Consumer complaint received 2018-09-09
Company: PORTFOLIO RECOVERY ASSOCIATES INC
State: OR
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Threatened or suggested your credit would be damaged

Complaint:
Portfolio Recovery Associates ( PRA ) is engaging in several illegal activities on my credit reports in violation of the FCRA, FDCPA and the FTC laws. 
I have complaints about Portfolio Recovery Associates ( PRA ), involving three different alleged credit accounts where they are performing illegal activities in violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), Fair Debt Collections Practices Act ( FDCPA ) and varius Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ) laws. 

Accounts involved : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX/XXXX/XXXX   XXXX XXXX/XXXX  and XXXX/XXXX   XXXX/XXXX XXXXXXXX PRA is making false, deceptive, or misleading representation or means in connection with the collection of this alleged debt. This is both in violation of the Fair Credit reporting act ( FCRA ) and the Fair Debt collections practices act ( FDCPA ) and the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ). 


Complaint 1 : I have asked several times for PRA to validate this alleged debt and each time they have only responded with a copy of an old bill they generated. A copy of a bill does not validate debt. Under the FDCPA, it is not enough for the collection agency to simply send a printout of the amount owed. I have asked Portfolio to provide proof the debt is even mine by providing an original agreement from the original creditor - they have failed to do so. 



Complaint 2 : PRA purports themselves as a debt buyer. PRA says they purchase delinquent debt from creditors to whom such debt is owed and seeks to collect such debt from consumers who owe such debt. In fact, PRA is reporting themselves as a FACTORING COMPANY with certain credit reporting agencies, and violation various sections of the FCRA and FDCPA 15 USC 1692e ( 2 ) ( A ) by misrepresenting the amount of the debt and by incorrectly characterizing the account as belonging to a " factoring company ''. 

15 USC 1692e ( 8 ) by communicating credit information which is known or which should be known to be false by reporting the account as a " factoring company '' account and by reporting the account status as " open '' 15 USC 1692e ( 10 ) by using false representation or deceptive means to collect or attempt to collect any debt by reporting the account as a " factoring company '' account 15 USC 1692e ( 12 ) by alleging that the account was a " factoring company '' account resulting in the false representation or implication that accounts have been turned over to innocent purchasers for value. 

15 USC 1692f by using unfair or unconscionable means to collect or attempt to collect any debt by reporting the account as a " factoring company '' account to deceive current and potential creditors and to negatively impact Plaintiff 's credit scores. 



Complaint 3 : PRA has " parked '' or " re-aged '' the alleged debt on my credit reports which effectively shows the accounts as open and current debt when in fact, by PRA 's own admission, the accounts were CLOSED BY THE ORIGINAL CREDITOR over 4 years ago, yet PRA is reporting the accounts open when in fact they are not. These alleged debts are outside the statute of limitations for collection and PRA is illegally reporting them as current -- which is illegal per the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ).

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation