Consumer complaint received 2015-05-27 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Medical
Issue: Taking/threatening an illegal action — Sued where didn't live/sign for debt
Company: Columbia Collection Service, Inc.
State: OR

Complaint narrative:
In XXXX of XXXX, the end of my XXXX, I was admitted to XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX, Oregon. After several days of XXXX, I ended up leaving and getting discharged. I had a XXXX XXXX. I was not going to be admitted unless I was promised that I would not be responsible for any expenses. After many staff promises of making sure I would not owe a dime, I was then quickly admitted. I had been told that this issue could be from all of the XXXX I had put on myself from XXXX taking me out of my home and permanently removed from my family the year before. XXXX and the school liaison placed me on XXXX and onto the Oregon XXXX XXXX when I was removed from my home. I was unaware of needing to reapply at the time. I had decided to make myself an XXXX student and work full-time graveyard while continuing XXXX during the daytime. I chose not to go to XXXX XXXX because I did not want that as I did not hear very good things about the XXXX parents in that area. Little did I know that I would become XXXX Finally, after much determination, I applied to college after not receiving XXXX single bill from any of the XXXX hospitals I was admitted to ( XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX, and XXXX XXXX XXXX ). I attended college and ended up having a little boy born to me in XXXX XXXX. I was a single mom and needed a reliable car. After the XXXX car I bought, I was commuting over XXXX miles a day from work, school, and daycare and decided to trade that small SUV in for a small car that had superior gas mileage. This car, the dealership told me I had a medical bill on my credit from back in XXXX. " What??? No I do n't! '' I exclaimed immediately. Right away, that SAME DAY, I called Columbia Collections. I gave Columbia all my information and what they asked of me. The next week a man called me, I offered to pay them {$50.00} a month as I was a single mom living and working by myself with my newborn. He denied the payment option. Quickly, a XXXX XXXX was contacting me by certified mail. I had been served. I went to court and took a friend with me to be a witness. When it was my turn to speak, I could n't explain or finish what I had to say. The XXXX stated he had worked with XXXX through Columbia Collections and she was very fair and would make sure I was taken care of. He snapped his gavel and the court was adjourned. Within days, I had a garnishment on me from my place of employment at XXXX XXXX in XXXX, Oregon, I had a lien against my bank account and a negative amount in my account, I had a lien against XXXX other bank accounts that I had as well. I placed my child support money I drew out from the XXXX XXXX, and deposited it into my account to be able to afford rent, and transportation for my son, along with daycare. After what XXXX XXXX did to me, I had no money to pay for anything, let alone food. I had to take my son to friends to live in order to even eat. I tried and tried contacting XXXX XXXX by calling her on the phone number she had given me. No answer and no call back after leaving numerous voicemails on her personal identified voicemail. I continued getting garnished and quit my job so I could focus on college. My grades dropped due to stress and financial hardships. I spoke with many lawyers, and XXXX XXXX was the only lawyer that gave me suggestions to pursue this lawsuit. I wrote a certified letter on XXXX XXXX, XXXX to Columbia Collections Service XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX OR XXXX asking for a payoff amount so I could pay the debt off ( with a personal loan I was going to receive from a credit Union ). The letter was signed for on XXXX XXXX, XXXX by XXXX XXXX. I waited for a response and nothing. The attorney XXXX XXXX said that they ca n't touch my money.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation