Allied Interstate: Thank you Robert Paisola for Your Help!

Dear Mr. Paisola,
Although, I already have legal counsel, I just wanted to commend you for your efforts against Allied Interstate. I, too, have been harassed and threatened by these goons.

They have threatened to garnish my wages, take me to court, report my account to the credit bureau, and they have all been incredibly rude. I even sold my car to my grandmother so I didn't have to worry about them coming and taking it. This all started In July.

A student loan through Sallie Mae got sent to Progressive Financial (collection agency) although I had been paying. What happened was they had applied my payments to other accounts and never bothered to correct that mistake. So I settled with Progressive in September. Matter closed. Or so I thought.

In January, I start receiving auto dial calls, which I just hung up on. I had no idea who they wanted to reach, and I wasn't going hang on hold for someone that I didn't know and didn't call in the first place. Then I got a letter telling me I owe over $2,000. I knew I had received no statements from Sallie Mae in that amount, and I figured out that the amount they were trying to collect is the amount Sallie Mae should have written off. My mother ended up talking to them and they threatened to garnish wages and sue me.

She didn't know at the time that the debt had been settled through someone else and agreed to pay $50/month. Thank goodness she didn't end up doing so. Then I spoke to a guy (I certainly wouldn't use the term gentleman) who was incredibly rude. He was sarcastic, he implied I was lying when I said that the debt had been settled, and he would not listen and kept saying he didn't understand or get it. It was as if what I was trying to say was in Latin.

He then threatened to garnish my wages and sue me. I took a deep breath and tried to explain again slowly. He got nasty and said gritting my teeth won't make him go away. He also said not to talk to him like I do my kids (I have no kids, thank you) and try to make him feel stupid. I got angry, told him I wasn't going to put up with his snide mouth and hung up. After this call, is when I hired my attorney. A few days later, I get another call. This time, I have until 2.28.08 to pay or else they're going to sue me.

When I explained I don't owe it, he said yes you do. I said I already took care of it, and besides that, I had never received anything from Sallie Mae stating that I owe the amount Allied is trying to collect. He said "yes you did, many times." I said, unless you've been somehow stealing from my mail box, I'm well aware of what I do and do not receive. I said look, I'm tired of you people threatening and harassing, and he denied that he was doing anything of the sort.

He then asked if my attorney was going to pay the debt, which is a bizarre question. I said no. He said then how is he going to pay it. This guy is totally off his rocker by this point and I don't even know what he was saying. I kept saying "excuse me" because I wanted to give him the name and number of my attorney, but he wouldn't shut up long enough for me to do so, and I hung up on him.

I have received another letter. This time they want to settle for a lesser amount and if I don't respond in 10 days. they may not offer the settlement anymore. I don't care because I don't owe anything. Also they said that if I don't pay, Sallie Mae can report my account information to the credit bureaus. If they do that, I'll have their hide since I already paid and I have proof. I've been receiving at least two calls a day. Most of the time, no one says anything. I am pretty sure it's Allied trying to harass me.

The next time I spoke to a person from there, I discussed nothing. I simply gave him my attorney's name and number...and they STILL CALLED! They called today, in fact. My dad told them they had the wrong number. I can't even answer the phone anymore because I just am sick to death of these crooks. It's incredibly stressful. I have filed a lawsuit against Allied Interstate. I don't even care if I get money from them, I just don't ever want to hear from them again.

I also want the $2000 written off like it should have been in the first place. I want my peace of mind back, and it would be great to answer the telephone without worrying about threats being made. I'm sure that is mild compared to many of the stories you've heard regarding Allied. I have listened to the "Nicole phone call", and that woman is a nightmare.

I am just glad that you are helping people that are in the same boat as I am to fight back against these cons. No one should have to put up with that. If you wish post my story on your website, please feel free to do so. If you do, I only ask that my last name be omitted. If you don't that's cool, too. I just want to voice my support of your efforts. I cannot understand how Allied Interstate is still in business. Keep up your great work against Allied. The more people that fight back, the more people will be aware of Allied Interstate's criminality.

And if enough people fight them, maybe, just maybe we can get Allied Interstate gone once and for all.

Stay strong and keep fighting.

Erin