Consumer complaint received 2025-02-14 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was paid
Company: Cedars Business Services, LLC
State: MD

Complaint narrative:
Dear [ Recipients Name ], I am submitting this formal complaint regarding improper debt collection practices related to my account with XXXX XXXX. While XXXX has provided a document I signed in XXXX outlining my financial obligations, they remain in violation of multiple provisions under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ). 

Summary of FDCPA Violations : 1. Failure to provide proper notice before transferring my account to collections. The " final notice '' email stated that my account might be sent to collections, yet I was never explicitly informed that this action had taken place.

2. Attempting to collect a false debt. XXXX consistently accepted and cashed my payments, yet still sent my account to collections. At no point were payments made to the collection agency. 
XXXX. Misrepresentation in communication. The email I received stated that my account was sent to collections due to a failure to pay in full or set up a payment arrangement. However, I actively attempted to arrange a payment plan, but my proposal was deemed unacceptable because XXXX demanded a higher amount. Despite this, I continued making payments, all of which were cashed, leading me to believe my account was in good standing. 
4. Lack of transparency and refusal to provide justification for why my account was transferred despite my active payments.

Due to these violations, I am formally requesting : 1. Immediate removal of this debt from collections and correction of my account status. 
2. Reinstatement of my eligibility to re-enroll at XXXX XXXX 
3. Removal of any negative impact on my credit report associated with this improper collections action. 
This situation has created an unnecessary barrier to my education, and I urge you to take corrective action immediately. Please confirm receipt of this complaint and provide guidance on the next steps. 

I appreciate your time and attention to resolving this matter. 

My email to XXXX : Dear Ombudsman, My name is ( BLANK for the purpose of this complaint ), Student ID : ( BLANK for the purpose of this complaint ). I am reaching out regarding a significant issue preventing my re-enrollment for the upcoming quarter in XXXX, which is delaying the completion of my XXXX  in XXXX XXXX, XXXX & XXXX XXXX. 
I previously had a balance with XXXX XXXX, and while I acknowledged my financial obligation, I communicated that I could make payments, just not at the rate or the amount XXXX requested. During this time, I received an email stating that my account may be sent to collections, but I was never notified that this had actually occurred. Under the impression that my account remained with the university, I continued making payments, to XXXX, until my balance was fully cleared. 
However, upon attempting to re-enroll, I was informed that a hold remains on my account due to additional fees from a collection agency, fees I was never made aware of nor properly notified about, and the FAM has refused to give me the documentation that I have requested in the email thread. This lack of communication and transparency has placed an undue burden on me, preventing my academic progress. 
I have engaged with both the Financial Management Team ( FAM ) and Cedar Services regarding these concerns and have cited multiple violations under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ). Despite this, FAM has refused to remove the hold, refused to provide me with the documentation I requested, and has refused to remove any associated fees, which I believe is both unfair and improper.

Given that Ombuds Services at XXXX XXXX serves as an objective resource advocating for fairness, I am requesting a thorough review of my case. Specifically, I ask that you : Review the attached, perhaps below, email thread detailing my communications with FAM and Cedar Services.

Instruct FAM to remove the hold on my account.

Waive the collection agency fees, as I was never properly informed of their involvement.

Permit me to re-enroll for the XXXX quarter so I can complete my XXXX  as planned. 
I sincerely hope to resolve this matter internally through your office. However, should this issue remain unresolved, I am fully prepared to escalate it through legal channels. 
Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to your prompt response. 
Best regards, ( blank for the purpose of this complaint ) XXXX 's reply email from the Obudsmen : Thank you for reaching out to Ombuds Services regarding your XXXX account that has been sent to collections. I appreciate your patience as I carefully reviewed your information along with the communications from Financial Account Management. After thorough consideration, I have determined that all XXXX policies were applied consistently and that you were provided with the necessary information in a timely manner. Below, I have outlined the key points that informed this fairness review. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, you received and opened an email from XXXX XXXX, sent to your personal email, with the subject line : " XXXX XXXX XXXX Final Notice Payment Due. '' This notice specified a deadline for either full payment or the establishment of payment arrangements by XX/XX/XXXX. It also included a link to your account balance of {$4200.00}, which reflects amounts from two terms : {$1500.00} from the XXXX term and {$2600.00} from the XXXX terms ( please see the attached document ). 

In the absence of a response within the specified timeframe, and in accordance with our standard procedures, the account was subsequently referred to a collection agency in XXXX. After the referral, an administrative fee of {$870.00} was applied by the collection agency, bringing the total balance to {$5100.00}. This policy is outlined in the disclosures at the bottom of your application submitted on XX/XX/XXXX. To date, our records indicate that you have made payments totaling {$4000.00} directly to XXXX. Therefore, the remaining balance to settle your account with the collection agency is {$1100.00}. 

If you have any further questions or require additional clarification, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation