Consumer complaint received 2025-09-29 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Federal student loan debt
Issue: False statements or representation — Attempted to collect wrong amount
Company: Williams & Fudge, Inc
State: CO

Complaint narrative:
The collection agency has engaged in a pattern of deceptive practices. The timeline below outlines the key events : 1. The Underlying Debt and Payment I incurred a tuition debt of {$880.00} with XXXX University for a class I attended. 
This debt was subsequently assigned to Williams & Fudge collection. 
I did not believe I had incurred the debt legally so I began calling Williams & Fudge in an attempt to have how I incurred the debt explained and proven, this was several weeks of communication. 
I asked for a detailed invoice to have the debt broken down, the representative said that she will request it, and send it to me. 


2. The Misleading Invoice & My Payment The first few calls, they did not have the documentation yet, when they finally did, the representative sent it via email XX/XX/XXXX ( Attachment 1 ) I received the same document via mail XX/XX/XXXX. 
The collection agency provided me with an invoice stating the total amount due was {$880.00}. This invoice showed {$860.00} due for repayment of a XXXX XXXX XXXX and {$20.00} due for a collection fee. 
I explained I was planning on paying so I could return to school to finish my 3 classes. We scheduled a call back to complete payment. 
Williams and Fudge missed the appointment so I found their website and realized you could make payments online. 
Relying on this official communication, I paid the agency the full {$880.00} XX/XX/XXXX. 

3. Discovery of a Contradictory, Higher Amount/Undisclosed Fees I called Williams and Fudge the following day to see when I'd be able to return to school I learned the agency was now claiming I owed a total of {$1100.00}, the saw my payment leaving a balance of {$220.00}, I requested a supervisor to speak to a supervisor being transferred twice. 
When I requested an explanation, the agency was unable to provide a consistent or documented reason for the {$220.00} increase, the supervisor resent me an email with the {$880.00} due but then also stated another document was available and sent that to me via email as well ( Attachment 2 ) 4. Receipt of Contradictory Documentation The agency sent me two conflicting documents : Document 1 : An invoice from XXXX University showing a total due of {$880.00}. 
Document 2 : A statement from the agency showing a total due of {$1100.00} * *, but with all fee fields ( interest, fees, etc. ) clearly listed as * * {$0.00}. This document provided no justification for the higher amount. 
Document 3 : Email showing new fee 5. Admission of an Undisclosed Fee After repeated requests for clarification, a supervisor finally provided a breakdown via email, admitting the {$1100.00} is composed of : Principal : {$880.00} Collection Fee : {$220.00} This was the first time this fee was ever itemized or formally communicated to me, and it came after I had already paid the principal based on the earlier invoice. 

6. False Statement Regarding Credit Reporting ( During recent calls ) A representative of the agency explicitly stated that this debt had been reported to the national credit bureaus since beginning of last year I have obtained my official credit reports from XXXX, and XXXX, and this debt does not appear on them. This is a false representation. 

These actionsproviding conflicting invoices, attempting to collect an undisclosed fee only after the principal was paid, and making false statements about credit reportingare clear violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation