Consumer complaint received 2025-06-26 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Other debt
Issue: False statements or representation — Attempted to collect wrong amount
Company: Rausch Sturm LLP
State: AL

Complaint narrative:
I am a single mother in Alabama whose wages are being garnished by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX I was never served notice of the original lawsuit it was sent to an address I vacated over XXXX years ago and filed under my maiden name, XXXX XXXX. As a result, I did not know a judgment existed. I received a notice of garnishment on XX/XX/year>, stating I had until XX/XX/year> to file an appeal or objection. Despite this, {$570.00} was garnished from my paycheck on XX/XX/year> before the appeal deadline expired in violation of due process and Alabama garnishment procedure. The original debt amount was {$8400.00}. On XX/XX/year>, I spoke by phone with XXXX XXXX 's representative XXXX XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX and proposed a settlement pay docket in the amount of {$5000.00} payable as {$500.00} per month for XXXX months to stop the garnishment. XXXX told me he would submit the request to the attorney and asked me to send my hardship details by email. I immediately emailed my proposal, stating {$500.00} over XXXX months. XXXX responded via email that their Alabama attorney had approved the arrangement of $ XXXX and that the garnishment would be released once the first payment cleared and must be made prior to XX/XX/year>. At no point did XXXX or anyone else correct or reject the {$5000.00} amount proposed verbally or in writing. Since then, I have made multiple follow-up requests for the written agreement and updated balance. I have XXXX statement on XX/XX/XXXX with incorrect terms and an inflated balance ( more than orginally owed ). Instead, the garnishments continued, totaling {$1700.00} as of XX/XX/year>. I was told I had until XX/XX/XXXX to submit the {$500.00} to stop the garnishment, but no written terms were corrected or provided that reflect what was discussed. When I requested confirmation again, I was told today that {$5000.00} was never approved solely because XXXX failed to write the total amount in his message, even though he responded to a message from me that clearly implied the approval was based on my original request of {$500.00} over 10 months ( less what has been garnished ). 
This conduct : - Breaches good faith settlement negotiations- Violates my due process rights- May constitute unfair or deceptive collection practices under the FDCPA - Has caused severe financial hardship, impacting my ability to afford my daughters critical medications and care I have now been told by representative XXXX XXXX ext. XXXX ) that the only option is to resubmit my offer to XXXX XXXX without any acknowledgment of the prior agreement, despite the XX/XX/XXXX deadline and my written acceptance of the terms. 
I will not make the additional payment until I receive the updated written agreement reflecting the originally approved terms. 
Requested resolution : - Immediate halt to wage garnishment - Enforcement of the original settlement proposal ( {$5000.00} total, $ XXXX ) - Refund of garnished wages exceeding the settlement or obtained while agreement was pending - Investigation into conduct of Portfolio Recovery and XXXX XXXX Attached documentation includes : - Email thread with XXXX and XXXX XXXX  of XXXX XXXX XXXX Proof of original proposal - Pay stubs showing garnishment Respectfully submitted, XXXX XXXX

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation