MRS ASSOCIATES- Deducting money without being authorized!
Date: Fri, 03/09/2007 - 13:16
Okay, I'm very new to this forum so please, share any advice you can.
A year ago I did an voluntary repo on my car because I could no longer make the payments and I wasn't working. I called the company I had my car through and the came to pick it up and later after the car was sold sent me a letter stating that I owed 4,400 to them. I wasn't working at the time and couldn't pay. So months later I recieved a letter stating that MRS associates had the account and I needed to make a payment of 4,400 to them that day or I would be sued for non-payment. I don't know one person that has 4400 that they can just give to a collection agency.
So I have been working with them and paying my bill on time and monthly. I was sent a letter about 2 weeks ago that stated they want to settle for 2100. Immediately called and asked how could I accept that offer. I was told that I needed to make the payment on that day. I made it very clear that I didn't have that type of money anywhere and asked if I could pay half when I got paid and half when I recieved my taxes.
Well this was accepted but they still wanted me to make the mininum payment I was making to them. So I sent them there monthly payment and the 1000 directly out of my checking account just as they had been taking the other payments out. I wasn't able to get all of my tax info in a timely manner because I moved and wouldn't be able to get them done in the time I thought I would. So I immediately called MRS and spoke to the same lady and this time she wasn't as professional as she was the last time. SHe told me that I was trying to not keep my agreement and that I had already agreeded to pay a certain amount and that I wasn't going to get a second chance and I had to pay it. She said I needed to find another way to ge the money. I told her I wasn't saying I didnt want to pay I just could pay before the month was over. She put me on hold and came back and told me that my account balance was 0. I asked well how did that happend and she stated we already sent the payment through to your bank. I went crazy I asked how could they do it without me authorizing that to come out. I had the money set up to automaically draft out of my account and I hadn't even set-up the final payment in my account. She said I told them that they could do it and that it was already going to my bank for processing and if it came back then I would be reported for fraud!!!!
I couldn't believe what I was hearing!!! I was the only person that set-up payments to come directly out of my account to them. They never had my account number and I never said they could deduct that money out... I immediatley went to the back and put a stop payment and called them and tried to speak to someone in charge I was told that all the managers were in a meeting and that I would recieve a call back later on that day... I didn't recieve a call from them until the next week and this was from a guy that I had never spoke to he accused me of writing a bad check... I was confused of how I did that when I didn't even give them authorization to deduct the money from my account... Luckily I stopped the check just in time.. I didn't have close to the amount in my account and was told that I would have had to pay bank fees every single day it was overdrawn.
I have tried to work this thing out but they are saying I now owe them 1000 and bank fees and other stuff is this right how can they do this to me... I was also told that this was going to be turned over to the state... What did I do wrong... I'm simply not understanding this!!!
Please help....
A year ago I did an voluntary repo on my car because I could no longer make the payments and I wasn't working. I called the company I had my car through and the came to pick it up and later after the car was sold sent me a letter stating that I owed 4,400 to them. I wasn't working at the time and couldn't pay. So months later I recieved a letter stating that MRS associates had the account and I needed to make a payment of 4,400 to them that day or I would be sued for non-payment. I don't know one person that has 4400 that they can just give to a collection agency.
So I have been working with them and paying my bill on time and monthly. I was sent a letter about 2 weeks ago that stated they want to settle for 2100. Immediately called and asked how could I accept that offer. I was told that I needed to make the payment on that day. I made it very clear that I didn't have that type of money anywhere and asked if I could pay half when I got paid and half when I recieved my taxes.
Well this was accepted but they still wanted me to make the mininum payment I was making to them. So I sent them there monthly payment and the 1000 directly out of my checking account just as they had been taking the other payments out. I wasn't able to get all of my tax info in a timely manner because I moved and wouldn't be able to get them done in the time I thought I would. So I immediately called MRS and spoke to the same lady and this time she wasn't as professional as she was the last time. SHe told me that I was trying to not keep my agreement and that I had already agreeded to pay a certain amount and that I wasn't going to get a second chance and I had to pay it. She said I needed to find another way to ge the money. I told her I wasn't saying I didnt want to pay I just could pay before the month was over. She put me on hold and came back and told me that my account balance was 0. I asked well how did that happend and she stated we already sent the payment through to your bank. I went crazy I asked how could they do it without me authorizing that to come out. I had the money set up to automaically draft out of my account and I hadn't even set-up the final payment in my account. She said I told them that they could do it and that it was already going to my bank for processing and if it came back then I would be reported for fraud!!!!
I couldn't believe what I was hearing!!! I was the only person that set-up payments to come directly out of my account to them. They never had my account number and I never said they could deduct that money out... I immediatley went to the back and put a stop payment and called them and tried to speak to someone in charge I was told that all the managers were in a meeting and that I would recieve a call back later on that day... I didn't recieve a call from them until the next week and this was from a guy that I had never spoke to he accused me of writing a bad check... I was confused of how I did that when I didn't even give them authorization to deduct the money from my account... Luckily I stopped the check just in time.. I didn't have close to the amount in my account and was told that I would have had to pay bank fees every single day it was overdrawn.
I have tried to work this thing out but they are saying I now owe them 1000 and bank fees and other stuff is this right how can they do this to me... I was also told that this was going to be turned over to the state... What did I do wrong... I'm simply not understanding this!!!
Please help....
Well, first of all, a collection agency can take your account in
Well, first of all, a collection agency can take your account information but cannot debit your account until the date that you give them that they can-they will lose their liscense if they do this. Have you investigated this company? Do they even have liscensing? Can you afford to talk to an attorney?
DEBT COLLECTION - YOUR RIGHTS - Under the Federal
Trade Commission's Fair Debt Collection Practices Act,
collection agencies may not use any false, deceptive or
misleading representations or means to collect debts. They may
not harass, oppress, or abuse any person while attempting to
collect a debt. A debtor may be contacted between the hours of
8 a.m. and 9 p.m. only and can be contacted at work unless
instructed not to. Collectors may not tell others about the
debtor's personal finances.
