Consumer complaint received 2018-03-14
Company: Financial Credit Network Inc
State: CA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical debt
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Attempted to collect wrong amount

Complaint:
This complaint is against Financial Credit Network. I  believe what they are doing is wrong and similar to a bait and switch scheme. I say this because I have looked at my credit report and contacted anybody I owed money to. I have paid every single company that was on my report except for Financial Credit Network. The reason for that is because when I called Financial Credit Network they told me something completely different than what I was looking at trough my credit  report. 

I originally disputed the account because I had no idea who XXXX XXXX XXXX were. The credit bureaus stated the account came back as me owing the debt. When I called Financial Credit Network early in XXXX of XXXX I spoke to a representative who was in charge of my case. I was already upset because I had no idea who XXXX XXXX  XXXX were but I still called Financial Credit Network. When they finally told me who XXXX XXXX XXXX were, I was even more upset because what the doctors in an emergency room were charging me was outrageous especially when a doctor didn't even see me. That's besides the point however. What I became really upset about is that when I called Financial Credit Network I was told the balance I saw on the credit report was not the balance they were trying to collect. 

I asked the representative what she meant by her statement of different balances and she explained there was interest on the account. Although I am aware that accounts can accrue interest, I was surprised because every other collector that was reporting on my credit report had the balances correct on the report as to what was really owed. They might have been off by a dollar or two but they were roughly accurate. When I called Financial Credit Network, the balance I was looking at was {$420.00}, but Financial Credit Network claimed I owed about {$600.00}! I asked why they were trying to collect {$600.00} when the report said {$420.00}? Somewhere in the conversation I was told that they didn't have to report interest. I'm no lawyer but I'm pretty sure that's a lie. Because I've taken the time to do my own disputes I have taken the time to learn a thing or two about the Fair Credit Reporting Act. From my understanding, every entity that submits information to the credit bureaus must maintain complete accuracy of the information they are providing. In this case, Financial Credit Network was misreporting information to the credit bureaus and they were doing it on purpose! Not only that, but when I submitted my dispute to the credit bureau, and the credit bureau contacted Financial Credit Network to ask if the information was valid, Financial Credit Network lied! To tell the credit Bureau that a {$420.00}? collection to XXXX XXXX was accurate when it was really {$600.00} defeats the entire purpose of credit reporting. And in my opinion its a total bait and switch tactic. 

And so that you can see I'm not just a bad guy trying to get away with something, I actually offered to pay the original amount in exchange for removal of the account since they were reporting it wrong for all this time. They refused and they gave me the " we have to report accurately '' speech. I know, ironic isn't it ... 

I just want you to see what Financial Credit Network is  doing and possibly do something about it. I'm not opposed to paying the {$420.00} to get it removed from the credit report even though I think its highway robbery since no doctor ever saw me, but I shouldn't even have to do that. Financial Credit Network has already admitted they are breaking the law. Please help me with this as I shouldn't be stopped from being able to be debt free by a shady collection agency who is pulling an obvious bait and switch scheme. And to prove it to you, I will submit a copy of today 's report which will show that even today they still have not switched the balance to the correct one on the credit report even though I disputed it and called them on it as well and its been over a month.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation