Please find attached an uploaded file of my brother 's summary of communication tactics of this company, and the letter from MAB with my stapled check. 

I will be returning the check XXXX, and continue to pay the balance of this interest-free loan. 

The remaining balance of the loan is {$1600.00} The original loan amount was {$2300.00}. I did struggle with continued unemployment, or employment not enabling residual income for much outside of rent, utilities and gas. I did not have sufficient funds for groceries XXXX XXXX teen-aged daughters ) much of the time. I am now able to pay off loan in {$400.00} installments to a {$0.00} by early next year.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation