Consumer complaint received 2022-12-01
Company: HUNTINGTON NATIONAL BANK, THE
State: FL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: I do not know
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Threatened to sue you for very old debt

Complaint:
Received first call/Vm on XX/XX/XXXX from unidentified women stating that the voicemail qualified that I had been served notice on a unpaid debt and left a case number ( XXXX ) Returned the call and was asked if I would be home the next morning so they could serve me. I said no, as I was in NY for work. She gave me a phone number to call ( XXXX ) Called and spoke with a XXXX XXXX. XXXX said he was with a law group called https XXXX XXXX  and informed me that they were trying to collect an unpaid debt from XXXX with a lender called First Merrit Bank/Huntington Financial . He said they had been sending letters to my address and because I never responded, that meant I intended to dispute in court. I have never received any such letters and I confirmed with him that he had the correct address on the phone. The balance he was trying to secure was {$2100.00}. He said if I would settle that day as it was the last day of the month it would prevent them from filing a law suit against me, costing {$3800.00}. I told him that Ive never borrowed from that financial institution and asked for a contact number to call and talk with someone there. He said you can google for it. He did not provide me a phone number or any specifics as to what I had supposedly purchased or borrowed that amount for. I said I need to call them and call him back. I called the Huntington, formerly First Merritt and was on the phone for 28 minutes while they searched their records for my SSN going back to XXXX. They have no records of me, my SSN or any outstanding debts. 

I called XXXX XXXX back to let him know. He said, it must have slipped through the cracks and the bottom line is that they have my information and need to collect the debt immediately to prevent a law suit in court. He still would not share any specific details other than First Merrit bank. He emailed me a form for electronic signature and to make the payment with credit card. 

I did not click on any of those links. I called the social security office to let them know that my SSN had been compromised. They said to immediately put a freeze on my credit reports with all 3 major reporting bureaus and I did. The representatives at the credit reporting bureaus also did not see that I had any unpaid debts going back to XXXX and confirmed that this was a fraudulent collection effort. They also said to file a report here. 

XXXX XXXX called again today ( XX/XX/XXXX ) asking if I had made the decision to pay now or go to court. I let him know that I felt strongly he was a scammer. He then switched up his story from being with a law group, to a company that buys debt to collect. He was actually very polished and convincing. I can see how he would be able to successfully steal from people. I told him that he needs to overnight me a formal detailed hard copy of the supposed debt. He said he would priority mail something. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation