Consumer complaint received 2020-04-13
Company: Aldridge PIte Haan, LLP
State: GA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt was result of identity theft

Complaint:
I XXXX XXXX, received a letter from XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX advising that they XXXX XXXX XXXX had purchased a debt from XXXX and that I should contact them. I immediately went to the XXXX County Court and filed a response through the Clerk of Superior Court. My response to XXXX XXXX XXXX informed them that I had never done business with XXXX and I did not have any debt with such company. After filing a response through the XXXX County Superior Court I never heard anything from XXXX XXXX XXXX again until this year XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, after reviewing my earnings statement from my employer I noticed a garnishment. I briefly called my employer to inquire about the garnishment because it had to be a mistake. I was informed by HR payroll employee XXXX XXXX that a garnishment notice had been received and that I should have received documents from that company. I advised her that I had not received any documents and she forwarded over all of the documents she had received via email to me. Over the next few days I went to the XXXX County Court and requested all documentation for the order from them. I also contacted the XXXX County Clerk of State Court to get copies of the garnishment notice and see how to file a response and request a hearing. I was told I would need to file a response in writing and to contact the attorney office Aldrige Pite Haan that was representing XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

I contacted Aldridge Pite Haan and advised them that this was a fraud case and I would like to file fraud against this company XXXX XXXX XXXX. I spoke with an employee by the name of XXXX XXXX at this time and he advised me that they would send me an identity theft victims complaint and affidavit form to complete and return to their company. On XX/XX/XXXX I filed a response in writing with the XXXX County Clerk of State Court. I filed a claim exemption from garnishment as this garnishment is causing a financial hardship for me, I wrote a letter advising Aldridge Pite Haan that this order they are enforcing was against a fraud account, I submitted the Identity theft victims complaint affidavit without a police report as the XXXX Public Safety would not allow me to file a police report. They stated this  case was too old to file a police report for fraud against. I filed all of this documentation with the XXXX County Clerk of State Court as  well as I sent all of this documentation certified and with signature required to Aldridge Pite Haan office address. It was received on XX/XX/XXXX at the office of Aldridge Pite Haan. 

I then called Aldridge Pite Haan office on XX/XX/XXXX and spoke with employee XXXX XXXX who advised me that the paperwork was received on XX/XX/XXXX, but not scanned into their system until XX/XX/XXXX and an investigation was in progress. XXXX XXXX advised me that I would need to wait until the investigation was over and I would receive correspondence from their office. XXXX XXXX would not give me a timeframe for the investigation as he said he was not sure of the time length, but to just be on the lookout for paperwork via mail to my address. XXXX XXXX also told me after I asked what would be my next step after I had filed a response to the garnishment that I would need to wait on the XXXX County Court. He verified my address and phone number again to make sure his office had the correct information in their system before we hung up the phone. I then contacted XXXX County Clerk of State Court and spoke with XXXX whom I told that Aldridge Pite Haan was giving me the run around and that I would like to know my next step since I had made a response. XXXX advised me that she would contact the Judge and give me a call back. After a few days I received a phone call from XXXX County Clerk of State Court employee XXXX whom advised me that she had spoken to the judge and he would be setting me a court date and she would contact me back after the date was set. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I contacted Aldridge Pite Haan and spoke with employee XXXX XXXX and he advised me that XXXX XXXX was handling my case and I would need to wait for XXXX XXXX to contact me. 

After not hearing from XXXX XXXX and waiting several days on XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXX XXXX  I called Aldridge Pite Haan and spoke with employee XXXX XXXX who then transferred me to ext XXXX after he reviewed the aph file number I gave him. He stated he was transferring me to that ext because that employee was aware of my case and could give me more information. The ext XXXX I was transferred to belonged to employee XXXX XXXX. I left a message including my name and callback number on the voicemail of ext XXXX and requested to be contacted. 

On XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXX XXXX  after leaving a message and not getting an answer I called Aldridge Pite Haan back and spoke with employee XXXX XXXX after I gave her the XXXX file number she then transferred me to XXXX XXXX @ XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX answered I verified the aph file number again and he states that he would once again transfer me to XXXX XXXX ext XXXX. I again left a voicemail @ XXXX XXXX  for XXXX XXXX to give me a call back. I again included my name and phone number. 

At XXXX XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX I called back to Aldridge Pite Haan after not receiving a call back and spoke with XXXX XXXX. I verified the XXXX file number and advised him that I had called a few times that day and left voicemail messages for XXXX XXXX since everyone kept transferring me to him and I didnt understand why nobody could help me since they were verifying the XXXX file number. I asked to speak with XXXX XXXX and at that time XXXX XXXX told me that XXXX XXXX no longer worked for their company. I then asked about the investigation for the identity theft victims complaint and affidavit form that I had returned to his company and verified by XXXX XXXX that it was received at their office. I asked how much longer the investigation would take and was informed by XXXX XXXX that the order was validated on XX/XX/XXXX and there would be no investigation. XXXX XXXX explained to me that he would send XXXX XXXX an email since I was requesting for him to give me a callback and also that I should have received a validation packet on XX/XX/XXXX. I explained to XXXX XXXX that I never received any packet from his firm and any and all paperwork I had in my possession I had requested and gotten directly from my employer, XXXX County Court and XXXX   County Court. We then hung up the phone. 

At XXXX XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX I called back to Aldridge Pite Haan and spoke with XXXX XXXX again at this time after verifying the aph file number XXXX XXXX told me that there was nothing more he could tell me and that I knew more about the case then he did. He then went on to tell me since I had not received a validation packet on XX/XX/XXXX he would send an email to his compliance department and also that XXXX XXXX would not be contacting me because he had nothing more to tell me about this case and to wait on my court date since I had spoken to the judge. XXXX XXXX then hung up the phone. 

I was advised every time I called Aldridge Pite Haan that my phone call was being recorded and any information collected during that call could be used against me. I have never received any correspondence from XXXX or had any debt from XXXX show up on my credit report. I have never received a validation packet from Aldridge Pite Haan I was never served for a court hearing as stated in the court documents. The court documents I received from XXXX County Court states I was served at an address on XX/XX/XXXX and I have proof from the apartment complex in which the service was addressed to I did not live at during that time. I am including all paperwork that I have filed with XXXX County Clerk of State Court. 

I am asking that this judgement be set aside ( void or nullify ). I am asking for the garnishment also to be stopped set aside ( void or nullify ) as I do not owe any monies to XXXX XXXX XXXX or Aldridge Pite Haan the company representing XXXX XXXX XXXX. I did not in the past owe any money to XXXX. I would like all monies collected during this garnishment to be returned to me in full.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation