Consumer complaint received 2017-11-28
Product: Debt collection — Other debt
Issue: Threatened to contact someone or share information improperly — Contacted you instead of your attorney
Company: Benuck & Rainey, Inc. (NC)

On XX/XX/XXXX I received a phone call on my cell phone by a man named XXXX XXXX with Benuck & Rainey , Inc . He claimed that he was representing XXXX in collecting a debt owed by my former company ( sold in XX/XX/XXXX ). He claimed that we 'd entered into a contract with XXXX and had not paid the debt. I explained I had no knowledge a contract. Regardless, the company had been sold and closed. All debts presented had been paid, and that I was simply a individual at this point with no ties to the buyer. He claimed that this debt " penetrated the corporate veil '' and that I was personally responsible for the debt. After several back and forth exchanges, I finally said, " Look, if you have a contract signed by myself or an officer of the company, send it to me and I 'll look at it. Otherwise I do n't know what you are talking about and there is no claim because your contract is n't valid ( without a proper signature ). '' He said that he would send me the contract and we hung up. However during the conversation he 'd already stated that his contract was signed by a former employee who was our desktop support guy, a fact I 've since verified he told another former employee he contacted as well. This employee was a junior position, and definitely NOT an officer of the company. 

Several days later I received a demand letter in the US Mail from XXXX XXXX, dated the same day as our telephone conversation. It included no copy of the contract, only a demand to pay by XX/XX/XXXX. I also found later that he 'd sent two copies of the letter to my old company, along with copies to several people I was formally associated with including employees and the new owners. I will attach my copy of the letter to this complaint. 

In response to his letter, and before I learned of the additional copies sent, I replied with a certified letter dated XX/XX/XXXX directing XXXX XXXX not to contact myself or anyone else associated or formerly associated with me. I provided my lawyers contact information for any further correspondence and CC 'd my lawyer, following up with a phone call, so he 'd know to expect any communication. This letter was signed for by XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. I will include a copy of this response letter in my complaint, along with the return receipts. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX telephoned me again and left a voice mail. He also, I learned later, telephoned a former employee on XX/XX/XXXX and also left a voice mail. Both calls were after being notified to only contact my lawyer. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX called again on my cell phone and this time I was able to answer. He said that he 'd been trying to contact me to send me the requested information ( the  contract. ) I said, " Then send it, you do n't need my permission to mail me something. '' He then launched into various tactics to get me to agree to pay the debt. The " need to send info '' was only an excuse to call again as no call was needed to mail a document to an address he has already corresponded successfully with. I verified he 'd received my letter, then explained to him that he 'd been directed to only contact my lawyer and that this call was harassment and would be prosecuted as such. I then terminated the call.