vivekkopthsd/cfpb-consumer-complaints huggingface dataset:
Consumer complaint received 2015-03-30 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Other (i.e. phone, health club, etc.)
Issue: False statements or representation — Attempted to collect wrong amount
Company: ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC.
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
Around XXXX of 2009 I had cancelled service with XXXX wireless ( cell phone service ) by contacting their corporate office via phone and was told that the service would be turned off and not be charged a cancellation fee. I do n't know why but I never received anything by mail or telephone call to inform me that XXXX was trying to collect an unpaid bill for the month of service before cancellation. Due to none payment Version sold my debt and I was contacted years later by Midland credit management. After speaking with them multiple times and trying to fix the issue, also speaking with XXXX, who does n't have any available information to give me, I have noticed that the date the collection was opened has changed a few times. I 'm concerned that there might be an illegal and/or unethical practice going on. Not only has the date changed but the price of the debt is significantly higher than should be. I have no other option than to submit a complaint. If nothing can be done from a complaint then next course of action would be contacting an attorney to investigate the matter in more detail for legal actions.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Consumer complaint received 2015-06-23 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Credit card
Issue: Communication tactics — Frequent or repeated calls
Company: ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
Old debt, may report to credit reporting agencies as unpaid

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2016-08-28 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Medical
Issue: Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed — Debt is not mine
Company: ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC.
State: AL

Complaint narrative:
This debt is a work comp issue to be paid by employment with XXXX. I had gotten hurt at work

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2016-08-09 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Credit card
Issue: Taking/threatening an illegal action — Sued w/o proper notification of suit
Company: ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC.
State: MT

Complaint narrative:
a XXXX account was turned over to midland funding llc i called midland funding numerous times requesting a settlement amount they never returned my calls instead they turned it over to collections attroneys XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX mn XXXX file # XXXX for XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2016-11-28 00:00:00
Product: Bank account or service — (CD) Certificate of deposit
Issue: Account opening, closing, or management — 
Company: HSBC NORTH AMERICA HOLDINGS INC.
State: VA

Complaint narrative:
I was mislead to invest in a structured CD 's, that did not earn any % gains over 6 years period, the Broker did not act a fiduciary agent according to SEC regulations.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2015-05-01 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — 
Issue: Closing/Cancelling account — 
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: IL

Complaint narrative:
American Express refuses to close a Premier Rewards Gold Card. My wife and I close the card, and then American Express claims there are fees ( seemingly a random amount ) that accrued post closing, and seeks payment on them. 
First, Am Ex stopped sending us bills. We discovered this in XXXX, and made XXXX payments to pay off the card and asked that it be closed. We indicated at that time our complaint that we had not received a bill for what appeared to be the last couple months. 
In XX/XX/XXXX, we received a letter stating that the card had been deactivated, and we should activate an enclosed new card if we wanted to make charges. We did not activate the new card. 
Sometime in XX/XX/XXXX, we learned that Am Ex believed there was a balance on our original card. We called and were informed that an annual fee had been assessed. We repeated our desire to close the account, and the representative told us that the annual fee was waived and the account closed. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, we received an email indicating that the account was closed. 
Next, we received an XX/XX/XXXX letter indicating that {$76.00} was due on the account. That was followed by an XXXX statement claiming an {$190.00} balance. 
We called Am Ex on XX/XX/XXXX. We were first told that our balance on the card was {$19.00} and stemmed from a charge from XX/XX/2014. We told Am Ex that such information could not be correct because we paid off the balance since then, and had closed the account. Then, in the same phone call, we were told that the balance was {$75.00} and stemmed from a charge from XXXX from XXXX. We did work with that merchant, and recognized that it was at least possible that they place a charge on this account in error, since this account had been used previously. However, we were concerned that any charge would have been accepted on a closed account. We were then transferred to another XXXX Ex employee who now claimed that we owed {$76.00} on the account. That being the fourth sum quoted to us in this XXXX call, we discontinued the discussion. 
The next day we called the merchant XXXX XXXX. They indicated that they had placed a charge on this XXXX Ex account, but reversed it and billed a separate account. 
We closed this Am Ex account in XXXX. We have authorized no new charges on this account, and have refused to activate the replacement card sent to us. In response, Am Ex has sought to collect wildly variable amounts of money from us on this closed account. 
We ask that the account be correctly coded as closed and paid in full. We ask that written confirmation of that status be sent to us. This zombie card needs to be killed for good, with no possibility of repeating these returns from the grave. 
The written communication we could easily find is enclosed with this complaint.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Consumer complaint received 2015-08-20 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Credit card
Issue: Communication tactics — Frequent or repeated calls
Company: Client Services, Inc.
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
I recently, XX/XX/XXXX, had XXXX and was out of work for XXXX months. I could not drive nor do anything that may aggravate my XXXX while it heeled. This is why I fell behind in my finances. However, once I went back to work, my wife and I sought some help from a financial planner. She was able to get us into a situation where we were able to put food on the table and not worry about our finances. That is until the phone calls started from the credit agencies that we could not budget into the finances. We constantly kept asking the financial planner about paying others but she stayed the course and so far we have been able to pay off XXXX credit cards. We are by no means trying to get out of paying our debt. We just have to take small steps to get it all taken care of. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a call at work from XXXX with XXXX XXXX. She is attempting to collect a debt for XXXX. I explained to her that I would have to discuss certain payments and see how we can pay this off. She came back and said normally they expect the full amount but in my case they XXXX make an exception and want XXXX % up front and we can work on the rest. I then had to mention that if I could n't pay the minimum due, how do you expect me to pay XXXX %? She has since contacted my home phone XXXX times to get a response from my discussion with my wife. This is considered harassment in my opinion. However, when you talk to XXXX she will phrase sentences in a way that makes you tell her when a good time to call is and that she was just doing as you instructed. I understand they are collecting a debt and that a lot of people have XXXX excuses. I guess I just blend in with the rest. But, I had worked my XXXX off to get a credit score above XXXX and in XXXX months watch it dwindle to XXXX. Not happy about it but I can probably bounce back as long as I do not get harassed about it. It is embarrassing enough to deal with the problem at hand. I do not need someone to rub it in.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2015-08-08 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Credit card
Issue: Taking/threatening an illegal action — Threatened arrest/jail if do not pay
Company: HSBC NORTH AMERICA HOLDINGS INC.
State: KY

Complaint narrative:
Offices of XXXX contacted me via phone and told me I owed money on a credit card I know nothing about. The person I spoke with name is XXXX XXXX and he was very rude and unprofessional in his attempted to collect this supposed debit I owe. I inquired about the card and just tried to understand what was going on but he really did n't want to hear anything I was asking about nor did he send me any documents in the mail prior to or after we spoke to prove I actually owed this debit. I have received and currently am still receive abusive threatening messages from processers saying all sorts of derogatory things. Due to the first message I received stating they would come to my place of work and serve me and the fact that I really did n't want any issues financially I paid XXXX on the spot and was told I could set up a payment plan for the rest of this money I allegedly owed. The payment plan was told to me on the phone and then I was told for it to be valid I would be sent a copy of the payment plan to my email in a few days and would have to sign, authorize and send back to them through email. I had n't received anything in a few days so I called back and left a message saying I never received anything to my email. About a day or XXXX later I got a phone call from XXXX XXXX and he then told me he had sent it again. I checked my email and it was there this time. I never signed it printed the emailed contract and decided to take this to and attorney and see what were my rights when it came to all of this. I also pulled my credit report took that with me as well to the legal offices on post, and this card from Household bank I am allegedly owing is not on there. I then sought out and attorney through the XXXX due to the fact I am currently a XXXX at XXXX XXXX, KY. The first payment was supposed to be made XXXX XXXX according to the emailed contract they sent me but once again never signed and sent it back to them authorizing this but Offices of XXXX took it upon there selves to take that payment anyway. The attorney sent Offices of XXXX a letter, notifying them I now had representation and they were to only contact my lawyer not me directly anymore. Unfortunately they failed to do so braking the law by trying to contact me after the letter was sent also left another threatening fortuitous message, that I also saved. I am in no way opposed to paying this debit if it truly mine but I was not given any proof except XXXX XXXX stating that my social was attached to this card and it means nothing. There is so much fraud and stealing of individuals socials and identity theft I only want to be sure before I pay another persons debit, and by law I have that right. I would like for this to be investigated, my money returned and no longer harassed by this company or its processors. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2016-03-09 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: Communication tactics — Frequent or repeated calls
Company: ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC.
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
I receive telephone calls 3 or 4 times daily. When I pick up the phone, there is no voice only clicking. I do n't know for sure who the caller is. I do not have outstanding debts never has.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Consumer complaint received 2015-09-24 00:00:00
Product: Mortgage — Conventional fixed mortgage
Issue: Loan servicing, payments, escrow account — 
Company: HSBC NORTH AMERICA HOLDINGS INC.
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
The mortgage service company refuses to reduce my monthly payments or interest amount due even though I have made extra payments to pay down principal. My outstanding principal on XXXX XXXX, 2005 was approximately {$360000.00}. I made {$25000.00} worth of principal payments on XXXX XXXX, 2005 and another {$1000.00} in principal payments on XXXX XXXX, 2005, but they refuse to recalculate the monthly amount due and have continued to charge interest on the principal amount of {$360000.00}. 

