Consumer complaint received 2019-04-06
Company: Diversified Consultants, Inc.
State: MD
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt was result of identity theft

Complaint:
This is a complaint against XXXX / XXXX for repeated harassment on an identity theft scam that I've spent 1.5 years trying to resolve. XXXX has reduced my credit score by approximately 60 points on two occasions ( I resolved the matter once and then it was if they forgot about it and started collections again ). 

My identity was stolen and used to procure cable/internet service via XXXX. This occurred on or about the period of XXXX through the Fall of XXXX. The service was in XXXX, XXXX. I live in XXXX, XXXX ( 500+ miles away ). 

This one instance of fraud has been pursued twice against me by XXXX. Both times I've provided reasonable and complete information based on the documentation they asked for. The fact that XXXX 's own negligence handling the matter caused them to do this twice to me is core basis for the complaint. 

On the first occasion, in XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) debt collectors appeared on my credit report. After several phone calls with them, XXXX, and the credit bureaus, I learned the details of the fraud cable service provided to XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX. In fact, through a simple Google search, I was able to develop a profile of who the fraudster may be. Further, it was immediately evident that this profile did not match me someone living 500 miles away. XXXX did none of this investigation. However, after I sorted through the call transfers at XXXX and provided information, the account and collection was removed from my credit reports. My credit score also reverted to it's original ( pre XXXX nonsense ) range. 

Then more than 6 months later, collection efforts for the same issue started again. 

In XXXX or XXXX of XXXX, the same XXXX, XXXX occurrence then was sent to a new collection agency, Diversified Consultants, Inc. ( DC ). I had discussions with XXXX and DC in or about XXXX and early XX/XX/XXXX to explain that XXXX had already pursued me and the matter had been resolved. These representatives had no record of this and I was advised to submit information again. On or about XX/XX/XXXX I mailed letters, information, documents, and an affidavit to DC and XXXX. A complete and sufficient package of evidence to again demonstrate I am the victim. I received a letter XX/XX/XXXX from XXXX stating it received an incomplete fraud package and then listed as missing the information that Id sent. On XX/XX/XXXX, I spoke to XXXX ( XXXX ID XXXX ) to find out what was missing and explain what I sent. XXXX complained that he had no information in my file that showed what I actually sent. He asked me to send everything again. I sent everything again on XX/XX/XXXX, plus another record of my address in XXXX XXXX. 

I've conducted more than 16 phone calls with XXXX, it's collectors, and the credit bureaus. My credit reports are and have been locked for a long time, with fraud notes on them. I've got zero confidence that XXXX will resolve this matter - a clear identity theft of {$300.00} has taken more than 35 hours of my time over 18 months. My credit score remains down 60 points with this collection on my record.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation