Municipal Collections of America, Inc.

Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because:I was informed by the company who manages the red light camera that there was an additional $fee (total of $200) assessedThis has been sent to your company, which somehow was updated to $I have an email communication from them confirming there were no other additional fees added.
Sincerely,
*** ***

We have spoken to the consumer several times about this violation We have been told several reasons why he felt he was not liable One of the reasons was that he was not driving the vehicle when the violation was issued The registered owner of the vehicle ticketed is responsible
for the violation We have not placed a hold on the consumer's tax return Muscatine has listed past due debts with the State of Iowa's Debt Recovery Program The State has offset the amount to cover the violation When the money is paid to Muscatine the violation will be closed

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/10/06) */
The consumer notified us yesterday of this problemI contacted the City of Elgin concerning this violationThe City investigated and learned a clerk had taken the payment from the consumer and did not report it to the proper department
Therefore, the violation came to us at the full balanceBecause of the error in reporting the payment to us, the City of Elgin has requested we close this ticket and delete it from the consumer's credit fileWe have done that
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2015/10/07) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
I'm glad that the collection was closed, as it should have beenThe fact is that I had to submit a case to the Revdex.com for resolution because MCOA wouldn't do anything to resolve the issue directly
The amount was misreported to a collections agency, and the agent I discussed the matter with was WILDLY rude and unhelpfulThe practices of MCOA should have closer oversight

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/04/22) */
This account is for a parking violation listed with us by the Village of *** *** We have talked to the consumer several times about this violation, but it has not been paidIf the violation is paid, we will update the credit file of
this consumer
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/04/24) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
This violation is a result of fraud, I will take further action to correct thisThe village of *** *** told me that they are in the business of selling tickets, but you can't give out tickets to people who do not cause the specified violations
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 11, 2015/04/30) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
This account is on my credit and I was going to count it as a lostI have told you in the past and several times about this inquiryI am not responsible for the debt and will not be paying itIf you don't assist, I will seek further action to dispute this fraudulent account
Final Business Response /* (4000, 13, 2015/05/07) */
We had several conversation with the consumer in concerning this violationThe address is the same as is listed on this complaintThere was no discussion about this being the incorrect person at that timePlease let me know why the consumer feels she is not responsible and I will investigate furtherIf we have the incorrect consumer, we will correct it

The Village of *** participates in the Illinois Office of the Comptroller's Local Debt Recovery Program. The Village has submitted their unpaid violations to the program and the State offsets a person's taxes to pay the unpaid violations. The Office of the Comptroller mails to each
person that has been offset a letter explaining the program. There is a paragraph at the bottom of that letter telling the consumer how to file a protest letter if they feel the offset was incorrect

We are not spreading statements Mr*** contacted us and said his taxes had been offset At that time, Muscatine had not been notified by the State of the offset Mr*** was told that since Muscatine had not notified us, he could pay the violation and that would possibly speed up his tax return being processed back to him He did not pay at that time We were notified later in the day of the offset - before Mr*** called back When he called back, he was told the State had notified Muscatine and there was not a way to stop the offset I am sure there are people at the Muscatine City Hall and the Muscatine Police department that are not aware of Muscatine's participation in the State offset program Mr*** can contact Nancy Lueck, Director of Finance for Muscatine, or CaptPhil Sargeant of the Muscatine Police Department They can confirm Muscatine's participation in the State Debt Recovery Program There is no way MCOA can put a hold on a state tax refund The amount of the violation had risen because of not being paid on timely basis We have done nothing fraudulent or illegal Mr*** should contact one of the two people mentioned above and they can confirm what he has been told

This consumer has parking violations listed with us for collection by the Village of Justice. The Village has submitted her license to the Secretary of State for suspension. The balance owed is $5322.50. The Village of Justice gave the consumer three hearings for each
violation to contest the chargesThe notices were mailed to the registered address of the vehicle. After each hearing - when nobody appeared - the amount of the violation increased. After the third hearing, a final determination was issued and the violations were listed for collection. When the accounts were listed with us for collection we mailed a letter for each violation to the consumer. We first spoke to the consumer on 4/22/16. At that time she updated her address and asked that we send information on the violations. We did that and the post office returned the mail to us as not deliverable. We tried to contact her on 4/27/16, using the number that she used to call us. We have left messages since then but our calls have not been returned. There are no charges on this account and the time to contest was at the hearings. The Village requires half down and a payment plan to be set up for the balance due. That is what we told the consumer. We have not spoken to this consumer since 4/22/

Complaint: 12079350
I am rejecting this response because: They still voilated the law.  I am seeking legal action against them.
Sincerely,
Catherine [redacted]

The email to request ticket copies is [redacted].  The consumer has 8 violations with the City of Calumet City.  Calumet City referred her account to the Secretary of State for a drivers license suspension because of 5 red light violations.  Calumet City requires half of the balance be paid before they request the license be uplifted.  The only reason the balance would change is if new tickets are received.

The original amount of the violation is $100.  If the violation is not paid in a timely manner, the camera company adds a late fee of $100.  They send the account to the City of Aurora and the City sends a letter to the address where the vehicle is registered with the Secretary of State.  In the letter they state that if the violation is not paid within 30 days, a 35% cost of collection will be added to the $200 and the account will be listed with a collection agency.  The brings the balance of the ticket to $270.

