There seem to be a lot of complaints on AAA Collections in Anaheim CA. I have come to find out that this collection agency is owned by an attorney. This is what amazing! I work with several attorneys everyday including bankruptcy attorneys, corporate attorneys and district attorneys.
It truly amazes me that the attorney who owns a collection agency allows strong arm tactics by it's collection staff!
I was contacted by AAA Collections about a bill that was owed, but I never received a billing from the original company. AAA sent me a letter stating that I owed X$ for storage to this company This was approximately 4 weeks ago. I then started receiving phone calls. I advised the collector that I would be contacting the original company and that since I do not owe AAA collections I will pay the original company directly. The collector stated that she would report this to the credit reporting agencies, and that they will file suit. I advised the collector that she should file the suit, and report this to the credit reporting agencies. I further advised her that I will no longer respond to her calls and any further corresponding should be handled by mail. She then told me that I will hear from her again via phone, she then hung up!!!
2 weeks later I received a call again from supposedly the same woman, when I advised her that I was out town and I will handle this with the original company, she again became abusive on the phone stating they were again going to file suit, and report this to the credit reporting agencies. I advised her that this was harassment and she is no longer to call me. She again stated she would call me until I paid this bill and again hung up.
1 week later while still out of town, I received a call from this woman, who started to become abusive again stating she has my calls recorded and that they are filing suit again. I finally told her that enough was enough, she has not filed suit and the threats of credit reporting were just that threats. I advised her that she under the law has lost the right to collect on this due to the threats of legal action and a negative credit report! She again claims she has my calls recorded and these would be used against me in court. I informed her I too have recorded these calls and she was more than welcomed to use them in court, she said I could not do that! I advised her that for quality assurance and training purposes all my calls are recorded, she hung up immediately!
She called again 1 week later, started in with I need to pay them now, and that they again are taking me to court, and reporting me to the credit reporting agencies, I told her to go ahead and to stop calling me! I also advised her I was going to handle this when I got back to town with the original company, she said they are just going to refer me to her! I asked her to hold while I get the recording started she again hung up before I could advise her to stop calling me!
What AAA Collections is not aware of is that I have training collectors for over 30 years, as well as written many collections procedural manuals, and they have violated several FDCPA (FEDERAL DEBIT COLLECTION PRACTICES) and that by threatening legal actions, or credit reporting and not following thru with the threats violates these laws. They effectively lose the right to pursue any actions for non-performance.in other words they may not under any circumstances use threats or cohorosion to effect collection of any debit. The FDCPA was designed to protect consumers and debtors from acts such as these.
This company (AAA Collections) has crossed the line. I have filed complaints with the Federal Trade Commission, the state of California Attorney Generals office, as well at the federal Attorney Generals office.
Stop the bullying from collection agencies. If you owe the debit then pay it, or make arrangements to repay it with the original creditor. If they refuse, continue to try to work with them, and send them some form of payment. Remember if you are attempting to make payment they can not harass you into paying in full. The best they can do is take you to court and receive a stipulated judgement with payments ordered by the court. If you default on the payments ordered by the court, they then can record the judgement and deem the entire debit due and payable.
Also remember that the collection agency can not charge you interest. You do not have a contract with them and they have no right to any interest! If there is a provision in your original contract with the creditor then the creditor gets the interest, NOT THE COLLECTION AGENCY!
Since AAA collections has been a BULLY and does not want to play by the rules, they are more than welcome to file a small claims action! However since the time for that after the threats has passed I do not believe that is going to happen. Also due to the small amount owed they are not going to file suit.
I feel that there needs to be legislation to govern these collection agencies. Especially in times like these. Remember they do not get paid unless you pay them! Please write to your State Senator, and Assembly Person. The sooner we reign in these extortion type companies the sooner we will be able to manage our debits.
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