Consumer complaint received 2023-05-23
Product: Debt collection — Other debt
Issue: Communication tactics — Used obscene, profane, or other abusive language
Company: T.S. Holdings (MD)

Recently, I have been contacted by a debt collection company IQ Data International located in XXXX, XXXX. My debt was in the amount of {$1700.00} for amounts owed to a previous apartment complex. I did agree to pay the total amount on XX/XX/2023 in XXXX when I was originally contacted. However due to unforeseen personal issues I knew I could not make it in full and did not want to put myself or my family in financial constraint. 

On Monday, XX/XX/2023 at XXXX EST, I called IQ Data International to speak to my " case worker '' in order to set up a payment arrangement. I spoke to XXXX and explained to him my situation and offered to pay {$200.00} as the initial payment and requested a payment arrangement for the rest. XXXX told me I was not able to set up a payment arrangement and had to apply for loans to pay the account in full. XXXX continue to state that after receiving multiple denial letters then he may be able to assist. I explained to him that currently my two children and I are homeless and were attempting to move into another apartment and my credit was not in the ideal place to get a loan. I then asked him to cancel the payment as I was unable to pay it on XX/XX/XXXX in which he then stated he would report to the credit bureaus that I am " Refusing to Pay '', which is false. I then asked him why would he report false information when I am attempting to pay my debt just at a lower initial payment. XXXX then went to say how a loan would look better on my credit than a collection, which as a debt collector, credit advice is outside of his scope of practice. 

From then XXXX transferred me to his supervisor XXXX XXXX which I did not know I was being transferred. Once XXXX answered, I explained to her my situation with XXXX and my finances. She then went to say that it is correct and I would have to get a loan. I reiterated to XXXX what I told XXXX that this was new information to me and I could not get a loan. XXXX then went on to ask why I couldn't. I told her that my credit is not ideal and I am trying to move and then told me to ask my family or friends for the money. I told XXXX that threatening to send false information to credit bureaus that I am refusing to pay will result in me reporting her and the company to the XXXX, CFPB and Maryland Department of Labor Consumer Affairs. XXXX then said I was not a consumer, which I countered and stated that I was and for her company to be able to be licensed in the state of Maryland they must be under the Department of Labor Consumer and Financial Affairs Division. XXXX then proceeded to say " You are not a consumer, you are a whining little girl you can not pay her bills! ". 

The call was recorded and violated my rights under the Federal Trade Commission 's Fair Debt Collections Practices Act 806. Harassment or abuse : ( 2 ) The use of obscene or profane language or language the natural consequence of which is to abuse the hearer or reader and 807. False or misleading representations ( 8 ) Communicating or threatening to communicate to any person credit information which is known or which should be known to be false, including the failure to communicate that a disputed debt is disputed.