academy services/ collection agency

I have encountered some of the rudest most disturbing behavior while having to deal with this company. I moved a little under a year ago and thought that I had taken care of the forwarding of mail to my new residence. I called all the companies that I was dealing with and gave them my current information. Unfortunately one company did not change the information like I was told that they did. Thus I came to know Academy Services. The first time I spoke with them I explained I would pay payments however I didn't have a checking account at the time, so I would have to send them a money order. I was abruptly stopped with the man saying we DO NOT ACCEPT MONEY ORDERS! So I asked what I could do then, and was puzzled when he replied that's your problem not mine, have a nice day, and then the dial tone. Last month I receive a call from a Mr. Preston Powers which has to be the rudest person I have ever talked to in my life. He harassed me for weeks with vile words and yelling. I would ask for his name and he would tell me that I can refer to him as point blank. This was the last straw I called the agency and asked to speak with a supervisor. I was then directed to Mr. Tim Owens. He seemed to be nice and helpful he said he would look into the matter and take care of it. The phone harassment continued and finally Mr. Powers gave me his extension and Mr. Owens found out who it was and informed me. The first time that I spoke with Mr. Owens he discussed my delinquent account with me and offered me a settlement of four hundred dollars less than I owed. I was told all I had to do was pay half of it then over the phone and then pay payments of $50 a month, he even told me he was putting me on a hardship plan. I was told that my first $50 payment would be due by the last day of the month. I did as he said and payed $271 over the phone on the 15th of March, I have to admit I was a little leery of doing so but I did. I was assured that they would never take anything out under that account again unless I gave them the information to do such. Well during the month following the $271 payment I contacted Mr. Owens on numerous occasions. He remembered the whole ordeal with Mr. Powers and everything. On the 18th of April ( which was the month my first $50 payment was due) I receive a phone call from someone that I have never spoken with asking me when I was going to pay on this account. He called my cell phone while I was at work and I explained to him that I was needing documentation on what I owed (which I had been asking for months) I said I was trying to get a small loan but I need to have documentation. He said that is fine he would send it right out to me. I told him when I receive it I would send them a payment of $50. I get a letter on the 24th of April stating that $631.85 would be coming out of my account the next day. I was outraged! I called Mr. Owens and he stated that he had no idea what I was talking about that he has never spoke with me. I know I did I wrote down every time that I called him and what it was in regards to. Basically he tried calling me a liar. I ended up speaking with three other people that told me there was no documentation of anyone ever offering me a settlement. The only thing documented was the payment of $271, me hanging up on Mr. Powers (which I did because of the way he was talking to me and I wasn't wanting to lower myself by listening to him talk to me the way he was), and me giving them permission to take the remainder, which wasn't even what I was told it was, out of my account. I have been going round and round with them over this I was told two different times that the "check" (no existent check) had been destroyed, and I still had someone calling me asking about the check that was on hold and wanting to know if they could let it go through. I have ended up having to stop payment on it, and close that account because I can not afford for them to make mistakes like that. I should say fraudulent "mistakes" like the ones that they have made. Needless to say this company has poor business ethics and that is putting it kindly. Another thing the only thing they will be receiving from me is a money order if they don't except it then we'll let the lawyers and/or the judge figure that one out.

Thanks for listening to my rambling I know I feel a little better letting everyone know what kind of a business these people are running.

A.V.