Arizona Automotive Institute

In response to the complaint submitted by Mr. [redacted], please note that the school is making every effort to obtain Mr. [redacted]’s transcript.  The issue causing the delay results from the bankruptcy filing of our previous owner, ATI Enterprises.  AAI was previously owned by ATI...

Enterprises, a company that is insolvent and currently going through the bankruptcy process.  The records storage company where Mr. [redacted]’s transcripts are likely housed has a claim against ATI and will not grant access to the school under our new ownership, Ancora Education, until the legal actions have been worked out regarding the bankruptcy.    We are working diligently with the records storage company to allow AAI under the new ownership, to regain access to all stored student files.  We are sorry for the inconvenience this has caused and will keep Mr. [redacted]’s request for a transcript on file so we may address it as soon as we are granted access to the records.  Should Mr. [redacted]have any questions, he can contact our Executive Director, [redacted], at ###-###-####.  Thank you.

In response to the information provided by Mr. [redacted], please note the following:

 

1.       Documentation in the schools contact management system shows that Mr. [redacted] was contacted by Mr. [redacted] on 11/2/2012 (see Exhibit 1 screenshot).  As noted on 11/2/2012, Mr. [redacted] explained “…I explained to him why he owes this balance $1,253.69 he did not agree with this so I told him I send him a copy of his ledger and told him to call me once he received to setup payment arrangements.”  There is no further notation of a call back from Mr. [redacted] to Mr. [redacted].

2.       Mr. [redacted] was sent a copy of his ledger as evidenced by his providing a partial photo of the document to support his case that the ledger card indicates a “0” balance.  However, attached is a full copy of the ledger card (see Exhibit 2) provided to Mr. [redacted].  As indicated on page two of the ledger card, the only reason the account shows a “0” balance is because the amount owed ($1,253.69) was assigned to a collection agency.  The assignment to a collector zero’s out the ledger card but does not absolve Mr. [redacted] of the balance owed.  It is simply placed for collection.

3.       The collection agency assigned to the account was Omega RMS.  Attached as Exhibit 3 is an email from Omega’s client services stating they have had no communication with Mr. [redacted] since the account was placed.  Further notation states that the account is in the process of being sold to another agency.

4.       The partial copy of the Unofficial Transcript provided by Mr. [redacted] only depicts the courses attempted and completed and is not a statement of monies owed or due.

5.       The partial copy of the letter from the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation (TG) indicating ‘Paid in Full’ only applies to federal student loans obtained by Mr. [redacted] for school.  Payment of federal student loans by a student has no bearing on balances owed to the school.    

 

Because there is a balance is still owed on the account, a collector will likely continue to attempt to establish contact Mr. [redacted].  We encourage Mr. [redacted] to communicate with the collection agency to work out some form of payment arrangement.  Thank you.

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID[redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

I have enclosed images. The first is what the school told me I owe. The second Is that it shows on my transcript I owe nothing. Third is it says my loan has been paid off! I get calls from someone different everytime and the last time they called me at work and I hung up. I'm tired of being told I owe when I don't! I even went to the school and was told I owe 4,300 but when they called at work they said I owe 1,600. 

Regards,

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait until for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.

Regard'sNote: This complaint could have been avoided with a clear explanation on my initial request.

Good Afternoon Ms. Mosley,

 

I would like more information about the collection calls the former AAI student has received.  Can you or he tell me the name of the collection agency that has been calling him and the exact amount of the debt they are claiming is owed?

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Thank you for your assistance,

 

Review: I went to AAI in 2007-2008. I dropped a few classes and didn't finish due to me moving across country I recently moved back. Paid off all of my loan balance with my tax refund and have received a letter from the collection agency stating it's paid off and a ledger from the school outlining all the costs and at the top it also says a balance of $0. I have called the school headquarters and gone in and they keep saying their computers show I still owe almost 2,000! But they can never show me a paper that outlines those charges. I sent a copy of this paper to corporate and told them if there is really a balance take me to court. They haven't sent me anything since 2012. I haven't received anything in the mail in over 2 years! So I figured the dropped it. However, today my boss received a very harassing call asking information about me. I am tired of this and I am about ready to hire a lawyer to stop the harassment and file a class action lawsuit because I have found several other stundents this has happened to. I still have not recieved anything in the ma in 2 years! But am getting very angry phone calls this is not appropriate and I'm sure is against the law. I have lived at the same address for 5 years!Desired Settlement: I want a billing adjustment and a certified letter stating I owe nothing else to the school! I'm tired of all the harassment . If I do not get the letter I will be filing a lawsuit.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon Ms. Mosley,

I would like more information about the collection calls the former AAI student has received. Can you or he tell me the name of the collection agency that has been calling him and the exact amount of the debt they are claiming is owed?

Thank you for your assistance,

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID[redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

I have enclosed images. The first is what the school told me I owe. The second Is that it shows on my transcript I owe nothing. Third is it says my loan has been paid off! I get calls from someone different everytime and the last time they called me at work and I hung up. I'm tired of being told I owe when I don't! I even went to the school and was told I owe 4,300 but when they called at work they said I owe 1,600.

Regards,

Business

Response:

In response to the information provided by Mr. [redacted], please note the following:

1. Documentation in the schools contact management system shows that Mr. [redacted] was contacted by Mr. [redacted] on 11/2/2012 (see Exhibit 1 screenshot). As noted on 11/2/2012, Mr. [redacted] explained “…I explained to him why he owes this balance $1,253.69 he did not agree with this so I told him I send him a copy of his ledger and told him to call me once he received to setup payment arrangements.” There is no further notation of a call back from Mr. [redacted] to Mr. [redacted].

2. Mr. [redacted] was sent a copy of his ledger as evidenced by his providing a partial photo of the document to support his case that the ledger card indicates a “0” balance. However, attached is a full copy of the ledger card (see Exhibit 2) provided to Mr. [redacted]. As indicated on page two of the ledger card, the only reason the account shows a “0” balance is because the amount owed ($1,253.69) was assigned to a collection agency. The assignment to a collector zero’s out the ledger card but does not absolve Mr. [redacted] of the balance owed. It is simply placed for collection.

3. The collection agency assigned to the account was Omega RMS. Attached as Exhibit 3 is an email from Omega’s client services stating they have had no communication with Mr. [redacted] since the account was placed. Further notation states that the account is in the process of being sold to another agency.

4. The partial copy of the Unofficial Transcript provided by Mr. [redacted] only depicts the courses attempted and completed and is not a statement of monies owed or due.

5. The partial copy of the letter from the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation (TG) indicating ‘Paid in Full’ only applies to federal student loans obtained by Mr. [redacted] for school. Payment of federal student loans by a student has no bearing on balances owed to the school.

Because there is a balance is still owed on the account, a collector will likely continue to attempt to establish contact Mr. [redacted]. We encourage Mr. [redacted] to communicate with the collection agency to work out some form of payment arrangement. Thank you.

Dont believe a word this place says. Aside from a small few noone at this school cares about you. They also allow employees complete, namely a student advisor Tony S[redacted] to be verbally abusive to a veteran. There are better places, do your research.

Review: I recently requested proof of graduation from the Arizona Automotive Institute. I initially requested this records by phone a few days before May 12th, 2014. I was told that they required me to fill out a request form for records which they emailed to me and I emailed back to them the completed request After I emailed the request form back to the school, I followed up with a phone call to check that they had received my request . I was told that they did not have this information on site as I had graduated in 1982 and that the records were in storage and they could not obtain them because they were " on hold". I explained that I was applying for a job and that to be considered for an interview I must produce proof of the program and asked what could I do to expedite the process since it was time sensitive for the job I was applying for. [redacted] of the registrars office stated that there was nothing that her office could do but she offered to transfer me to the Director of Education [redacted]. I spoke to Mr. [redacted] on May 12,2014 he explained that due to the year that I graduated that the records were no longer kept on campus and that they were stored off site and that it would be " sometime" before they would be able to get the records. I explained to him that the County to which I am applying to work for said that any school should be able to produce the records in two weeks time tops. Mr. [redacted] said that if they had any questions they could contact him as he was not able to produce the records in two weeks time. I then asked him if he could possibly write a letter to that effect so that I could forward it to the Prospective Employer with my job application and he agreed he would email me something which he did. After I received that email I called Mr.[redacted] to get a time frame of just how long this process would take them to get the records from storage and he led me to believe it could be as long as 60 days. I find that answer unacceptable. Can you help me?Desired Settlement: I would like to have the documents that prove I graduated in good standing expedited.The prospective employer requires me to have proof of graduation in hand by June 12th.

Business

Response:

In response to the complaint submitted by Mr. [redacted], please note that the school is making every effort to obtain Mr. [redacted]’s transcript. The issue causing the delay results from the bankruptcy filing of our previous owner, ATI Enterprises. AAI was previously owned by ATI Enterprises, a company that is insolvent and currently going through the bankruptcy process. The records storage company where Mr. [redacted]’s transcripts are likely housed has a claim against ATI and will not grant access to the school under our new ownership, Ancora Education, until the legal actions have been worked out regarding the bankruptcy. We are working diligently with the records storage company to allow AAI under the new ownership, to regain access to all stored student files. We are sorry for the inconvenience this has caused and will keep Mr. [redacted]’s request for a transcript on file so we may address it as soon as we are granted access to the records. Should Mr. [redacted]have any questions, he can contact our Executive Director, [redacted], at ###-###-####. Thank you.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait until for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.

Regard'sNote: This complaint could have been avoided with a clear explanation on my initial request.