W. Va. Woman Fights to Collect $10 Million from Debt Collectors

West Virginia consumer Diana Mey is trying to collect money from a collection agency after winning the largest judgment ever against an abusive debt collection company — more than $10 million.

“I’m a mom, and I’m a housewife, and I’m an accidental activist,” Mey said.

From her small-town home in Wheeling, Mey took on a large debt collection company that is known to harass people nationwide and won, but she still hasn’t received any money.

“I don’t know that I’ll ever collect a dime, but if I can get their operation shut down, that would make me very happy.”

Two years ago, a debt collector with a company called Reliant Financial Associates, or RFA, left a message implying that her house was in jeopardy if she didn’t pay a debt. The message stated:

“I’m calling in regards to a preliminary asset liability investigation. They are in the process of serving some court documents in regards to case 29369… They have some information now pending questions at the property,… Springdale Avenue, in Wheeling, West Virginia. It is in your best interests to contact the department. You are required to contact 866-764-9779.”

It is illegal for debt collectors to make empty threats about serving people with a lawsuit or seizing their home. And it was especially galling to Mey, who says she is debt-free.

“They threatened to take legal action against our property and it wasn’t even our debt,” Mey said.

Millions of Americans are victims of this kind of mistaken debtor identity, partly because of a new breed of collectors called “debt buyers.” They purchase old debts for pennies that the original creditors have given up on and then try to collect them for a big profit. Critics say debt buyers sometimes use outrageous tactics to get the money where others have failed. RFA is a debt buyer.

Mey wrote RFA a cease and desist letter, telling the company not to contact her anymore, and sent it certified mail. Postal records show exactly when RFA signed for it. Precisely 23 minutes later, Mey started getting mysterious hang-up calls that showed up on her caller ID as coming from her local county government.

After two days of hang-up calls from that sheriff’s department number, Mey picked up another one with that same caller ID. The man on the line repeatedly called her a vulgar name for the female anatomy. He described violent sexual acts he would like to subject her to and more. The verbal assault went on for nearly two minutes before the man hung up.

Mey said she immediately called 911 to report that someone had threatened to sexually assault her. She says she was terrified because she believed the call was from a local number. Mey said she then bolted the door and got her husband’s gun out of the dresser and hung it on the bedpost in her bedroom.

Read the rest of the story here (source):
W. Va. Woman Fights to Collect $10 Million From Debt Collectors (Video)