Consumer complaint received 2022-02-15
Company: Associated Management Services, Inc..
State: MO
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical debt
Issue: Written notification about debt
Sub-issue: Didn't receive enough information to verify debt

Complaint:
I reviewed my credit report and saw that I had been reported to XXXX XXXX XXXX on XXXX for {$50.00}. I called the debt collection company to see where the debt came from and was told that it was reported by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( my primary care physician ) third party billing company, Associated Management Services ( ASM ). I did not recall any correspondence from ASM over the past year that would have warranted me being reported to collections. I had been XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  from XXXX to XXXX for COVID relief State Emergency Duty ( SED ) and was not home to receive mail, and I never received any phone calls. 

I called ASM and spoke to a female associate who told me that I had been reported to collections for lack of payment. I asked her how my doctor could continue providing me a service if I was being reported to collections for not paying my bill and the woman said that was the doctor 's choice. When I told her I did not receive notification of the bill the XXXX XXXX they called at some point in XXXX and couldn't leave a message because my mailbox had not been setup yet. This is verifiably false since I have had the same phone/phone number since early XXXX and have voicemails dating back to XXXX. My assumption is they clearly have the wrong number. The associate then said they mailed me a bill in XXXX. Again, I was away from home in a XXXX status and was unable to be contacted by mail. This fact was not acknowledged throughout the entire conversation. Finally, the associate said that I had called them to ask about the bill on XXXX. This is also verifiably false. I pulled all my phone records back to XXXX, and the records show that the only contact with ASM was my outgoing call that took place today, XXXX. When I told the associate I never called them about this bill, she responded, " Well then why would I put it in my notes? '' Considering her notes that my " voicemail had not been setup '' when they first attempt to call me can be proven false, it's safe to say that their note taking is not a valid source for accurate information. 

I attempted to explain to the associate again that I was not notified of this bill because of my XXXX at the time ASM was trying to contact me, as well as their failure to reach me by phone, but I was more than willing to pay my balance since it was only {$50.00}. My only reservation was that I would not pay until the derogatory mark was removed from my credit first. I feel this is a more than fair request since I do have a bill but can prove I was not properly notified. The associate said, " No, that's not how this works. '' To make matters worse, earlier in the conversation the associate said I had an additional {$50.00} bill in addition to the {$50.00} that had been reported to collections. This was my first time hearing of this bill, and again, no attempt to notify me. 

I am unaware if this is due to communication issues between ASM and XXXX XXXX XXXX, but this causing my credit score to suffer due to others lack of coordination and unwillingness to correct errors. I will attach supporting documents to this complaint and I'm willing to provide any other information that is requested.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation