Consumer complaint received 2024-09-12 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Other debt
Issue: False statements or representation — Attempted to collect wrong amount
Company: Western Mercantile Agency, Inc
State: AL

Complaint narrative:
Back in XXXX  I received a served document from a sheriff from Western Mercantile stating I owed on an old XXXX bill. I didn't understand anything about it. I think I sent in a {$50.00} payment to Western Mercantile, which wasn't the full amount of the bill, I understand. But never heard from them again, never got a receipt. 

The next time I heard from them, I was trying to buy a house across the country. As there were no debts on my credit score, I had great credit. But my home loan officer found a judgement for over {$4500.00}. It was from Western Mercantile. I paid it off on the spot. And they refused to give me a receipt. The only proof I paid them was my bank statement. I was told I had to get my proof at the court. I did. 

Upon moving I was told of 2 debts that I still had with them. These were debts I had never been told about. I requested more info on them, as of XXXX XXXX XXXX there was a debt from XXXX XXXX XXXX, in the amount of XXXX. And another one from XXXX XXXX XXXX for XXXX. As of XX/XX/XXXX The XXXX XXXX XXXX one was {$2700.00} and the XXXX XXXX XXXX one was XXXX. I was told the {$2000.00} was in judgement. They seized money at one point from my bank. XXXX XXXX And so I started making monthly payments. I could afford XXXX XXXX. And did. Each time I asked them for the balance. Cause they would not send me a receipt or invoice with the balance. Or any information about the original debts. And each time, they took into account the payment I had made the month before, not the one I just made with them over the phone. And they told me that the other debt, the XXXX XXXX XXXX debt wasn't accruing interest, cause it wasn't in judgement. So, I worked on the debt that was. You will notice that between XXXX and XXXX. The XXXX debt amount changed, the XXXX XXXX XXXX Debt, did not. 

As I was cooperating. I had given them all my information. Where I worked. Verified my address every time I called. But would get notices from the court stating that they had requested random banks for my savings accounts, and random employers asking if I worked there. I was confused, and quite honestly, fell behind a bit on my payments. Last I had heard. I had whittled it down to just under {$1600.00}. When they started sending notices that they were going to garnish me. At that point, I wouldn't be able to afford paying them on top of a garnishment, so I stopped paying. While this was happening. I received a court document that the XXXX XXXX XXXX debt was now in judgement. And that they had added {$1900.00} in interest. And that the principle of the debt was XXXX. Which didn't make sense at all with what they had told me about interest about the debt. And showed on previous documents that it wasn't charged before. 

So, the last 4 months, I have paid a garnishment. Almost {$600.00} every month. for the XXXX debt. Which, with new legal fees was then {$1900.00} in the 2nd month, I received another notice of garnishment for the same debt. I had paid {$890.00} by the date on the this 2nd notice of garnishment. This new notice said that I still owed {$1400.00}. Again, never a receipt, the only proof I have of any payments to this company at all, is bank statements. I have requested them over and over. ( I know that's he said, she said, but a pull of my calls in the last 2 yrs would prove it ). I had no idea if it was going toward any balance or invoice. As these were never available to me. 

My last garnishment payment was on XX/XX/XXXX in the amount of {$350.00}. I had paid {$1800.00}. And the garnishments just stopped. So I called to find out why and what my balances were. Cause at this point, I was willing to get a personal loan and pay off the XXXX XXXX XXXX debt. Just to get them to stop. They told me I still owed {$260.00} on the garnishment. And then they told me I owed {$5000.00} on the XXXX XXXX XXXX debt. 

How did it inflate from first, the {$1900.00} extra in interest they first said wasn't charged? How did it get to this amount? They said legal fees. I never got an invoice or any court papers. And I was paying roughly XXXX XXXXXXXX mo to them to take care of the XXXX debt already. 

So I started looking into loans for more than I had expected. Was willing still. But was afraid that after I did this. That, I wouldn't get any proof of payment, and they could bring something else up that didn't make any sense. 

So 2 days ago, I called to once and for all find the balance to go for the loan. And 2 days ago, they told me that now they had a debt from XXXX  for XXXX XXXX XXXX for {$3700.00}. And that my total now of all that I owed them is now {$9000.00}. They said they told me about that debt long ago, and that it had accrued {$980.00}. This debt has never been disclosed to me at all. They told me it was for a towing of a truck that I had sold. And took the bill of sale to the DMV to prove it. I have requested a dispute on that debt. Cause I don't know where that came from, out of nowhere. It had never been disclosed to be before XX/XX/XXXXXXXX I paid the remainder of what was left over after the garnishment stopped taking payments {$260.00}. I paid at least {$1000.00} over the amount of the XXXX debt in all. There has never been any disclosure of how much I owed at any given time. When I was given amounts of my debt it didn't make sense. I thought there was laws that state that I have the right to know what my balance is. What is being charged to me. Why there are increases. What my balance is after payments. To have proof of payments and receipts. 

I called a credit counselling service to see about getting some help. Cause at this point, I fully believe that they are making up amounts. That they are making up debts. And that they are inflating my debts to put a lien on my house that I worked very hard for. I'm an XXXX XXXX person. This house was my dream, and I moved across the country, from a state that I loved to get it. If I lose this, I can not afford rent these days. Although my credit score is still beautiful, as none of this is on my credit report. So the credit counselling service couldn't help. Searching for an attorney now. I can't believe this is legal at this point.

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