Consumer complaint received 2023-02-22
Product: Debt collection — Other debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action — Collected or attempted to collect exempt funds
Company: U.S. Collections West, Inc. (AZ)

I received a letter from a Debt collector attorney On Monday, XX/XX/2023 I was told to contact US COLLECTIONS WEST INC. About an account I have currently in collections for the amount of {$4200.00}, It is to my understanding that this is not the Original creditor of this account and I was told that this specific amount has to be paid in full I have made a suggestion with the representative to settle it for a lower amount or be on a payment plan. I explained to the representative that I had experienced a very difficult hardship with the loss of my mother and that I am just currently unable to provide those types of funds currently I am absolutely exhausted of finances. I work less than 40 hours a week and the representative asked if I could get a loan or a " GIFT '' from someone like a family or a friend for the full amount in order to settle the debt. I advised her that I can not, she went over my finances and my income, she stated my phone bill is too high, to switch carriers " XXXX XXXX  '' and pay {$10.00} a month in order to have some sort of money coming in she asked if my son and daughters father pays child support i told her no, she stated and that I'm on very thin on finances the representative herself said that " I would need a miracle from god '' to settle this. I had made the suggestion to settle for a lower amount of {$2000.00} and she stated that she simply can't do that and she would lose her job, she came back with a settlement of {$3300.00} and that it would have to be paid in full within 30 days. not once did I refuse to pay this balance but it would be just with my current bills just be very hard for me to come up with I understand the reasoning for this balance. She went on asking if I have 401k, social security, and XXXX I advised her that no, my current job doesn't offer any type of benefits in order to me to seek those types of actions. She went on asking if I have children, what my rent is, my car note, and if their father pays child support and if that's a type of income we can use, I advised her no he doesn't pay child support she tells me well how do I live?? that my son and dauthers father still have a financial responsibility and respectfully whether he pays child support or not it is none of her concern, she went on with do I get state benefits like AHCCCS Medicaid, and SNAP I told her no, I make too much money for a single mom of XXXX and have appealed these decisions with the state in order to have health insurance. Before this encounter, I was speaking with another representative and at the time I was in a very hard position where I was sleeping in my car and living with family because I had lost the apartment ( the account is currently in collections US COLLECTIONS WEST INC ) is contacting me about because that same month I lost the apartment was the month I lost my mother and had exhausted all of my finances, my savings in order to pay for my moms funeral services and cremation. I feel like I was completely taken advantage of because of the loss of my mother I was just so overwhelmed about what was going on currently in my life and I was not trying to lose any more than what I have already lost I am scared of finding a way to settle this in the best way possible, I have cried a few times on the phone with these representatives and I am overwhelmed, trying to find a way for this agency to not garnish my wages and exhaust all my finances It would leave me with no money to support me and my XXXX children.