Universal Fidelity (BBB accredited) violating consumer rights

I have a letter from you and I'm trying to figure out what company you a trying to collect for. your customer services suck
Removed personal info for your safety. Cajunbulldog

Jenette, it is not advisable to post your email addy or any other personal info on a public forum. You have not contacted Universal Fidelity, you have posted to a forum that discusses debt, credit, debt collectors, yada yada yada. Anyway, a moderator will come along shortly and edit out your contact information.

Also, I used to work for a collection agency. I can tell you that if you complain about customer service, it goes unanswered and unheeded. The only customers a collection agency has are creditors. Debtors are not considered customers. Just an FYI. If it's cathartic, then do it, just realize that employees of collection agencies are often unsympathetic to debtors (there are a few good collectors out there, they can be hard to find, though).

In my last dealing with Universal Fidelity Corp., their collector represented that he was a lawyer and threatened to go after the debtor's wages and home. 3 violations in 1 call.

After many calls from ufc I called them to get a mailing address and a name of a top supervisor but was immediately put on hold them cut off. I was told they had many different companies and many supervisors. Not knowing who to send me to the female hung up. I called again and insisted on a name and was given the name of client services. I continued to request a name and was given the name of Endna Thomas. so if the company calls simply ask to speak to this person.

I "shawn" called me at my place of work,threated to have me arrested,also say 's i owe 800.00.the contact
Phone#904-685-5008out of jacksonville fl.no one will
Give fax or proper phone.if any advise pls greatly appreciated.thanx

I know somebody that works at UF in Houston.
The person I know told me that he/she breaks the law on almost every call and uses legal terms to scare people. He/she said somebody stole credit card info from a client and the client pulled all their accounts. He/She said they tell debtors they can settle there accounts just to get them to pay but when it comes time for the debtor to receive a letter saying the acct is Settled they refuse. He/She said on this one client they work "Resurgent" they tell people they can have there motorcycles back if they pay but thats not true. He/She said they are made to record there calls for one of the clients they have but they are told when to do it so they know when to act right.

How does your friend feel about these deceptive behaviors? I mean, is this friend able to look in the mirror and be proud of themselves? That is an honest question.

It is indeed, Steelers. How does someone sleep at night performing this kind of trickery on everyday folks like themselves?

I would say they do it with ease, as they don't care. At least, that was the case where I used to work--a majority of collectors cared only about their bonus check.

They keep calling me for some lady that used to have my phone number. they are very rude! i told them that I wasnt the person they were looking for and they called me a liar and said that they knew i was her.. and they were pressing legal action. i asked them to stop calling since they call like 12 times a day and the lady told me to shut up and take responsibility for my actions, then hung up.. real jerks if u ask me.

There must be a way to make them stop this is harassment!

Collections agencies are professionals that have a job to do just like everyone else. This company requires extensive training on all laws and regulations and has over 400 people working for them. They help keep prices down in the stores and interest rates lower in the banks by collecting money from people who signed contracts saying they would pay these companies back but neglected to. This is one of the toughest jobs a person can have, they do their best to help people out of their current situation and to negoiate terms they can live with. They attempt to treat everyone as they would like to be treated.

Someonewhoknows is right on! If only I could post the recordings from this company and others. It is all true. They might train on the laws, but they don't care if the collectors engage in illegal behavior for $$$$$. If anyone threatens arrest, calls you names, or violates any other law, record the call if legal.

I would never recommend it, but even if it is not legal, they probably won't have the courage to address a recording because it shows they violated the law as well.

I recently became a "UF client". My initial call came on my job and I advised them to call me at home, with which I had to provide the correct area code for them to comply. My first conversation was cordial. But, the second conversation came today. I offered (last week) the information that I was still working on my taxes, hoping that would give me some funds to apply to my debt. After 3 years of seeing doctors (six in 2006), I had to come up with ways to bring more money home to keep up with my mortgage, utilities, and other bills owed (including credit cards). I had a glitch happen with my debt mgmt account last summer, and that created a whole new set of problems. Marty Hornsby was polite enough to hear me out on the first call, however turned to "freddy kruger" on the second call. He asked me about my income, cost of my utilities and Mortgage, etc. He actually implied that there is no way that I could not be bringing home enough money to pay off my balance. He said I should go to my friends and family and ask them to help me. He suggested I contact a refinancing agent for my home and gave a number to call. Because I want to pay off my debts, and clear all my account balances, I would use any reasonable avenue to do this. Because I am a little too honest, I shared some info with him, however, he does not have my bank info. He flat out turned down my proposal to pay a specific amount each month because, in his words, "that is unacceptable". I will be looking into this more and I will find all that I can to do my part to help others not go through this. I am now on the radar for him. After he felt I was willing to refinance my home, he suddenly became a human again. Keep your eyes and ears open. Don't consent to anything unless they accept your terms. I will be sending a "cease and desist" letter which include a specified amount that I can pay, with request that they bill me each month.

After setting up payment arrangements with Universal Fidelity, they are still contacting me. I told them not to contact me at work. They still call even after a payment arrangement. Now they want the entire debt paid in full. When you question them about something that's not in writing v.s. what was said over the phone, they will not transfer you to a supervisor. They will call you a name and that you are refusing to pay the debt. It is obvious according to some research I have done that they have violated the deb collection laws numerous times. So I am getting an attorney who spcializes in debt collector harassment and abuse. Go to myfairdebt.com. Do not let these insecure bullies threaten you in any way. Get an attorney to tell them what they are doing wrong!

I too am learning they are rude-I was told that if I didnt pay that I was going to court and that my bill would be thousands more because I have to pay court fees, and that my wages would be garnished..of course I offered to pay but I cannot afford what they want me to pay, so I called them and made an offer of what I could afford each month until my sears debt was paid-they informed me that my account has a "Red Flag" which means that sears wants this paid---not sure how to handle this one!!!!

Know your rights and don't put up with their illegal conduct. They just sent me a nice fat check for calling them on the same things. There is enough info here to conclude UF knows better but does not care.

they are a terrible company, check there web site, you can not even email them. they make promises they will not keep. do not use them.

I am with Texaslawyer on this one. They know better, but just don't care--like most collectors, they just want their bonus checks, and don't care if they have to break the law to get it.

Hi, my name is Mike. I got a call from UFC, I haven't called them back yet, considering A. I don't have a phone and B. They're in TEXAS and its not toll free.

I'm not sure what debt they're calling about. But, that's ok, because they already violated the fdcpa right off the bat. They call my MOTHER, a 3rd party, every day. They specifically harrass her, every day, in an attempt to reach me. And here's the twist...

I'm a debt collector myself, so I know what he can/can't do, and am already gathering evidence to own these guys.

Multiple FDCPA violations.


Yelling at my mom. Calling her over and over. You can only call a person twice a week, this is already at EVERY SINGLE DAY 3 times a day.

Threatening my mom. Mentioning the company the debt is for.

I don't even care about what the debt is for or where it came from, they're going to pay it, and maybe even pay off my college loans too because if I find out if it was for those or any balance, they're going to pay it for multiple fdcpa violations.

Btw also, when a collector tries to get you to pay with check by phone and states you can't mail it in, it's Bull.

They just want to push the check by phones because thats how the company makes money in the convience fees incurred. I know as a collector, I tell people to mail it in as an immediate second option (besides check/cc).


Don't let these guys BS you because they want that bonus for going over the threshhold.

Take this information
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Link removed per forum rules. Cajunbulldog

I have been dealing with these jerks for 6 months. They are rude, unprofessional, and they will not explain anything to you and expect you to turn over an entire paycheck to them and they will not try to work with you. The first jerk I spoke with told me that he would be searching with attorneys to find other phone numbers to harrass me with. I hung up on him and I called the company I was in debt with and worked it out with them.

UF has been calling my friend who lives with us. She knows she owes money, how much and has made arrangements to pay. She spoke to them yesterday and they called back twice today-8:30AM and 3:00PM. She tried to explain that this is not her # or phone and please contact her by mail. They say they are not allowed to contact by mail and even though this is MY phone, they say they are allowed by law to contact her here because they know she lives here. Is this true and what times can they call? I read that they can only call twice a week but sometimes they call 3-4 times a day and don't leave a message. Any suggestions? Thanks.

They are rude. They are trying to collect debts and grasping at straws trying to find people and hoping they will hit the jackpot. They called asking for a phone number of someone who they said put us down as a reference that we don't even know. I told them to stop calling. He repeatedly kept asking me for the phone number. I should have given him Taco Bell's number to call (LOL). He refused to give me his name and hung up on me. I called the main Houston office and the girl was very courteous when I explained the situation. She gave me the floor manager's extension in case I had anymore problems and said my number would be removed from their call list. I mean, these guys who call are really rude especially for me not even owing, them having the wrong person calling me, and me not even knowing who the heck they were looking for. They are really bad news.

Have had same problem with Universal Fidelity. Incessant phone calls over a $88 charge that I have no record of or will they provide me with written proof that the amount is owed or what it was I was suppose to have purchased. Certified letter to them received June 4, 2007 telling them to cease and desist per fed law. So far the daily calls have stopped.

And that much is a good thing, at least. Did you send your validation request certified as well? The things they're willing to do for 88 freakin' bucks, sigh...

i have continually asked Mervyn's to make my original due date (the 10th.) of each month, they change it every month.
they told me last time i talked with the rude customer service lady it was set in stone but could not mail me that requested confirmation in writing.
i haved told them that i cannot get into the store or mail payment by the due date that was given me every month since the first year it changed from the same day every month.
now today(june 8th.) i make A payment in the store
and before i get home later that day(8th.)they charged me a late fee for not paying it on the ninth(9th.).... the statment saids; DUE Date: June 10th.
then i call...o'boy here i go again, i'm glad they we're closed. the last time i had talked with customer service(mervyn's) the joked that i was not mexican and made it difficult to understan their hspanic accent then laughed about it, i then asked to speak with the supervisor, in which (i swear) it was the same person speaking spanish!.
i sent an e-mail to mervyns tonight that i'm reporting this to the Arizona Attorney General's Office if this matter is not resolved.
anybody have any suggestion's, this is ther second time that mervyn's has charged me before the due date with a late fee?.

Hi, I just today recieved a call from UF, indicating that it had to due with my husbands Social Security Account?? Needless to say, I was taken back because I have never heard anything relating to Social Security using a collection agency? Furthmore, I have no idea what this is pertaining to, as a letter was never recieved, and if it was having to do with my husbands SS, The Social Security Admin would have notified him. Any suggestions on what to do?

Thanks, Deb

I too keep getting calls for my son , who is deployed right now. The guy ( Ron ) wouldn't give me any information, because I am his mother and not his spouse. I guess spouses get more info. I tried to talk to him and he hung up on me. They have not sent anything in the mail either. What is a validation letter?

Pjwb,
Welcome! A debt validation letter is a formal request that the debtor can send to the collector when there is doubt that he or she owes the debt. This puts the burden of proof on the collector to "validate" or prove that the debt indeed belongs to the debtor--which is a right under the Federal Debt Collections Practices Act.
If you have your son's Power of Attorney, you could probably send this for him. If your son is deployed, however, he would have access to the US mail via the Fleet or Army/Airforce Postal Office (FPO/APO) program, so he could probably do this himself, if he has time. Based on past experience, I know the military postal offices can have delays if the command is a seagoing command, so the creditor would have to take this into account.

hi .. i had worked in different collection agencies and let me tell you guys something.. fist of all every agent have to follow a very straigh checkpoints on the call .. for example .. with some cellphone company when you call collection .. they must ask 3 times on the call the method of pymnt and remind you how much do you owe twice.. at the begining and at the end.. why? because if not they paycheck will be affected .... usualy the customer think they are in a office with all the necessary equipmnt to sent you al the info .. but they dont they just have to talk to you abd put a request for what you want in the file.. also for example they have to care about how much time they spend in every call .. this also will affect the paycheck.. not enough they have certain metrics to keep .. so no everybody is made to collect/care about customer at same time.. it ma be this realy nice girl but at the end of the call you dont know really how much do you owe.. and this nasty one who treat you badly but then since you dont want a callback some people pay .... on top of all this there is also bad customers thet hung up in you after treat you bad .. so finnaly the really purpose of the recording is not use it against you .. but against the agent on the phone who can be fired cause of a nasty call.. also tere is some rules like if cust insulted you or use abusive language.. AGENT CAN AND IS PERFECTLY ALLOWED HUNG UP ON YOU ... last but not less important if you dont want more cals .. just sent a letter.. from the bearly first call you got.. ... some states allow to talk to third party others you can not talk neither to te wife unless her name is involved by your auth... and after certain amount of time if agent can not reach you will be able to cal your employyee-- or cal you at your place of employmnt so instead of denied a phone .. be sure to gave them the righ one and if you are nice agent will chang e it (even though is not the right one)... now even thou you are at the oca already .. your ssn still being compromised to credit report every 15 and 30 days by the end of the month if you have not talk to anybody your credt score will go down.. just think agent needs you to get paid and you needs them to set up arrnmngt .. it will look better a pymnt arrenmt in you score than a dept with refuse to talk.. example.. this lady i had talk to .. bough a house.. but after a long no point conversation she ask me to explain her bill and why so high .. first of all 2 years agoo morgage interes went high ( it went up every 2 years according to the bank it may change) so they were like 20 dollars every 15 and 30th all the way in 2 years + late fees cause of this and it goes soo high .. she explained me she is not even living at the house bacause she were scammed and there were people living at the house since they had a contract with the original owner and she couldnt live there untill contracts ends but shw still needs to pay everymonth loan + the rent of her house.. too much money .. finnaly we set up a pymnt arrn,t for those late fees 3 months later acc was current.. if you are rude .. sometimes (most of the time) agent will be tof .. if u are in a hurry set up a calback time (never said cal me later .. that will cause more then 3 attmps daily and thery all are justified ) AND REMEMBER THEY USE COMPUTERS SO THEY DONT PICK UP YOUR NAME AND PHONE FROM A LIST.. all is automatically assigned by a computer sistem and if you dinct gave to the last agent the righ info .. no way next one can know your situation.. also please be short.. no log histories about your wife chetting on you with the girl next door that was a tennager and then her momy wants with you and she stell your cc .. agent will just write : ccalles cust .. marital issues.. want to be called back .. hope this brief info works.. the really scam agencies doesnt gave you calback number or refered you to the original company you own and thery dont have bill reference also ANY AGENT CAN DO NOTHING WITH YOUR SSN sometimes they are out of the country to avoid identity theft..(your social is only valid in your country ) if so feel free to hung up and cal the real agency to report it.. they will not play with the integrity of the company for they own budget .. since coporations will not hire them . bye

No offense sara, but paragraphs and complete sentences and grammar are your friends, not to mention it makes it easier on us reading your post. I stopped reading after the third ....

That was painful.

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SHBear
I got a paper bill from universal fedelity for my suncom account. I called and gave the lady a post dated check to pay the account. Well on Thursday a check had not gone through my account so I called them back and this time I told them to cancel the check i'd give them my debit card number so they could go ahead and post the payment in my account. Well on that next Monday I looked at my bank account online and it was overdrawn and the bank was charging me $140.00 worth of overdraft fees. Universal had taken the money out twice. The bank put my money for the payment back but could not do anything about the fees even though I didnt overdraw my account. An agent from my bank contacted a Ms. Hopkins at extension 1051 at universal and let her know that she was responsible to refund me the $140.00 and she totally said she nor universal had anything to do with it.