Consumer complaint received 2023-04-17
Company: PORTFOLIO RECOVERY ASSOCIATES INC
State: AR
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report
Sub-issue: Reporting company used your report improperly

Complaint:
I made previous complaints to XXXX XXXX XXXX to cease and desist all attempts and communications of reporting to the CRA ' s about an alleged debt. They never provided my wet signature proving I have done business with them. I'm demanding they send me the forward flow agreement. I don't have an attorney representing me either yet. I demand a real correspondence and not a stall tactic with your last few response back saying you will continue to honor your attorneys notice of representation regarding the XXXX account ending in XXXX. If you were honor my request you would've cease and desist reporting to XXXX, XXXX, XXXX. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau already ORDERED Portfolio Recovery Associates to Pay More Than {$24.00} XXXX for Continued Illegal Debt Collection Practices and Consumer Reporting Violations. 
After getting caught red-handed in XXXX, Portfolio Recovery Associates continued violating the law through intimidation, deception, and illegal debt collection tactics and lawsuits, said CFPB XXXX XXXX XXXX . CFPB orders are not suggestions, and companies can not ignore them simply because they are large or dominant in the market. 

Portfolio Recovery Associates is a wholly-owned subsidiary of publicly traded PRA Group XXXX XXXX : XXXX ), and is one of the largest debt collectors in the United States . The companys principal headquarters is in XXXX, Virginia. PRA Group reported net income of over {$180.00} XXXX in XXXX. 

In XX/XX/XXXX, the CFPB ordered Portfolio Recovery Associates to pay more than {$27.00} XXXX in consumer refunds and penalties for deceptive debt collection tactics. In that case, the CFPB found that Portfolio Recovery Associates collected on unsubstantiated debt, filed misleading affidavits in debt-collection actions, misrepresented that it intended to prove debts if consumers contested them, and misrepresented that the company had legally enforceable claims to debts outside of the applicable statutes of limitations. Enforcement Action Under th
e CFPA, the CFPB has the authority to take action against institutions violating consumer financial laws, including engaging in unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices. The CFPB alleges that Portfolio Recovery Associates violated the XXXX order, the CFPAs prohibition on deceptive conduct, the FDCPA, FCRA, and Regulation V. 

If entered by the court, the order would require Portfolio Recovery Associates to : Provide redress to consumers : Portfolio Recovery Associates would pay at least {$12.00} XXXX to consumers harmed by its illegal collection practices. 
Clean up its faulty operations : The order prohibits Portfolio Recovery Associates from collecting debts unless it has access to certain documents that meet its obligation to have a reasonable basis to believe it is collecting debts that consumers actually owe. 
Fix its failures to properly respond to consumers : The order requires Portfolio Recovery Associates to improve their response when consumers report that they do not owe a debt because of fraud or identity theft. And it ensures that Portfolio Recovery Associates adequately responds to consumer disputes in a timely manner about information Portfolio Recovery Associates has furnished to consumer reporting agencies. 
Pay {$12.00} XXXX in penalties : Portfolio Recovery Associates would pay a {$12.00} XXXX penalty to the CFPB, which would be deposited into the CFPBs victims relief fund.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation