I started selling Avon earlier this year in hopes of making a little extra money. My husband had been out of the Marine Corps since and money was tight. The products sucked and nobody wanted to buy it where I lived. Suddenly, my husband decides to join the Army in June. At first, I thought I'd sell Avon there. But soon changed my mind as products I'd ordered started to fall apart. I admit, I got lazy as I was trying to get ready for the move to Kansas and didn't send anything back.
I arrived in Kansas mid-July. Shortly thereafter, I recieved a phone call from Avon about the balance I owed. I explained to her that I intended on paying, however, my husband just joined the Army and we were trying to get back on our feet. His pay would be out of whack for a while. I'd pick it up when it was straightened out.
Now I've started getting those Allied Data Corp. Phone calls. The first one I remember recieving was just a week ago. The lady I spoke with was nice. I explained my situation of just getting his pay straightened out and that we were trying to make it a good Christmas since we'd be away from the family for the first time in a while. I asked if we could pay that after the first of the year. She said she understood and that it would be fine. I thought I could relax a little about it.
Then, the VERY NEXT DAY, I got another phone call from Allied again. Different lady. The tone in her voice the entire time came off as rude and she sort of spoke down to me like I was an idiot. She told me that if I didn't pay up that they would send the matter over to their lawyer and I would be sued. She said I'd be responsible for the court cost, which can go up to 5-600 dollars.
I told her about the previous conversation with the girl from yesterday and she said she doesn't know why the girl told me that; she was mistaken. I told her I really didn't have the money then, but she insisted that she must recieve something by the 29th of November, and then I'd have until the 1st of December to pay the balance or they'd turn it over to their attorney.
I told her my husband was in the Army and he wouldn't get another paycheck until the 1st. She then proceeded to say that if I let this go against my credit, this can hurt his chances of being able to pick up rank. I told her I didn't know that. I suddenly felt obligated to pay them something. And I said I would. I agreed to make a $20 payment and the rest in full by the 1st of December. She told me I'd have to make the payment via Western Union and then call them back with a confirmation number and if she didn't answer the phone, I should leave the information on her voice mail.
However, something just didn't feel right. I hung up and tried calling back, but not to speak with her. I just wanted to speak to someone with some sense. I was put on hold by the stupid little machine. I was on hold for 5 minutes, just to have another machine come on the line and tell me there was no one available to take my call at that time. I left a message alright: telling them how stupid it was to have me on hold for 5 minutes just to tell me no one's available. I left it at that.
When the hubby got home I told him I was upset over the phone call and that I needed to make the payment or they'll sue. He asked me to tell him what they said, and he said what was on my credit has no effect on his ability to pick up rank. He told me to wait til the first of the year, which was my original agreement with them, and we'd make the payment. I let it go again.
Today, the 29th of November, I get yet another call from this lady at Allied Data, the same one I'd spoke with the last couple of times. She said she'd never recieved my agreed payment of $20 from the other day and she was giving me one last chance to pay something today. I told her I tried calling back to speak with someone and how that went. She said, "I don't understand why you'd need to call back and speak to anyone else when I gave you my direct extension." I told her I just wanted to speak to someone else about it.
Again she started ranting and raving about how I needed to pay this, how AVON wants their money and that I'd want my money too if I'd loaned any out. I told her I realized AVON wants their money and I will pay them, just as I told the first girl I spoke with (now I'm thinking, she must have been new). She said that was unacceptable and she reminded about my husband's inability to pick up rank if I don't pay this balance.
I told her I'd told him what she'd said and he said it was a load of crap and that she was just trying to pressure me into paying them. She said, "Well, maybe he doesn't know that it affects his ability to pick up rank." I just said, "well, whatever." She carried on about me paying something, ANYTHING today.
So once again, I felt backed into a corner. We had $3 and some change in the checking account and a little over $25 in the savings account. I told her I'd make a payment of $5 when my husband got home with the check card because my daughter had lost mine and I'm waiting on it to arrive. She said this would be fine, then she says, "When you transfer that $5 make sure you transfer an additional $16 because that's what Western Union will charge you to send it through them." I about had a cow.
Then I recalled a letter I'd gotten from them the previous day in the mail: letting me know I had 30 days from the date I recieved the letter to respond about disputing my charges. I don't dispute them. I owe it. Then it says I can remit my payment in full OR call the staff to make PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS or make the payment by Western Union (for a fee of 12.95, not 16).
I brought this letter up and she said I could send the money through mail if I ship it overnight delivery. I told her she was crazy. She told me I could've sent that in a month ago by regular mail and that would've been alright. But since I've waited so long to respond, I need to remit payment immediately.
I told her I just got that letter YESTERDAY (November 28) and it was dated November 21. I was fed up at that time and started searching around on the internet. I'm going to check into the laws about recording phone conversations and see if I have to tell them that they are being recorded or what. I will send them a payment of $5 on the first of December and then pay the remaining after the first of the year and they can kiss my butt.
My sister and sister-in-law both owe AVON money and say that it's been in collections for quite some time. Unlike them, I plan on paying.
It's crazy because my husband joins the Army to defend the country so that people like that think they have the right to do what they do. I'm not trying to get out of the debt at all, I owe it, I owe it. I OWE IT! I intend to pay it. But they will not push me around so they can make a buck.
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