I have an account with BML and last month missed my payment due to the fact that I am moving (across the state) and had to put every cent I had toward rental deposits & keeping my power & water on at my current residence. I have missed a payment in the past and simply caught up the next month without any issue. My payment isn't even 30 days past due at this point & I received a phone call from BML this morning (he actually called 6 times consecutively before I finally answered it). The guy on the other end of the line (whose name I did not get but with I did because I plan to take legal action against him) began telling me that my account was past due & was trying to collect payment. I explained my situation & that I missed last months payment because we are moving & I had to take care of my priorities (sorry, but BML is not a priority because they don't keep a roof over my head or lights on in my house), but that I fully intended on catching things up once I get my last paycheck. He said "well, we have your bank information & we could just go ahead & take that payment if you'd like." I said "no, there is no money in that account and my since I work for the state of North Carolina, I only get paid once a month.
In the past, my paychecks have been direct deposited, but they will be having to mail out my final paycheck to my new address." I went on to explain that the bank that I have been using (that BML has info for) only provides services to people who "live, work or worship in Buncombe county", and since I will be moving out of the county, I will have to take my final paycheck, open a new bank account, then order check, get debit cards, etc. Because I will no longer be able to bank where I have been. The BML guy actually suggested that I drive four and a half hours (I explained that this was how far I was moving) to deposit $84 into the account that they have my information for! His exact words were, "well how would they know that you don't live in that county anymore?"
Not only is this and incredibly unreasonable request, but it is ILLEGAL! I recently left a job with the Department of Correction and for him to even suggest that I participate in illegal activity like this, could have cost me that job! I told him that I could make a promise to pay by July 15th, but he continued to be arrogant, rude, unprofessional and several other words that are inappropriate. I finally hung up on him because I was so upset. I called back to try to find out the name of the guy that I had spoken with (to file a formal complaint against him) & they told me that they did not have access to that information. I sent an email to the BML customer service center that was available on their website, but I'm not sure how far that will get me.
I have followed up my complaint with the Better Business Bureau & will also be following up with the Department of Labor (as suggested by the BBB). I feel that due to the emotional distress that this person put me through, my account should be zeroed out (a balance of just over $700) & plan to follow up with legal council regarding this. For someone in BML's customer service to suggest that their clients participate in illegal activity in order to get an $84 payment is abhorrent and I will do what ever I must in order to ensure that this does not happen again.
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