Consumer complaint received 2023-07-23
Company: Aldous & Associates, PLLC
State: GA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Threatened or suggested your credit would be damaged

Complaint:
Before I begin my complaint, please let me give a disclaimer that I this is my first collection, and I have never received anything like this. I am a first generation XXXX and do not have much financial literacy. Please excuse some terms if used incorrectly. In the end, I also submitted a TL ; DR ( Too Long Didn't Read. ) On XX/XX/XXXX, Aldous & Associates sent a letter, labeled " XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, '' for debt collection to my XXXX home address. I was in XXXX at this time, so my parents took a photo and scanned the letter to me. I responded via my father with a letter labeled " XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX '' on XX/XX/XXXX and asked them information provided on the following link : http : //www.cfpb.gov/debt-collection, which is what Aldous & Associates provided me. My first disputed letter was sampled from https : //www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-should-i-do-when-a-debt-collector-contacts-me-en-1695/. Also, attached is a sample letter from this website file labeled : XXXX. 

They responded with " XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX '' on XX/XX/XXXX, although I didn't receive it until XX/XX/XXXX. They provided me with information about the agreement with the original creditor, XXXX XXXX, but failed to provide all the requested detail, such as itemized details of the debt and their authority to collect this debt in my state. The second letter labeled " XXXX XXXX  XXXX '' is what I had my father send to them. The date is incorrect on the document, and that is my fault on that. It was actually created on XX/XX/XXXX They responded with " XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX '' on XX/XX/XXXX, although I didn't receive it until XX/XX/XXXX They said that my dispute information was not valid, and all pertinent documentation was already provided. Of course, that was not the case. The third letter, I told my dad to send is copied from our email on XX/XX/XXXX : " Dear Aldous & Associates, Per my last letter, you have not provided all the valid information for the debt collection. The letter that was sent to you was in the format from http : //www.cfob.gov/debt-collection As previously mentioned, I will not pay any amount other than the previous settlement offer. You may keep sending letters but this will be my final letter until you provide all the following information as stated in my previous letter. 

Thank you, XXXX XXXX XXXX. This letter is not an intent to default. '' I wrote the website incorrectly, and again, I apologize for this error. 

They have been calling me non-stop even in hours that they were not supposed to lawfully. If requested, I can contact my phone service provider as well to find the exact times. 

I haven't received a letter since the third one, and on XX/XX/XXXX, they updated my collection status to XXXX. I didn't know this, but they reported my collection since XX/XX/XXXX, which is before they even sent the first letter.

TL ; DR : On XX/XX/XXXX, Aldous & Associates sent a debt collection letter to my Georgia address, but I was in XXXX at the time. My parents scanned and forwarded the letter to me. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I responded with a disputed letter, asking for more information and referring to resources from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ). 
They responded on XX/XX/XXXX ( I received it on XX/XX/XXXX ), providing some information about the debt but not everything I requested. I sent a second disputed letter on XX/XX/XXXX, correcting the date. 
Their third response on XX/XX/XXXX ( I received it on XX/XX/XXXX ) claimed my dispute was invalid, but I disagreed and sent another letter on the same day, stating I won't pay until they provide the requested information. 
Despite my response, they continued calling me outside lawful hours. I can verify call times with my phone service provider. 
I haven't received any letters from them since the third one, but on XX/XX/XXXX, they updated the debt collection status to XXXX, although the report has been opened before they tried to collect from me. 

Thank you for reading, XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation