Consumer complaint received 2025-07-18 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Credit card debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action — Threatened or suggested your credit would be damaged
Company: Bread Financial Holdings, Inc.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
I opened the XXXX XXXX Comenity Bank credit card account in XX/XX/XXXX. Since that time, I had always paid my account. 

XX/XX/XXXX, I was unable to pay my XXXX XXXX Comenity Bank credit card payment. Within a couple of days of my payment becoming overdue, I began receiving phone calls multiple times during the day. A Comenity representative I spoke to indicated I could cut lower my $ 450 monthly payment to {$250.00} for two years or pay {$350.00} for five years. I indicated to Comenity at this time I am unable to pay either amount because I have had and am having unforeseen events and experiencing a hardship due to the increased interest rate Comenity is charging me, the increased cost of my auto insurance, car repairs, food, gas, utilities, and other foreseen hardshps. I indicated to XXXX XXXX " do not phone '' me. The call ended without any type of payment plan. 

I reached out to XXXX XXXX Collections Dept ( hereinafter Comenity '' ) two times or three times via telephone inquiring if I could make payment arrangements. My request was for reasonable arrangements which I knew I could pay. XXXX indicated I was required to make a retroactive payment to cover the monthly payments overdue. Financially I am unable to pay a retroactive payment. I was threatened '' that if I did not make a payment to bring my account current and accept either the {$250.00} or $ 350 monthly payment agreement, my credit would be ruined ''. I expressed I was not in a situation which I could agree to something I was unable to pay. I reminded XXXX again " do not call '' me. XXXX continued to call me from different phone numbers ( prefix XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, etc. ) commencing almost every morning including weekends. 

I sent two letters via certified ( attached ) to Comenity reminding them " do not call me '' and indicating I was unable to pay the {$250.00} or $ 350 monthly payment but I could pay {$100.00} a month. With each letter ( last letter in XXXX ), I enclosed a check for {$100.00} and the checks were cashed. My credit report did not reflect the payments. 

XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX, Comenity Bank, called from phone no. XXXX re my XXXX XXXX Reward account. She left me a voicemail which stated she was told to call me. This is the threatening voicemail message : " If you have attorney representation, please provide that information so that we can discuss your situation as well as the options that are currently available to you. If you disregard this message, I will no other option but to resolve this matter on my own. So please understand that without a direct call back to me today I may not be able to help you further with assistance. You can reach me directly today at XXXX. Be sure to select option no.1 and enter my direct extension XXXX. XXXX I do need to hear from you or your attorney today, XX/XX/XXXX no later than 3 pm, your [ California ] time at XXXX extension XXXX. 

I understand and have always accepted my responsibilities. I do not need XXXX threats. XXXX makes no reference to the letters and payments I sent them.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief