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Review 6/9/2011
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I called this company on a Friday after receiving a final demand for payment. I've never dealt with them. I spoke with a person name Adrianna Aguilar. She told me that she was assigned this debt from another collection agency. I told her that I have every last piece of documentation with the medical services I was provided as well as the previous debt collection agency. I am a co-owner of an established business in the health insurance industry with 32 years in experience as a business owner, licensed broker and member in good standing with the business community that have had my business in. We have owned and operated our business in California for that entire time period. As such we are very judicious in our records.
Ms. Aguilar patiently listened why I explained why I was not liable for the final balance. As we hung up, she assured me that she would contact the previous collection agency and the company to do more investigative work on it.
Well, about 20 minutes later I got a final demand FAXED to me by her. This was for an incident that occurred over 6 years ago. Her correspondence was the first correspondence I have had during any time period for the last several years. Again, I keep very accurate records, as does my lawyer. I did not give her any other information. She simply did a Google Search on the business. We have a website, etc. And all the numbers are working numbers. Because we are a legitimate company.
The fax included a final demand in which roughly half of the costs were the original bill. The other half was interest.
It was late afternoon last Friday, June 3rd, 2011 that I received the fax. I spent hours trying to contact them. There was NO WAY to contact this company directly that day. NONE. The phone numbers didn't work. The fax didn't work. Nothing. It is a scam in my book. Granted I don't know what the rules are for collection agencies because I"m not licensed in that field. However, all agencies must act in good faith. When a person tries in GOOD FAITH to contact a company to further discuss a matter that was FAXED to them, it wreaks of fraud. I believe I was contacted via a cell phone number from a boiler room at someone's home. When I checked and rechecked all listings for Marigold, there is no access for me by phone, fax or email. Granted it was Friday but NO LEGITIMATE BUSINESS would turn off the fax, email or 800 numbers on a Friday afternoon. That is not acting in GOOD FAITH. I have been working out of town so I resumed the matter today 6/9/11. Today I just went and called the 877 number and got through without a problem. A woman answered the phone. I asked if her name was Adriana and she said no. She said she works in another department. When I asked the person on the other line where Marigold is located she hesitated, then said: 3649 9th Street. (the address is 3637 9th Street). She had broken English but she was very easy to understand with her beautiful accent, I might add. When I asked for her fax number, she didn't know it. Hmmm. wrong address and doesn't know fax? I hung up and shortly after, I received a call back with no number indicated on the callback. When I answered it, it was Marigold Financial. The person on the other end was the same woman I spoke to earlier. This is a cat a mouse game of the worst kind. I will contact the appropriate CA licensing agencies to pursue this matter further. Marigold is not acting in good faith. They are making themselves accessible on their terms. I don't believe that this is allowed by the State of California.
UPDATE 6-10-11. I received a fax again from the same number 951-789-8121. The fax was marked: Urgent. For Review. Please Comment. Please Reply.
It was from the same person, Adriana. When I try to fax the number, a message continues to come on: "the number has either been disconnected or longer in use."
NOTE: The Fax number that it was submitted from says Marigold Financial but it IS NOT the same fax number noted on their website. The fax number for Marigold is suddenly working again.
It's very difficult to reply to an URGENT fax when the transmitter is trying to block incoming faxes.
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