Consumer complaint received 2017-10-23
Company: Credit Protection Association, L.P.
State: IN
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt was paid

Complaint:
1. My name is XXXX XXXX XXXX. I live in XXXX, XXXX XXXX, Indiana. 

2. Credit Protection Association L.P. is a bona fide fdcpa-defined debt collector. In this instance, they were collecting charges for XXXX XXXX XXXX for personal, home internet service. I will call this debt collector " CPA '' in this complaint. 

3. In the fall of XXXX I signed up with XXXX XXXX ( now known as XXXX for broadband internet service for my residence located at XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, Indiana XXXX. 

4. I used this internet service for primarily, if not exclusively, for personal, family and household purposes. 

5. At some point in late XXXX or early XXXX, I fell into arrears on his account payments with XXXX. 

6. After I fell into arrears on my account payments with XXXX XXXX  deactivated my home internet service and forwarded my account to CPA for collection.

7. CPA sent me several dunning letters through the United States mail in an attempt to collect on the subject debt. 

RECORD OF COMMUNICATIONS FROM CPA TO XXXX and BY XXXX TO XXXX and to CPA ( Prior to XXXX XXXX ) : Initial dunning letter from CPA. Responded to in writing and to automated dispute line XXXX XXXX : Second dunning letter from CPA. 

XXXX XXXX : Third XXXX letter from CPA- This letter irritated me because I HAD DISPUTED the debt in writing and by telephone. I perceived this as a violation of the FDCPA Section 1692g ( b ). 

XXXX XXXX : Fourth dunning letter from CPA. This letter, too, irritated me because I HAD DISPUTED the debt in writing and by telephone. I perceived this as a separate violation of the FDCPA Section 1692g ( b ). 

XXXX XXXX : XXXXXXXX XXXX receipt from XXXX showing account was PAID IN FULL. The CSR at XXXX agreed that if I were to restore service that XXXX would drop the amount owed by the disputed {$20.00}, from {$150.00} to {$130.00}. I paid a total of {$230.00}, which covered the ENTIRE outstanding balance and then the amount required to restore service. 

XXXX XXXX : Invoice from XXXX. Despite their agreement, XXXX is now dunning me for the {$20.00} disputed installation fee that was forgiven as a part of restoring service. This record does unequivocally show that my only debt to XXXX is for CURRENT charges and no overdue charges. 

XXXX XXXX : Fifth dunning letter from CPA. This is the letter that stated CPA had ( wrongfully ) reported me to the " CREDIT BUREAUS ''. 

XXXX XXXX : Invoice from XXXX. This invoice shows that XXXX finally agreed to waive the disputed {$20.00} installation fee. This invoice shows that I am current on my account with nothing " overdue ''. 

XXXX XXXX : Sixth dunning letter from CPA, once again attempting to collect a non-existent debt, without ever having stopped collecting to validate the debt. 

XXXX XXXX : My detailed letter to CPA telling them how they have " XXXX up royal ''. 

XXXX XXXX : Seventh dunning letter from CPA, STILL attempting to collect a non-existent debt. I consider this letter and the one from XXXX XXXX to constitute Mail Fraud as defined in federal law. CPA has used the mails to transmit literally false statements in an effort to obtain money. They are using extortion tactics to try and make me pay this debt TWICE as a condition to having my consumer report files updated as " account paid '' ( 7th letter 's language ) or " paid as satisfied '' ( 6th letter 's language ). 

8. Within 30 days after receiving CPAs initial written communication, I disputed, with a written explanation, the first {$20.00} of the debt in writing and demanded verification thereof.

9. I also called the telephone number provided by CPA in order to create and electronic record of the disputed {$20.00}. 

10. CPA did not provide verification of the disputed portion of the debt but rather sent more dunning letters. 

11. On XXXX XXXX, XXXX, CPA sent me a letter stating, in pertinent part, that [ My ] account would be reported to the credit bureaus in approximately 30 days. 

12. On XXXX XXXX, XXXX I paid to XXXX at its local office the entire amount claimed by CPA to be due. 

13. On XXXX XXXX, XXXX CPA sent me a letter titled NOTICE OF REPORT TO CREDIT BUREAUS, stating within that my account had been turned over to the credit bureaus and that adverse credit information will remain in my records for several years. 

14. On XXXX XXXX, XXXX I sent CPA a letter stating, in part, that I had timely disputed the first {$20.00} of the debt, in writing and by telephone call to CPAs automated line, and that I had paid the debt in full within the timeframe specified to avoid having the debt reported to the credit bureaus. 

15. On XXXX XXXX, XXXX CPA sent me a letter stating, in part, that CPA had closed its collection file on my case and that the matter had been updated at the credit bureaus as account reported in error, please delete from credit file. ( bold in original ). 

16. CPAs debt-collection misconduct constitute the type of violations that I suspect are involved with many other consumers. The idea that a company of this size has adopted and implemented reasonable procedures to avoid these types of clear FDCPA violations is ridiculous.

MY CONTENTIONS : I CONTEND THAT CPA committed AT LEAST the following violations of the FDCPA : I disputed the ( first {$20.00} of the ) debt and demanded verification : CPA persisted in dunning me without providing validation.

At a point when my account was PAID IN FULL, CPA made literally false and defamatory statements to one or more credit reporting agencies about me. 

Although the dunning letters state that CPA has attempted to contact me several times " by phone '', I do not have any record whatever on the only telephone and telephone number that I have. I believe that this too shows that CPA has, again, made literally false statements in writing in an effort to obtain money from me under extortionistic and false pretenses. 

As an aside, which I consider utterly irrelevant to the CFPB 's mission or jurisdiction to investigate this Complaint, I make your Bureau aware that I did file a suit against CPA, but I have DISMISSED this suit against CPA and am not presently pursuing any legal action against them.

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