They claim that they will make XXXX only adjustment to monthly payment amounts per year and will require notarized documents in order to do so. Furthermore, if I want to make additional payments against principal, I need to do it before the XXXX of the current month in order to go into effect 45 days later. 

These are ridiculously deceptive practices. If I pay down the principal of my loan, they should not continue to charge me interest on the previous amount. Furthermore, they should not have to make me jump through hoops such as notarized documents in order to pay down a loan, nor should they hold on to my money for 45 days and still charge me interest on the principal. 

I have filed a previous complaint to this effect. The company took 2 months to respond and basically told me they were going to follow the same practices as above. They provided no documentation to support their contention that it 's ok for them to hold onto my money and not reduce my payments. They claimed various " processes '' that take more than 6 weeks to execute, even though over the phone, the customer service person was able to compute a new payment amount in less than 5 minutes using a basic mortgage repayment calculator. 

I would like them to repay the interest on the money they have held onto now since XXXX and allow me to pay down my loan and get the benefit of lower monthly payments, as should be the case.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2016-05-24 00:00:00
Product: Bank account or service — Other bank product/service
Issue: Deposits and withdrawals — 
Company: HSBC NORTH AMERICA HOLDINGS INC.
State: NY

Complaint narrative:
I send a check like normally to pay my rent and the check was cashed in by someone else instead of the landlord. I had called my landlord and explain what happen and they do n't consider the problem and are charging us XXXX legal fees and late fees. I 've talked to the bank serval times already and they keep telling me the same thing over and over again that the investigation is still undergoing. This process has been over a few months now and nothing has happen about that check or a refund from the bank to pay the landlord for rent.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2015-09-13 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — 
Issue: Identity theft / Fraud / Embezzlement — 
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: IL

Complaint narrative:
On XXXX XXXX, as an authorized credit card holder, an authorized user to make purchases, with my own card that included my name, I purchased airline gift certificates through XXXX XXXX. When I went to use the gift certificates, XXXX XXXX told me that they were refunded. When I contacted American Express multiple times, I received varying responses from supervisors that the charge was refunded due to fraud, and that I am no longer an authorized user of the account and they could give me no more information. 

My wife, after finding the charges, lied to American Express saying that the charges were fraudulent. Instead of investigating through their fraud department, they acted quickly and reversed the charges even though this was NOT fraud. They also removed me from the account. After explaining several times to American Express associates, XXXX finally told me that they will send an email to the fraud department to investigate again, however I would NEVER know the outcome unless the XXXX XXXX tickets are re-issued- apparently for security reasons? 

Without some proof of " unauthorized use '' ( which is impossible if i was an authorized user and was permitted to use and pay the balance in the past ) i should not be subject to a conviction for unauthorized use under Federal or State laws which include as an element actual, intentional, unauthorized use. This purchase was very important to me because it was the only way I could XXXX. I am stuck couch surfing until this gets rectified. 

XXXX American Express manager was so arrogant to tell me that they " trust '' and listen to the card holder, and if they say it 's fraud, they act as such without investigation.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2016-04-13 00:00:00
Product: Mortgage — FHA mortgage
Issue: Loan modification,collection,foreclosure — 
Company: HSBC NORTH AMERICA HOLDINGS INC.
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
his is a request for intervention due to a wrongful foreclosure initiated on the first Tuesday of XXXX 2016 by HSBC Mortgage Services Inc. at the XXXX XXXX court house steps with said property XXXX Georgia XXXX. Previous to this wrongful foreclosure action on the subject property, I was assigned to XXXX XXXX, Housing Counselor with Home Safe Georgia to negotiate a loan modification or principal reduction with HSBC Mortgage Services , Inc. He requested the following information to complete the modification application : Profit and Loss Statement ; Recent 2 Months of Personal Bank Statements ; Tax Transcripts for Personal and Business for XXXX ; During this period, I truly believed that I was under HAMP review and HSBC Mortgage Services never sent me any denial notice for my HAMP prior to the wrongful foreclosure against the subject property. HSBC Mortgage Services Inc. failed to adhere to the Single Point of Contact policy in order to find out the time frame in evaluating a HAMP Loan Modification application. Moreover, I was assured by Home Safe Georgia that they have contacts at many of the banks in order to execute an amenable mortgage workout. I have attached Home Safe Georgia email communication to me for your review. HSBC violated CFPB rules against dual tracking, initiating foreclosure while negotiating a loan modification. 
Sincerely, XXXX XXXX GA XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2015-03-27 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — 
Issue: Credit determination — 
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/XXXX I responded to a pre-selected application for an American Express credit card. I received a letter from American Express dated XX/XX/XXXX that informed me that my application could not approved as American Express had cancelled previous accounts. The letter further indicated that I was welcome to submit another application at a later date. The cancelled account to which American Express referenced was in XX/XX/XXXX and since that time I have paid all of my credit obligations on time and have a FICO credit score of XXXX. 
I responded with a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX in which I requested a copy of the company credit card policy that pertains to the period of time after an account has been cancelled that a new application may be favorably considered. 
American Express replied with a form letter dated XX/XX/XXXX that failed to address my request for the company credit review policy. The letter simply re-stated the reason my application was declined. 
I responded with a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX specifically requesting a copy of the American Express credit review policy that pertains to the period of time after an account has been cancelled that a new application may be favorably considered. I wanted to ascertain that the credit decision on my application was made in conformance with an established credit review policy and not an arbitrary, capricious decision based on age or race discrimination. 
The last letter from American Express dated XX/XX/XXXX again failed to address my request for a copy of the company credit review policy that pertains to the period of time after an account has been cancelled that a new application may be favorably considered. I will accept the American Express decision to decline my application if the credit review policy indicates the period of time after an account has been cancelled is eleven years or more, since my account was cancelled ten years and ten months ago. The credit review process should be the same for all applicants regardless of age, race or religion and without providing a copy of the credit review policy it is impossible to ascertain that the policy is being uniformly and equitably applied. American Express in every letter indicated that a new application could be submitted at a later date but without indicating the period of time a new application could be submitted to receive favorable consideration the company may be using this as a method of surreptitious discrimination.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2015-05-17 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed — Debt is not mine
Company: ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC.
State: NC

Complaint narrative:
During the past 11 months, including today XXXX/XXXX/2015 @ XXXX est, XXXX and other phone numbers have called repeatably, sometimes XXXX times in a day, mostly not leaving a message but sometimes leaves a robo-message they are debt collector trying to collect a debt that is not mine. I have talked to a few, addressing I am not the person that is the debtor, nor do they or ever have lived with me and told them to quit calling me. They use the above number after having called from another number trying to collect the same debt. This is a very abusive and harassing attempt from them and I 'm sick of all them calling. I do not owe any old debts that are under 3 years. I also have had a threatening arrest and serve papers message left and saved on my answering machine. I 'm not sure if above number was that call though, but would be willing to play it so you could hear. 
Above number last XXXX calls XXXX XXXX/XXXX/2015 @ XXXX XXXX XXXX/XXXX/2015 @ XXXX XXXX XXXX/XXXX/2015 @ XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-03-03 00:00:00
Product: Payday loan — 
Issue: Charged fees or interest I didn't expect — 
Company: GVA Holdings, LLC
State: NJ

Complaint narrative:
I received a payday loan from West River Cash for the amount of {$350.00} and after 1 payment of {$120.00} and another 3 for {$100.00} that the principal only went down to {$340.00}. The representative informed me to pay in full it would be over {$400.00} after paying them {$430.00}. They have me on an 18 month repayment cycle of {$100.00} a paycheck. The representative could n't answer why I would be paying roughly {$1800.00} for a {$350.00} loan. The representative, XXXX, said I have been making the minimum payments whereas the {$120.00} payment only affected the principal by XXXX cents. They only thing XXXX mentioned to me was speaking to an account manager and I did n't want to receive any abuse or harassment of any kind by an account manager.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2015-10-05 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Credit card
Issue: Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed — Debt was paid
Company: ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC.
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
I paid this debt to the creditor who purchased it in XX/XX/XXXX 2015. the judgment is marked satisfied. when I called to tell them they acted like they did n't know what I was talking about. I mailed them the paperwork stating the account has been paid

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation