I began to recieve phone calls summer 2009 from an individual who identified himself as "Zach Smith" from Cory G. Hicks and associates, identifying himself as a representative of a law firm.
Due to the extreme medical bills and hardships encountered during my daughter's fight against a rare form of leukemia, for which she also required a bone marrow transplant, my golf business had fallen behind with several vendors, all of which I am attempting to repay as I get back on my feet. I recognized the debt and began to explain that I was being forced to sell my home and when the proceeds came in, this debt would be satisfied. The closing date was set for mid-August. That wasn't good enough. After letting me share with him the intimate details of my daughter's struggles for life, he then became belligerent and threatening over this $700 debt—certainly not the worst I have hanging over my head—but nonetheless it was important to me to solve it.
Mr. Smith would then interrupt me every time I re-iterated that there was NO way I could pay anything until the house sold. I am still hanging on and trying to ensure that my daughter's health insurance not be cancelled. I said, for heaven's sake, we were only talking about a few more weeks here. He wanted a payment TODAY or legal proceedings would begin. I signed off realizing that this must be on of those unethical collection agencies.
The next communication left on my answering machine represented themselves as a law firm and threatened legal action. He actually requested my bank account number and stated that if I did not provide it to him voluntarily, a private investigator would be hired, which, of course, would prove embarassing to me as he/she questioned business associates and neighbors. I was now positive this was a very bad company and refused all communication.
When my daughter was ill, and I was not at my place of business, Mr. Smith then began to call the shop and attempted to intimidate my employees. He threatened my store manager with reporting him to credit agencies unless this bill were paid that day, giving the reason that as manager he bears partial responsibility for the debt.
He also threatened and harassed my accounting clerk, who is six months pregnant and eventually got off the phone hyperventilating. Unbelievable.
He has since began calling my home again multiple times a day, disturbing a very sick child who is in a lot of pain. Talking to him was impossible and ended in a shouting match. I don't answer anymore. I am also going to notify the original vendor that is owed the money that it will be paid directly to them when the funds become available, as I expect them to be shortly. They are a vendor that I always enjoyed doing business with and would never leave them hanging if it weren't for the extreme nature of my difficulties. I don't know if they have any control who acquires their bad debt accounts, but they cannot allow themselves to be associated with Cory G. Hicks, even tangentially.
The good news is that the latest tests confirm my daughter to be cancer free and in complete remission. She has a good chance for a total cure. That sure puts things in perspective—but imagine how threatening and obnoxious this person was in order to inspire me to use what precious little time I have each day to actually file my first online complaint.
Class Action Suit? Bring it on. These folks are devoid of ethics, scruples and probably souls.
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