Consumer complaint received 2018-09-25
Company: Collection Consultants of California
State: CA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical debt
Issue: Written notification about debt
Sub-issue: Didn't receive enough information to verify debt

Complaint:
Today I had a family member call Collection Consultants regarding some collections that were on my credit report. I was on the line and my family member informed them that I was on the line but they never actually asked to talk to me so I just listened in. The call was because back on XX/XX/XXXX I also had a family member call and try and pay the accounts for me since I am scared to speak to a collector. I knew I may have owed a XXXX bill or two so I decided to simply pay them and be done with it. The amount on my credit report was {$800.00} for 3 accounts. 

When we called on XX/XX/XXXX, the collector was actually very nice. They said if I paid them what I owed them they would actually remove the accounts from the credit report. I thought it was a sweet deal. And since I was going to pay them anyways, I decided to go for it. When I tried to pay them however, they told me they had over 20 accounts on the credit report and I owed {$2500.00}. That was definitely not what I was expecting to hear. They also told me that the three accounts that were on the credit report had different balances as well. They said the account which showed {$280.00} was actually now {$430.00}. The account for {$200.00} was actually {$310.00} and the account for {$310.00} was now {$490.00}. 

We were concerned as to why the credit report was only showing 3 accounts for only {$800.00} dollars yet they were attempting to collect {$2500.00}. After their explanations which didn't make much sense to me I really began to feel like I was being swindled so my family member asked for all the paperwork  they had on these accounts. We wanted to make sure these were actually my accounts and not someone else named XXXX XXXX. The representative who I spoke with said she would order them and send them by mail. 

Today, 1 month and 12 days later, I have not received anything so we call again. We spoke to a man named XXXX and asked why no documentation had been received. XXXX said there were no notes of any kind that anyone had ever spoken with his company asking for documentation. When we heard that we were shocked. We definitely called on the XXXX and spoke with someone. We didn't just make up numbers for accounts and balances out of nowhere. XXXX responded to that saying he was looking up a master account and not any individual accounts. We responded back by saying here are the three accounts we originally called on so you can check those and see if there are any notes. XXXX still said he didn't see anything. This just made my day worse. 

XXXX said he would request those documents for me now but I was no longer interested in waiting who knows how much longer for this paperwork. It is my understanding that collectors can't collect anything they can't prove. It is also my understanding that collectors only had 30 days to provide validation of debt or else its not valid. Because I requested the notices on XX/XX/XXXX, and because now on XX/XX/XXXX not only have I not received the notices but the collector hasn't even requested them, they can not collect on this debt anymore. I'm not going to give them more time to do something they were supposed to do already. Also, how can I trust they will actually do it this time if they didn't do it the first time I asked? XXXX was told the same thing today and he just responded with the same I'll request it today speech. 

To summarize what this complaint is about I will state this from my point of view. 

Collection consultants is only reporting 3 accounts on the credit report for {$800.00} Collection consultants is attempting to collect on 25 accounts. 
Collection consultants is attempting to collect over {$2500.00} Collection consultants is telling me to delete these 3 accounts from my credit report for {$800.00}, I have to pay 25 totalling over {$2500.00}.

Collection consultants isn't even reporting a proper balance on the three accounts which are on the credit report. That is a violation of the FCRA for not reporting accurately. 
Collection consultants has been asked to provide proof of the 25 accounts.

Collection consultants has failed to provide proof of ANY accounts after 42 days even though they are only allowed 30 by the FDCPA. 
Collection consultants by their own admission haven't even requested proof of debt after all this time. 
Collection consultants can't even keep their records straight by noting conversations which took place. 
How can I trust they are legitimate?

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation