Consumer complaint received 2021-11-03
Company: Adelante, Inc
State: TX
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical debt
Issue: Written notification about debt
Sub-issue: Didn't receive enough information to verify debt

Complaint:
I went to XXXX  XXXX in XXXX. The bills they sent were to an invalid address. I hadn't received any statements due to the address used. Since COVID began in XXXX, I have not had a reason to visit the clinic and was unaware of any outstanding amounts due. I was receiving phone calls to my work mobile phone and generally can not answer an unknown number. In applied to refinance my mortgage loan iXX/XX/XXXX XXXX, XXXX and was advised by the lender of the collection accounts. This was the first I was made aware of the outstanding amounts due. 

I contacted XXXX  XXXX asked to pay the amounts in full. They advised the accounts were with a collection agency and that I needed to contact the agency. I called the agency and requested the bills to be emailed to me since I had not received them by mail. Upon receipt of the emails, I identified the address was invalid. I had not received any notifications of the bills or the, now, past due amounts. I made arrangements to pays the balances. Both of the accounts are now paid in full. I mailed several letters to both Account Services and XXXX  XXXX explaining the situation. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I mailed a letter to Account Services requesting a courtesy removal of the past due bills from my credit report. At that time, I paid one of the bills on XXXX XXXX 's website, {$420.00} for the statement dated XX/XX/XXXX. I advised I would be paying the other bill once I had the additional {$500.00}. I advised that due the pandemic, my financial situation in current economy required me to finance my home for financial relief. I was unable to do so since the accounts had negatively impacted my credit score. I provided my email address and my correct mailing address for a response. I didn't provide my phone number as the only phone I have is a business phone and I can not receive any calls from a debt collector on my business phone. I did not receive a response. 

I sent a second letter on XX/XX/XXXX. I repeated my request for a courtesy removal of the collection accounts. I explained in this letter that I had researched how to gather data on the accounts and requested in goodwill, a permanent courtesy removal of the collection accounts. I asked for an itemization of the charges, a copy of my signature authorizing release of my medical info to the collection agency, and to cease any credit bureau reporting. I did receive a response with an itemized copy of the charges, no other documents were provided to me. 

I mailed a third letter on XX/XX/XXXX. This letter advised that I was able to reconcile the bill with my insurance company. I also stressed my financial need to make significant financial changes and this collection accounts were prohibiting me from doing so. I again asked for a courtesy removal of the accounts and expressed my intent to pay the last I owed on the second bill. My request for the courtesy removal had gone unaddressed. I asked for a response vial mail, and have yet to receive acknowledgment of my requests or any response at all. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I wrote directly to XXXX  XXXX 's billing address. Restating my needs above. I requested email or mail correspondence. I have not received a response. 

Today, I submitted a dispute on XXXX 'XXXX website as Other. I indicated in the dispute that the account information was mailed to an invalid address. Although they are able to show a bill was mailed to an invalid address, they are unable to show that I received the bill. I have no control over what the postal service does with mail sent to an invalid address, I can not handle personal collection accounts on my business phone, neither of the companies will respond to my request for a courtesy removal or address my concern that an invalid address was used. As soon as I was aware of the balances due, I made arrangements to pay one in full, and made the arrangements to pay the second bill in full, which I have. Had I received the original statements for amounts due in XXXX, I would have paid both bills in full and/or made arrangements to pay in full. 

I can't stress enough that the bills were not mailed to an old address or an address I no longer use. The address used was not a valid address.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation