- Report: #963092
Complaint Review: Portfolio Recovery Associates - Norfolk Virginia
Reported By:
It''sCalledKindness -
cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
Submitted:
Updated:
-
Author Not Confirmed
Why?
Portfolio Recovery Associates
120 Corporate Boulevard Norfolk, 23502 Virginia, United States of America
Phone:
7572758578
Web:
http://portfoliorecovery.com/
Categories:
Business Rating:
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Portfolio Recovery Associates A Complete Lack of Reasonable Interaction Norfolk, Virginia
I have a simple belief that, when dealing with people on the phone, regardless of the situation, you treat them with the minimum of dignity and respect. You don't yell, you don't cut them off, you don't hang up on them.
Portfolio Recovery Associates does all three on a consistent basis.
I think a large number of folks with debt, especially after the recent recession, are happy to arrange payments or understand their debt if the company making collections is reasonably kind, patient, and mostly, explains all the options available. At the very least, the employees/associates should be communicating before transferring people around and around and around.
Again, there seems to be little communication at Portfolio Recovery Associates.
So...
-I was hung up on twice.
-I was yelled at (but never cursed at)
-I was asked to please stop calling them "debt collectors" as it is "a completely derogatory statement towards my [the person with whom I was speaking] profession." (Um, don't care, you picked the job, research the company.) Oh yeah, and they're debt collectors
-I was not presented with all options to clear my debt
Additionally, I was offered a debt-reduction plan, if I provided my routing and checking account number, but only if I did it "right now. If you hang up, the offer is off the table." I politely ended the call anyway. I called back 3 hours later, talked to someone else, and was given the same offer...she had no record of me being offered this before.
The best part was when I suggested to the collector, who lost her cool at the drop of a hat, that I just send them 10 bucks a week for however long it takes to pay off my debt, she begrudgingly admitted that while it wouldn't stop the mail correspondence related to the debt, they are required to apply those payments to my debt. Luckily, it's not too large of a debt.
My ultimate point is that it's all about kindness. I ran into a similar situation a few years ago when times were tough on my end. The company I dealt with at that point, was kind, patient, didn't scream at me, and didn't hang up on me. And guess what? I paid them! Why? Because it's all about kindness.
I know there's little that can be done in a situation like this. But before you deal with Portfolio Recovery Associates, I suggest readying yourself for a large amount of rude.
Portfolio Recovery Associates does all three on a consistent basis.
I think a large number of folks with debt, especially after the recent recession, are happy to arrange payments or understand their debt if the company making collections is reasonably kind, patient, and mostly, explains all the options available. At the very least, the employees/associates should be communicating before transferring people around and around and around.
Again, there seems to be little communication at Portfolio Recovery Associates.
So...
-I was hung up on twice.
-I was yelled at (but never cursed at)
-I was asked to please stop calling them "debt collectors" as it is "a completely derogatory statement towards my [the person with whom I was speaking] profession." (Um, don't care, you picked the job, research the company.) Oh yeah, and they're debt collectors
-I was not presented with all options to clear my debt
Additionally, I was offered a debt-reduction plan, if I provided my routing and checking account number, but only if I did it "right now. If you hang up, the offer is off the table." I politely ended the call anyway. I called back 3 hours later, talked to someone else, and was given the same offer...she had no record of me being offered this before.
The best part was when I suggested to the collector, who lost her cool at the drop of a hat, that I just send them 10 bucks a week for however long it takes to pay off my debt, she begrudgingly admitted that while it wouldn't stop the mail correspondence related to the debt, they are required to apply those payments to my debt. Luckily, it's not too large of a debt.
My ultimate point is that it's all about kindness. I ran into a similar situation a few years ago when times were tough on my end. The company I dealt with at that point, was kind, patient, didn't scream at me, and didn't hang up on me. And guess what? I paid them! Why? Because it's all about kindness.
I know there's little that can be done in a situation like this. But before you deal with Portfolio Recovery Associates, I suggest readying yourself for a large amount of rude.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Jim
Orlando,Florida,
USA
What's Wanted
#2Consumer Comment
Sun, November 04, 2012
What this deadbeat wants is to walk away from their responsibility to do what they promised to do...pay their bills on time. The deadbeat is wailing about the collection calls. So sad, too bad. If you don't want BILL COLLECTORS calling you then you don't give them a reason to call!
Robert
Irvine,California,
U.S.A.
I can't believe how naive people are
#3Consumer Comment
Thu, November 01, 2012
Oh where to begin...how about by first saying "STAY OFF THE D*** PHONE". Nothing good ever comes from dealing with Debt Collectors over the phone. You should only communicate with them through mail as you can keep a paper trail of what was agreed to.
I was not presented with all options to clear my debt
- How do you know? Your options to "clear" your debt is what is agreed to between both parties. If you were not presented with what you think are all of the options..why didn't you suggest them?
The best part was when I suggested to the collector, who lost her cool at the drop of a hat, that I just send them 10 bucks a week for however long it takes to pay off my debt,
- Oh you did suggest something else. Unfortunately it was something very stupid and naive. With no agreement of how many payments this is, the $10 could not even cover the Interest(which yes they are allowed to charge). But worse is that all this does is continue to reset the Statute of Limitations which extends the amount of time they can actually file suit against you in court.
she begrudgingly admitted that while it wouldn't stop the mail correspondence related to the debt, they are required to apply those payments to my debt.
- Seriously what did you expect her to say that the $10 would be put into their Christmas Party Fund for the end of the year?
Luckily, it's not too large of a debt.
Oh and if you don't think that a company would sue you for a "small" debt..think again. In court it is very easy for them to prove that you owe the debt..especially if you are making payments on it. So because the looser(which would be you) is responsible to pay the court and attorney costs, there is no minimum amount they need to sue for. So you could easily be sued for a $50-$100 debt and end up with an extra couple hundred dollar in court costs.
Again I believe that there is a special place in H*** for most Debt Collectors, but there is also a special place for people who don't think they need to pay their debt or think that somehow a company is required to let them pay the account back on their own terms. As a result you will get collectors who are one step beyond nasty. But the real collectors you need to look out for are the ones who pretend to be your "friend". Both the nasty and nice collectors have the same purpose..to get the most money out of you as quickly as possible, and the nice ones could "nice" you into paying on debts you actually don't owe or not as much because they make you think they are being your friend.
This is why again you NEVER talk to any Debt Collector over the phone.
