Consumer complaint received 2015-03-31
Company: Continental Services Group, Inc. d/b/a ConServe
State: AL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Federal student loan
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Attempted to collect wrong amount

Complaint:
Conserve has been calling my number since XXXX stating that I owed a student loan for {$3900.00}. They indicated that I could be placed in a repayment plan and after XXXX months, another provider would take over and I would be out of default status. At that time, I started paying {$150.00} per month. They still called constantly requesting financial info such as pay stubs, XXXX and XXXX form. They called once and stated that I needed to start paying {$1600.00} per month on this loan. I told them that I could not afford this. They continued to call and call. They then stated that I needed to pay {$900.00} per month which I stated that I could not afford. All the while, they were drafting {$150.00} per month. At XX/XX/XXXX, their XXXX XXXX indicated that I was never really in a repayment program, when I asked why they drafted my bank account monthly if I was not. She started lying at that time about how I needed to pay more. Then XXXX XXXX started calling me and stated that I need to submit more financial documentation and that my payment would be $ XXXX monthly which I agreed to. The XXXX payment due XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received my pay check and that Conserve had my check garnished. I called XXXX and she asked like she knew nothing of this and stated that she needed to speak to her manager. She came back and stated that if I made payments along with the garnishment, that after a XXXX months, they would stop the garnishment. I told her that was ridiculous because my check was garnished {$450.00}. I stated that the loan was only {$3000.00}. She stated that I now owed {$5400.00} which is ridiculous. She then stated that they would offer me a XXXX settlement of {$4200.00}. This company has lied, took money illegally and was deceitful. Conserve has unfair collection practices. I called the Dept of Ed about this and they stated that any actions taken was not by them nor order by them but it was done by Conserve only. They did n't know where the increase came from and had no knowledge of how Conserve was handling the accounts for them, They redirected me to Conserve which is a waste of time since they violate all of the Fair Consumer Act. Conserve needs to made to answer for all of their collection practices. The New York XXXX has numerous complaints regarding this company. Please help the consumers who are being harassed and deceived daily by Conserve. When I questioned XXXX XXXX why I was not notified about the garnishment by them, she stated that they mail a letter to me on XX/XX/XXXX regarding this. I asked what address was it sent to and she then gave my current address. I told her that she was lying about this because I purchased a new home in XX/XX/XXXX which is the address that she stated. I was not living at this address in XX/XX/XXXX. When I stated this she became belligerent and wanted to argue with me at which time I discontinued the call.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation