Consumer complaint received 2017-01-24
Product: Debt collection — Federal student loan
Issue: Communication tactics — Frequent or repeated calls
Company: Delta Management Associates, Inc. (VA)

I received a letter in the mail from XXXX dated XX/XX/XXXX in which it was stated that my student loan had gone into default status with a contact number to discuss payment options. I called and spoke with a woman named XXXX XXXX at XXXX ext. XXXX. I had a legal name change XX/XX/XXXX, so the conversation centered around 1. payment options and 2. how to get the account to reflect my new legal name since repeated attempts to have the my name updated in XXXX system were never done in the past, even after sending in docs reflecting it. Due to being unemployed since XX/XX/XXXX, I was told I could request to be placed on a payment plan to send at minimum $ XXXX/month to get my account current and that I could submit the official court docs proving that I indeed had a legal name change. I requested the information we discussed to be sent to me via mail. About one month later, I received the payment plan application where I confirmed my legal name, current address, employment information ( unemployed ), and salary/income information. Also, on this letter was an alternate contact email address ( XXXXXXXXXXXX ) in which I scanned the copy of this completed form and attached a copy of the official court documents reflecting my name change. I emailed this information to them on XX/XX/XXXX and requested in this email to be notified/receive confirmation of receipt of these items either in response to that same email or via mail. I never received anything in response. Fast forward to XX/XX/XXXX, where I received a call from a local ( XXXX ) number and upon listening to the voicemail that was left ( from a " XXXX XXXX '' ) was instructed to call XXXX ext. XXXX. No company or affiliation was stated in this message so I had no idea who he was, what organization he was with, or what he was calling about. They spoofed a local number and left a voicemail requesting a call back to a toll free number and appear to be located in Massachusetts. Due to being unemployed for so long, I no longer answer calls from unknown or toll free numbers unless explicitly agreed upon prior and only communicate with confirmed collection agencies that I have received written correspondence from in writing. Not to mention, they were STILL referring to me by a name I no longer use and are the ONLY collection agency doing so ( thus they are using outdated information ). Upon speaking to " XXXX '', he stated that it was an attempt to collect a debt. I asked who he was and who he was calling with because I was then instructed to confirm my name, date of birth, and social security number without any disclosure as to who I was being asked to provide this information to. Once he stated he was with " Delta Management Assoc. Inc '' I recalled that I had spoken to and emailed requested documents to them XX/XX/XXXX and never heard back in the requested format. He stated that they COULD NOT change my name in their system, thus I requested a supervisor. I was then transferred to " XXXX XXXX '' in which more circular convo occurred about updating my name. He later confirmed that I was approved for the payment plan, but they could not get ahold of me by phone and admitted " someone '' dropped the ball. He also stated that since they are a collection agency, they could not respond to me in writing, only phone. On XX/XX/XXXX, " XXXX '' called requesting even more docs ( ID, social security card, and a letter requesting the name change ) to update their end. I refuse to do this unless I receive something in writing for my records so I was transferred to " XXXX XXXX '' who said he needed permission from a manager to do this. They REFUSE to communicate in writing and only want to play phone tag so I will be contacting an attorney as I will no longer repeatedly send confidential info with their refusal to communicate anywhere other than over the phone.