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: This company continues to spread false statements. When I spoke with the representative last, they informed me that if I paid them in full while I was still on the phone, they would expedite my tax return being released. I have spoken with the Muscatine City Hall as well as an officer from the Muscatine police department. Both parties informed me that Muscatine has nothing to do with the tax return hold and that it must be held up by the collection agency. It was in fact the Muscatine police officer that gave me the name and number for MCOA as the people to contact regarding the tax return. I'm sorry, but I trust city officials and police officers far more than this company. MCOA continues to attempt to extort this money from me and continues to deny what they know to be fraudulent practice, when confronted. They are correct about one thing. I was not driving a vehicle that allegedly committed a violation. Further, even if it were the City of Muscatine that is holding my taxes, they only fined me $75. MCOA demands over $130 in payment due to their collection fees. In the past, MCOA has threatened to ruin my credit over this same alleged debt. This is in fact an illegal practice in Iowa according to a section of the Iowa Fair Debt Collection Law, which prohibits "fraudulent, deceptive, or misleading representation or means to collect or attempt to collect a debt." This latest attempt at demanding payment in return for release of my tax return is yet another example of MCOA using unsavory tactics in an attempt to strong arm money from honest, hardworking, law-abiding,-" and tax paying citizens. One can be assured that MCOA is betting their victims won't spend the time and money defending themselves against this shameful practice. 
Sincerely,
Eric [redacted]

This consumer had thirteen parking violations with the Village of Posen.   She has paid the entire balance off, so all of her tickets with Posen show a balance of zero.  We have received many emails from her and have sent her copies of spreadsheets, her promissory note, a copy of the state...

suspension notice and other information she has requested.   This account is now closed.

I have included [redacted] Hts Police Chief [redacted] in this response, as Municipal Collections of America does not make any determination of liability on citations issued by the Police Department.  The City of [redacted] Heights determines the legality of its citations and the methods it uses to...

enforce such citations.  The city provides several opportunities for a violator to appeal a citation if they feel it was issued in error.  If no such appeal is made, per the city's code, the citation enters into the delinquent collection phase.  This person received a citation from the [redacted] Hts PD on 8/3/2017 and failed to pay or appeal the citation.  The complaint states that he "talked to company" on 11/5/2017.  No such conversation or communication ever occurred.  Additionally, this citation is not "hurting credit" as stated in the complaint.  This is not a consumer transaction; this is a citation issued for breaking the law and is not reported to the individuals credit.  This citation will remain in place until it is either paid or dismissed by the [redacted] Hts Police Dept.  No part of this is determined by Municipal Collections of America.  I ask that this complaint be removed from Municipal Collections of America as it has nothing to do the company.

We did not add the consumers name to any debts.  The consumer has verified that the different last names associated with this account are hers.  We have gone over the account several times with the consumer.  We have also contacted all clients involved with this account and have gone...

over the violations with them.  Tell us why here...

This consumer has 17 violations with the Village of Dolton.  Dolton has submitted her name to the Secretary of State for suspension.  She currently is on a payment plan with another agency for a suspension in another village - however, that doesn't have any impact on Dolton.  Our...

collection manager has spoken to her to try to resolve the problem.

Complaint: 12343805
I am rejecting this response because:
Sincerely,
Rolanda [redacted] I tired to initiate a hearing with Illinois DMV and there was no record of this,which is why I am requesting the documents.  If my license id suspended I am allowed a hearing with administration.  For the dates they are providing of the violations red light violations do not go back to 2001

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
Sincerely,
Michele [redacted]

This was a red light camera violation issued by the City of Aurora.  The original notices mailed by the camera company and the City of Aurora were mailed to the address where the vehicle was registered. We spoke to the consumer on 2-8-17 about this violation.  At that time we were told...

that this had been paid with a check but that she does not have that bank account any more.  We were also told she was at a different address and requested a letter be sent to the current address.  The letter was mailed on 2-10-17.  The original violation was  $100 and when it was not paid late fees were added.  We will request a copy of the ticket be mailed to the consumer at the updated address that we were given.  This violation will not be reported to any credit bureaus.

This consumer has six parking violation with the Village of [redacted].  The Chief of Police at [redacted] gave the consumer a settlement offer.  The consumer made the down payment on 5/23/17.  She told us at that time that she would make a payment of $111.11 for nine months, with the first...

payment on 6/7/17.  The Village of [redacted] had asked to be notified if the payment arrangements were not met, as this is the second time the vehicle had been towed.  The first time, a bankruptcy was filed and the vehicle was released.  The bankruptcy was later dismissed.  We were told on 6-22-17 by the consumer that she had no way of making any more payments and did not know when she would be able to do that.  On July 10, 2017 the [redacted] PD made a settlement offer to the consumer of $900 to close the account.  That was paid on 7/10/17.  The account has been closed.

This consumer has six red light camera violations and two parking violations listed with us by the City of Calumet City.  The City submitted her license to the Secretary of State for suspension because of having more than five camera violations.  The first time we spoke to the consumer...

about these violations was 5/2/2011.  We have spoken to her on eight different occasions concerning these tickets.  The only reason the amount has changed, is because new tickets were listed with us by our client.  We spoke to her today, and she was told the City requires half down for her license suspension to be uplifted.  She told our collector she would call back.