I am writing to complain about DCS, Diversified Collection Services. I know that they are a regular on this website, but I have never dealt with them before until today (2/11/09)
My wife has a student loan that has defaulted. She has been speaking directly with Direct Loans to try and deal with the debt. I am a professor at a University.
While teaching a class this morning, the Department Secretary interrupted my class and told me that I had an "emergency" phone call. I left my class and went to the department office to answer the phone. I asked the secretary if she knew who the caller was. She said that she told her I was in class and asked if she could take a message, but the woman insisted on speaking to me saying it was an emergency.
When I got to the phone, Cindy Harris was on the phone, asking for my wife's phone number. I asked what it was regarding and she informed me that she was attempting to collect a debt and that they were about to file a lawsuit for garnishment on Feb. 13 with the US Justice Dept. She then asked me how I wanted to handle the debt.
I told her that I would have to talk to my wife about it. I was very angry that Ms. Harris represented her call to my place of business as "an emergency" when clearly it was not. I was also angry that neither I nor my wife have ever received written correspondence from DCS.
I phoned my wife and told her to contact this person, which she did. But after contacting her, Ms. Harris continued to call other 3rd parties attempting to gain information about my wife. Some of those individuals were references on other loans, but not on her student loan. Some of those individuals were neither employers nor references.
Instead of ranting about DCS and their unethical telephone practice, my wife and I are recommending that everyone who has a gripe with them on this website write their senator. According the Direct Loans, DCS is due for renewal on their contract with both the IRS and Direct Loans at the end of this month. If 1 or 200 complaints are registered with members of congress before then, it could hurt them far worse than a class action law suit.
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