Consumer complaint received 2020-06-04
Company: EVERGREEN PROFESSIONAL RECOVERIES, INC.
State: OR
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical debt
Issue: Written notification about debt
Sub-issue: Didn't receive notice of right to dispute

Complaint:
They have used deceptive tactics in trying to get me to pay on accounts that I do not want to pay. Conflicting information from Evergreen representatives and their repeated refusal to provide timely and adequate documentation of alleged debts, documentation of interest/fees, or documentation of payment agreements, make it impossible for my alleged accounts to be verified or settled. 

Evergreen Professional Recoveries is currently reporting three individual open collection accounts on my credit reports in the amounts of {$1400.00}, {$160.00}, and {$100.00}. I refer to those as accounts A, B, and C, respectively herein. 

The core of my complaint is that EPR has not provided adequate documentation of alleged accounts and they have been acting unethically. 


1. EPR took over three years to provide partial documentation of the accounts they claim I am responsible for. When I first asked in XXXX, I was told that providing debt verification is a huge hassle and a big process - No documentation was provided at that time. I asked again at the end of XXXX and their written response was dated XX/XX/XXXX. 


2. EPRs documentation dated XX/XX/XXXX : a. does not have match account numbers to supporting documentation b. does not align account numbers with amounts. 
c. does not mention any interest or fees that were accumulated or what the rate of interest is, or what the balance of interest was at the time of their letter. 


3. EPR representatives claim on the phone claim that I owe over {$1000.00} in interest, but have not provided documentation on that, nor do those balances match what is on my credit report. No written documentation of interest rate or alleged balances has been provided. 


4. On XX/XX/XXXX, EPRs representative XXXX refused to accept payment on two out of three of the alleged accounts ( XXXX XXXX XXXX  ), claiming that any payment I make to EPR will be applied to the whole alleged balance - even though the three balances are being reported separately to credit bureaus. She said that I can not settle the individual accounts and EPR considers my alleged debts to be one whole account. If an account is individually reported to a credit bureau - I assert that I should be able to address it individually without agreement to action on any other alleged account with that debt collector! This is a deceptive tactic - they are attempting to get me to pay on " Account A '', which I was not trying to pay on. I just wanted to pay XXXX & XXXX. 


5. On XX/XX/XXXX - EPRs supervisor XXXX agreed to accept {$300.00} as a full settlement on XXXX XXXX XXXX However, she denied my request for written documentation of the terms of our verbal agreement. XXXX said that they never give documentation of payment agreements. I was wary because only moments before I had been told by another representative that all payments were directed to a whole balance and that they would not settle individual accounts ( see # 5 above ). I said I would be uncomfortable sending a payment without documentation of our agreement, since it directly contradicted the information her colleague had given me. XXXX said that the phone line is recorded and that she was making a note in the computer. She offered that I could print a receipt once I make an online payment - but I have examined their payment page and does not allow for payments on individual accounts. I said that her records are her records, and do not benefit me. It is unethical not to give me written documentation when I request it. 

I offered to send an email outlining the terms of our agreement if she would acknowledge it as a record for me, and she refused. I did not want to make a payment without an email or letter stating the agreement. If I were to make a payment over the phone or in using their online system, I would have no assurance that it was being applied correctly, especially worrisome because the representatives contradicted each other. 


In conclusion, EPR does not consistently allow payment on individually reported accounts. EPR does not provide adequate documentation of balances, principal, interest, fees. EPR does not provide documentation of payment/settlement agreements. Their refusals make it impossible for me to adequately verify or resolve these accounts. Their tactics are deceptive in that they are trying to take my offer of payment as a payment on ALL alleged accounts.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation