Consumer complaint received 2019-08-04
Company: PORTFOLIO RECOVERY ASSOCIATES INC
State: MA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Sued you without properly notifying you of lawsuit

Complaint:
In XXXX Portfolio Associates a collection agency at XXXX XXXX XXXX # XXXX, XXXX, PA XXXX, formally sued me in court for a credit card debt ( this credit card was originally issued by XXXX XXXX XXXX ) Both Portfolio Associates and XXXX XXXX XXXX failed to notify me legal action had been taken against me. It was only after a lawsuit was filed in court was I notified by the court a hearing date had been assigned, and I was required to be present in court. I did appear in court and the Attorney Portfolio Associates sent to represent them ( back in XXXX ) was extremely confused about this case and the associated debt he asked for a continuance. He was unable to obtain the documentation I was requesting. I was hoping to speak with a Judge or anyone associated with the court to plead my case and tell them what Portfolio Associates and the numerous law firms and Attorney 's assigned to this case had been doing to me. 
After I was I made aware of this law suit ( by the court ) I immediately contacted Portfolio Associates and XXXX XXXX XXXX in the hopes of reaching someone that had any information about this lawsuit and why I had been sued. Portfolio Associates told me multiple times they knew nothing about this case as my name did not appear in their system. I continued to call hoping to reach a Supervisor or Manager, but my telephone calls were placed on hold for extended periods of time only for Portfolio Associates to  eventually disconnect my calls. I called XXXX XXXX XXXX and they also told me my account was no longer in their system and they had no information with respect to what happened to my account. 
Taking a step back, Portfolio Associates filed papers with the court indicating I was served a court summons to appear in court by a Sheriff at my place of residence ; however, this is one hundred percent false. Portfolio Associates claims to have sent me additional paperwork which is also 100 % false. Despite my very best efforts, I received nothing in the way of communication from Portfolio Associates. In XXXX, I had requested to see the Sheriff 's summons and other proof of communication from Portfolio Associates regarding the legal action they took against me. They are unwilling and unable to provide proof of the court summons allegedly served by a Sheriff because this never happened and documentation from a Sheriff does exist. It is my opinion, this action never took place, and no such summons was ever created or delivered. I believe Portfolio Associates has misled the court in writing which is now permanent record. I was eventually sent a set of questions from the first of three law firms handling the case, which I responded to disputing the debt. I did this within thirty days as required. I informed Portfolio Associates ( and the court ) I completely disagreed with this debt and the amount of money Portfolio Associates claimed I owed them since XXXX XXXX XXXX   had charged off the account and Portfolio Associate somehow purchased the charged off account. After numerous requests, Portfolio Associates is not able to provide proof or substantiate the validity of this debt ( in terms of what they claim I owe after the bank took a charge off ) Further, they are unable and unwilling to provide me with detailed paperwork pertaining to the alleged individual charges they claim I made using the credit card in question issued by XXXX XXXX  XXXX. 
I do not know or understand how Portfolio Associates came to own this account as I was making timely payments to XXXX XXXX XXXX as recently as XXXX. I was sued by Portfolio Associates in XXXX. I never once heard from XXXX 's XXXX  or Portfolio Associates via mail or any other method that they had intended to sue me ; therefore, I was completely denied the opportunity to respond. The case had originally been assigned to a Massachusetts Law firm that disbanded, and was shut down making it impossible for me to track down the Attorney that had sued me on behalf of XXXX XXXX XXXX  and Portfolio Associates. Portfolio Associates claims they own the account and XXXX 's has nothing to do with it now. Since that time the account has been handed off to numerous different law firms and multiple different Attorneys forcing me to start from scratch each time a court date is set. I keep trying to unwind this mess in order to understand why I am being sued and over what. I have tried my absolute best to navigate this situation, but since the law firms and Lawyers keep changing, I can't make any head way in terms of establishing and keeping communication with anyone regarding this law suit, which is fully underway. I can't stress enough, XXXX XXXX XXXX  and Portfolio Associates never communicated with me in any form whatsoever to inform me I was being sued in open court. On top of all of this, communication with the multiple law firms and the numerous Attorney 's Portfolio Associates has handed this case off to has been impossible. Portfolio Associates and XXXX XXXX XXXX  have stone-walled me. I have been informed Portfolio Associates is seeking a Judgment against me for 100 % of the debt, and will accept nothing less.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief