When my ex-husband and I separated, he stopped making payments on his truck, which unfortunately was in both of our names. The truck was repossessed and auctioned off leaving a balance of approximately $5500.00 which was sent to a collection agency called Pentagroup Financial. A rep from Pentagroup named Willie Adams started calling both me and my estranged husband around June or July. I kept in contact with Mr. Adams and also spoke with various other reps there over the next year. When my divorce was finalized, my ex-husband was court ordered to refinance our home to remove my name and use some of the money to pay off the truck debt.
The refinance closing didn't take place until April but all the while the bank that my ex-husband was dealing with stayed in contact with Pentagroup. My ex worked out a settlement deal with Pentagroup. They agreed to accept the sum of $2176.06 as payment in full. They faxed this agreement to the bank, who in turn sent them a check for $2176.06 on 4/18/08. The check was written to Pentagroup Financial, LLC. I thought this was all settled.
Then three days ago, I received a call from a different collection agency regarding this same loan. I called the company who the original truck loan had been through and questioned this. The gentleman I spoke with said that Pentagroup had sent our account back to them stating that they had gotten nowhere with us. Thus, the account was forwarded to a different collection agency. He said that if I could provide proof that this account was settled, they would cease collections.
I called Pentagroup and spoke with a very nasty woman who would not give her name. She answered the phone "Hello?". I gave her my name and SSN and told her that I needed documentation of the account being settled. She said they had no such documentation, they had received no money, the balance was still $5500.00 and that their last contact with my ex or I or any representation for us was last December. I told her that a check was sent to them 4/18/08. She got very nasty and insisted that they never received any such payment. I told her they were thieves and I hung up on her.
The next day, I called the bank who had done the home refinance and paid off the truck loan. They researched it and verified that the check was issued to Pentagroup Financial on 4/18/08 and that it had cleared the bank. They also had copies of the settlement agreement and have forwarded those to the truck's origianl lien holder and to new collection agency. I will be cleared, but I can't help but wonder whose pocket $2176.06 went in and how often they do this. Hopefully they will be caught and be indicted.
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