Consumer complaint received 2021-07-12
Product: Debt collection — Payday loan debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action — Threatened to arrest you or take you to jail if you do not pay
Company: DFC Global Corp. (IL)

In approximately XXXX or XXXX of XXXX I took a payday advance from Money Mart in XXXX, AK. Unfortunately, when I lost both of my jobs because of Covid, I was unable to pay them back as agreed upon. In the time that has followed, I've moved several thousand miles away, trying to keep my head above water. In the meantime, my loan was sold to XXXX XXXX. I started receiving threatening, aggressive messages. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called the number that was left and immediately started being harassed and intimidated by a woman named XXXX. She said my account was in a " red flag status '' and kept trying to bully me into giving over a credit card number ( I don't have a credit card ). After about 20 minutes of badgering me, I asked to speak with a manager. XXXX XXXX came on the line repeating the same harassment techniques. Another 10 minutes of harassing me and she finally agreed to take a debit card number. At this point I was so worn down and overwhelmed, I agreed to a payment plan that I can't keep. This is the only point of the phone call that was recorded. I called back the next morning at XXXX XXXX and spoke with a guy by the name of XXXX. I explained that I very much wanted to take care of the debt but the plan they suggested wasn't reasonable and I wouldn't be able to keep it. I also told him that I hadn't ever received anything in writing from them stating what they debt was and how to make payment arrangements. Everything had been done on the phone only. He said he would put me on hold and " look into my file. '' He said he would speak with XXXX and if necessary a senior legal advisor ( SLA ). SLA XXXX gets on the line stating, " We have you on a recorded line agreeing to the payment plan. Why would you agree to a payment plan you can't keep? We never once harassed you or intimidated you. We have the recording. '' I tell her she wasn't a part of that conversation so she has no idea what was or was not said. She says " FINE! I'll listen to the call. '' and then slams me on hold. She comes back about 30 seconds later saying, " We never intimidated you during that recording. You agreed to everything. '' I tell her that I can not keep that arrangement and I want to make one that I can keep. She keeps cutting me off telling me she has me on a recorded line agreeing to everything & they won't change anything. As I'm telling her that I can't make that payment, it will result in detrimental things at home, and that I very much want to set up a reasonable payment plan, she puts me on hold as I'm speaking. I disconnect the call, block the number, and cancel the debit card number I gave them so they can't charge it. They've never given me anything in writing despite me asking them to on 2 different occasions. They are now leaving harassing voicemails saying that they " have located me & will be contacting my place of employment to let them know that they will be showing up at my place of employment. '' They've left at least 4 of these messages. I called today to ask them again for information in writing and for them to stop contacting me via telephone. I also wanted to tell them that I was contacting the CFPB. XXXX XXXX answered and said, " Well I don't know who you are so I don't care '' and hung up on me. I called back again and was instantly hung up on. 
I called back a 3rd time and was hung up on. I dialed XXXX on the 4th call and got through ( since they couldn't see my number ). XXXX XXXX answered again. He hung up on me again. 
They've left voicemails threatening to contact my employer 3 times so far : 1 ). XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX message left by XXXX XXXX ) 2 ). XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX  XXXX message left by XXXX XXXX ) 3 ). XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX message left by XXXX XXXX XXXX