Consumer complaint received 2021-04-21
Product: Debt collection — Payday loan debt
Issue: Written notification about debt — Didn't receive enough information to verify debt
Company: WD Global Group, LLC (MI)

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a phone call from a representative at WD Global Group stating they were calling to collect on behalf of the payday loan company XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ). The representative inquired as to why I hadn't paid the debt. I told them I started to pay it off however I had two companies calling me trying to collect on the same debt and because neither of them could provide proof they were authorized to collect payment from me for said debt, I stopped. I was not about to pay two different companies in full twice for the same debt. The representative told me if I did not settle that day they would be forced to pursue legal action against me. I decided since I did have the money to pay the debt off and asked the rep to send me an email with proof that the debt had been paid off. I was told that I would receive a receipt of payment via email ( I can not find the email stating that my debt had been paid off although I do vaguely recall seeing one. ) I made a payment arrangement for {$260.00} ( original debt was for {$220.00} ) was withdrawn from my checking account on XX/XX/XXXX ( my statement shows the exact time and date for withdrawal as XX/XX/XXXX, at XXXX XXXX ). I didn't think anything of it until mid-XX/XX/XXXX when I received a phone call from another collection company by the name of XXXX XXXX claiming I owed them for the very same pay day loan. The call started off as a threat from the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX demanding to speak to my landlord regarding this debt. I started digging through some old debt collection papers and came across one of the original letters from XXXX XXXX and the original collection company that took over this debt, XXXX XXXX XXXX. I reached out to XXXX to inquire if they still owned my debt and asked them to provide proof. I let them know that both WD Global Group and XXXX XXXX XXXX were portraying themselves as authorized to collect on this debt and that WD Global Group had collected from me. They informed me that they did indeed still own the debt and have since XXXX. Based on my phone conversations, emails and the provided proof XXXX sent me via email and in the mail, I realized that I had been scammed. I sent a validation letter, a copy of XXXX 's email stating they owned the XXXX XXXX debt, an original letter from XXXX XXXX, and a copy of my XX/XX/XXXX bank statement showing where my payment had been withdrawn via certified mail to WD Global Group on XX/XX/XXXX. They have yet to respond. In addition to contacting them via certified mail, I have called their office multiple times and left messages in the last month and a half. They have not picked up the phone nor returned any of my calls or any emails I've sent them to this day. I am reporting this matter to CFPB in hopes of getting a refund and make other consumers aware of these debt collectors that prey on people they are not authorized to collect from. Ask as many questions as you can, educate yourself on fair credit reporting and practices, and demand these companies verify and validate all debt to avoid being scammed.