Consumer complaint received 2024-05-31
Product: Debt collection — Federal student loan debt
Issue: Communication tactics — Frequent or repeated calls
Company: RMS-Recovery Management Services, Inc. (IL)

I have gotten multiple phone calls from different phone numbers, all of which when I say hello over the phone, there is just silence and no one speaking on the other end. I hang up. I had answered XXXX of their phone calls months ago because they asked to speak to me, but would not identify who they were. Upon them arguing with me and getting an attitude with me after I said " who's calling? '' the guy on the other end started his sentence with " ma'am, if you're not her then why -- '' I cut him off and hung up. After that, I would keep getting unnamed phone calls which I would have to XXXX and they all linked back to Recovery Management Services. Today, I was waiting for an interview over the phone and did not recognize the number. Believing it was the interviewer trying to contact me, I answered to which I was then met with a long period of silence. I did not identify myself, but after a few more seconds of constantly saying hello? I hung up. I called the number back with suspicions that it was the RMS debt collecting agency since the random calls with no one speaking back to me always links back to them. I was told that they have attempted to call me numerous times about the debt and that I'd hung up on them. I explained why to which the girl over the phone disagreed with and basically said that I was not trying to cooperate. She went on to explain that they were hired by XXXX XXXX XXXX  ( my previous school ) on an attempt to collect half or full payment of $ XXXX I owe. I tried to explain that I had filled out the proper withdrawal paperwork and had tried to resolve the balance over the phone with a few of the staff and was basically told I either paid half the balance XXXX month and the rest the next, or pay in full. The agent threatened to basically escalate the issue if I could not resolve the issue immediately over the phone. I explained that I do not have the money to pay HUNDREDS a month. Her tone got aggressive as she said I had no choice and would not be offered an affordable payment plan to resolve my debt because -- in many words -- I caused someone to lose a spot to continue their education due to the school being unable to pay for them. I asked to have my mom join the call because at this point I was terrified and confused. My mom tried to speak to the lady over the phone, but she kept giving her an attitude which prompted my mother to reply that she would not be getting any information from us and that we would have to contact later. The lady threatened to call the school and tell them that I was unwilling to resolve the issue and was not cooperating. THAT'S NOT TRUE. I TRIED to cooperate!! I was okay with setting up a payment plan I COULD AFFORD. I had explained that I am not financially stable and can barely afford paying my rent each month, in which I was coldly informed the situation is my fault for not working with the school earlier. I have no idea what to do. I could have been making monthly payments but neither the school or debt collectors will work with me on something I can afford. How can I pay off a debt with money I don't have??? The lady over the phone was VERY rude and immediately blamed me for the situation, unaware that I had contacted the school and tried to control this issue if not a year ago, sometime after I had dropped out of the school. I am beyond afraid and frustrated.