Product: Debt collection

I first found out that I was in collections at the end of XX/XX/XXXX/beginning of XX/XX/XXXX when I checked my FICO credit score through XXXX, with whom I have a credit card. Without realizing that they get their credit information from XXXX, I first contacted XXXX to get my report and dispute the charge. ( This has never happened to me before. ) I found out from them that I was in collections for a {$240.00} bill from XXXX, with whom I had a utilities account from about XX/XX/XXXX until I closed the account in XX/XX/XXXX. The XXXX   representative told me the account was dated in XX/XX/XXXX ( I no longer lived at that apartment and my account had long been closed by then ) and went into collections via Transworld Systems as of XX/XX/XXXX. 

I have NOT received a bill or a phone call from either XXXX or Transworld Systems. Not one. Transworld Systems did not attempt to collect on the debt between XX/XX/XXXX and the time I contacted them in XX/XX/XXXX. Not even since I disputed with Transworld. I've received not one piece of paper in the mail even though they have my current address, even though I was promised updates by mail from Transworld. I will again stress : I did not find out that I was in collections by receiving a call from Transworld ;  I found out by checking my credit score through XXXX. XXXX had my phone number until it changed late last year and my previous address ( where I had a XXXX account ) had my updated address to which they could forward my mail. I received nothing in the years since I closed my account. Nothing. Naturally, proving a negative is difficult ; that is, I'm having a bit of trouble proving I didn't receive anything. 

Nonetheless, I provided XXXX a copy of my lease to show that I no longer lived there to dispute the charge and they successfully removed it from my credit report in mid-to-late XX/XX/XXXX. I had also contacted Transworld Systems, the collections agency, and they contacted XXXX on my behalf to request validation of the debt. According to the representative, they received a document on XX/XX/XXXX that, by her description, was illegible. ( For humor 's sake : a straight up XXXX XXXX move. ) To be clear, she laughed and said she couldn't tell what it was, let alone whether or not it was " supposed to be a validation of debt. '' She apologized and said this wasn't acceptable and would get on it right away. That was 2-2.5 weeks ago. 

Since then, I contacted both XXXX and XXXX, the latter of which verified the account with Transworld ( not with XXXX ) and won't remove it from my report ( to  my added detriment, it also won't show as in dispute ). I'm assuming XXXX will report the same later this week, the end of their 30-day time-frame. I have called Transworld just about every week and they tell me they've followed up with XXXX, but have not received anything. After almost two months of damaging my credit without proof, I'm over it. I haven't been able to get in contact with XXXX, XXXX ( having sold the debt ) has no reason to get in contact with me nor, by my understanding, would they benefit from me being right. As a young person with plenty of other ( student ) debt to worry about, I would really like my credit score not to be held hostage by a utility company. I appreciate your help in this matter. Thank you.