DALLAS ACE Cash Express, an Irving-based company that makes payday loans and cash advances, faces at least 20 lawsuits in state court over its debt collection practices, and 96 similar complaints with the Texas Attorney General's office.
It's something that haunts me when I sleep at night, said Barbara Simpson, a soft-spoken middle school teacher. I'm worried about all the threats they made to me. Can they fulfill those threats?
Simpson took out a high-interest payday loan from ACE Cash Express several months ago. I took out this loan to keep my home out of foreclosure, she explained.
But when her payment was 30 days late, Simpson said ACE began making intimidating calls to her classroom.
In one recording reviewed by News 8, an ACE employee named Ms. Valentine said the following to Simpson while she was in class:
Let me know when you're ready for the information, and I still need Principal Neely, and we're going to speak to the school district also. I mean you're not going to get away with this, Ms. Simpson.
In another recording, an ACE employee said he could garnish Simpson's wages to collect what's owed.
But that is against the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, a federal law. Sharing a client's personal problems with his or her supervisors is, too.
According to the federal law, creditors cannot disclose the reason they're contacting employers; they can only ask them for a client's address and phone number, which, in Ms. Simpson's case, ACE already had in its loan agreement wit her.
Simpson has sued ACE Cash Express, accusing the company of harassment.
We're in a bad economic situation these days, said Dean Malone, Simpson's attorney. Just because they can't pay a loan doesn't mean they should be subjected to illegal harassment.
Malone represents clients in more than 20 lawsuits against ACE.
The company wouldn't discuss the lawsuits or disclose whether any employees had been disciplined because of the allegations.
ACE strives to deliver retail financial services with the highest regard for fair and ethical relationships with all of our customers and in compliance with all applicable laws, said ACE Senior Vice President Eric Norrington in a statement to News 8. We take seriously all customer complaints and we are committed to working with our customers to resolve disputes in a fair and equitable manner.
Despite receiving 96 complaints over two years, the Texas Attorney General's office said it is monitoring the business and has not filed suit against it.
Simpson said she still owes several hundred dollars to ACE and does plan to pay it back.
E-mail jwhitely@wfaa.com
