Consumer complaint received 08/18/2017 about Debt collection (Credit card debt) with STERLING JEWELERS, INC. (FL).
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Threatened to sue you for very old debt

Complaint: A few years ago I had a huge financial hardship resulting in my credit going from good credit to very bad credit. This is not something I am proud of but life happened. Since then I have been working with several of my creditors to resolve my financial burden. Kay Jewelers was next on my list.
OnXX/XX/XXXX I received a call from a XXXX XXXX XXXX  at my place of employment regarding my past due Kay Jeweler account. He asked for me by name yet said he was calling to verify my employment. He stated Kay Jewelers is going to file a civil judgement on me to garnish my wages. I explained to him I could not take his call at work and would call him back the next business day after work as I got off to late to reach him onXX/XX/XXXX.
After several phone calls today ( XX/XX/XXXX ), I finally reached him and inquired about my options to get my {$1200.00} debt paid off. The options offered were out of my budget. He transferred me to the office manager whose name is XXXX and who would not provide me with his last name. I advised XXXX I could not afford the options offered and could we come up with a better option that better fits my budget. Although XXXX XXXX was very polite when talking to him, XXXX was the complete opposite.
XXXX attacked my character, asked me very rudely why I could n't get a family member to pay my bill, why I could n't defer a car payment and why I got the credit in the first place if I could n't pay it back. Among other rude remarks he made as well as there were many. ( Please refer to the recorded phone conversation if possible ).
I proposed a payment arrangement of {$54.00} a month for 24 months which was refused. He kept talking over me and would not let me explain my full financial situation to him. He offered 18 months at {$75.00} a month which I just can not afford at this time because Kay is not the only creditor I am working with to get all of my debt resolved. He said the payment is only {$20.00} more than the {$54.00}. I explained to him that {$20.00} is a lot of money to me. I advised him if they could accept the {$54.00} a month now, once my financial situation changes, I may be able to afford higher payments later. Again, he refused to accept a {$54.00} payment.
I asked if I could have my account number and an address where I could send in a payment myself since he was refusing to accept the {$54.00} and I was ignored and never given the information. He eventually hung up on me. It is already upsetting having a financial difficulty but being treated the way he treated me on the phone was even more upsetting and uncalled for. I would also like to mention I asked him several times if there was someone else I could talk to because I did not like the way he was talking to me and he advised me he was the office manager and there was no one else I could talk to.
I was responding to a call made to me ( at work ) to handle my debt and to be refused when trying to give the payment amount I can afford is ridiculous. I called back and was transferred to XXXX again and received the exact same treatment and was hung up on again. I called back again and spoke to XXXX XXXX who gave me the web address to make a payment. He also refused to give me XXXX 's last name as he said he did not want to " get into trouble. '' He also refused to give me my account information and referred me to the website. On the website you need account information in order to make a payment. I did place an email on the website for someone other than XXXX or XXXX XXXX to call me back so I can get the information I need to handle this. I am still waiting for a response. I would like to add while speaking to XXXX XXXX I told him I was starting to feel very uncomfortable with the phone call as no one would help me and/or give me information. I was beginning to wonder if this was a fraudulent phone call.
I may be reached at XXXX  after 4 every weekday but Wednesday. Thank you so much for your time in helping me resolve this matter.
Respectfully, XXXX XXXX SS # XXXX

Company public response: Company believes complaint caused principally by actions of third party outside the control or direction of the company
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation