I moved to Florida 7 years ago and opened a checking account. Six weeks later I decided to move back to the west coast and called the bank. I spoke on the phone to the woman who opened the account for me when I went in person to the bank six weeks earlier, and told her I was going back to the west coast. I assumed she had closed the account for me. She did not. It accumulated monthly junk fees up to around $200. This place at 321-296-8171 threatens to sue for the amount of the "debt." I contacted the bank and they said the debt was sold to this collection agency and is no longer in their control so they could not do anything about it other than send me an extensive letter outlining what happened, after I complained to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Letting bank accounts continue to accrue fees when the balance is below zero, seems to be an unethical bank practice. When a balance is below zero the account should be automatically closed if the account holder cannot be contacted.
called and threatened my handicapped son about something they say was past the 14 day limit to respond. He has never received any communication via snail,e, mails or phone calls and texts. Something is fishy!!!!!!!! He owes nothing and there are no disputes he is in. They never identified themselves. called at 6:12 PM
They are required to send that letter by US mail, and when it is received, you have 30 days to dispute the debt. No doubt that letter will never come because the debt simply doesn't exist, and they certainly would not want you to know your rights in this matter, because then they couldn't extort money from you.
Federal law (FDCPA) requires them to send you a letter (US MAIL ONLY) postmarked within 5 days of their first contact that contains their name, physical address, the creditor’s name, and the amount of the alleged debt. It also must contains “mini-Miranda” telling you that it is an attempt to collect a debt and that all information will be used for those purposes. The one other important thing that this letter must also have in it is that you have a right to dispute the debt within 30 days of receipt of the letter and if you do so, all collection activity must be stopped until the debt is verified.
Read up on your rights here and also make a complaint at this government site: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/
Also file a complaint with your State Attorney General's office.
List of State AG’s offices: http://800notes.com/faq/attorney-general