Consumer complaint received 2021-07-04
Company: TRANSUNION INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS, INC.
State: FL
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem
Sub-issue: Their investigation did not fix an error on your report

Complaint:
At the end of XXXX around the XXXX or XXXX, I began receiving telephone calls from a collection company called XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. I initially thought this was a scam since I knew I did not owe anyone any money. I also knew that this was not legitimate because the messages were left for a XXXXX XXXXX. I have not been known by XXXXX XXXXXT since XXXX. 

The company persisted and continued to call my telephone number. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called the company to ask them what this was about. The male collector proceeded to tell me that I owed money in the amount of {$940.00} from XXXX. I advised them that this was a mistake and that I do not owe XXXX any money. He proceeded to tell me that this was from several years ago. I told him that all of my debts had been paid and that any collection paid long ago should not be on my credit report. This is when he advised me that XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  proceeded to put this erroneous debt on my credit report without first contacting me to verify. I argued with him the statute of limitation, but he felt he knew more than I did and stated that he was within his statute of limitations ( this was not correct ). I then advised him that I would review my records and contact him back shortly. 

In the past, I was not a good steward of my finances and after filing Bankruptcy in XXXX, I ended up in the same position again several years later. Many of these new creditors went unpaid for many months until I was able to refinance my house, pull cash out in XXXX, and pay off the creditors. One of these creditors that was settled in XXXX was XXXX by way of XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. Because the financial institution who lent me the money in XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX required proof that the collections had been paid, I had to obtain several documents from multiple collection agencies and creditors to provide to XXXX. XXXX was in this batch of documentation. Because I have been scanning all my documentation into my computer to eliminate paper, all of these documents remain in my computer files. 

After quickly locating proof that this debt was paid in XXXX, I proceeded to contact XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  to advise them of the discrepancy. I spoke to a different male collector, and he then gave me an email address where to send the proof. He advised that once it was received, they would send a message to Transunion to remove the erroneous debt. The proof was emailed on XX/XX/XXXX. 

On or around XX/XX/XXXX, I reached out to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  to ensure the email was received and that the erroneous collection was being removed from my credit report. I spoke to the same male collector again and he advised that they received the documentation and that his manager sent a request to Transunion to have the erroneous debt removed. He also proceeded to advise that he will send it again just in case they did not receive it. Because of the lack of confidence I had in this company, I went to the Transunion website and filed a dispute for the XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX  tradeline on XX/XX/XXXX. I retrieved my credit report and saw the date that was listed as first opened, which was XX/XX/XXXX. I am sure this date was used to confuse Transunion into believing this was a more recent debt that it truly was. But it was obvious Transunion did not verify this information first. 

After emailing this proof and advising XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  to cease and desist telephone calls, I continued to receive multiple telephone calls from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  on XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, and XX/XX/XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I checked on the dispute from Transunion and noticed it was not removed, but only updated to settled with a removal date in XXXX. At this point, I was terribly upset and disappointed in the lack of ethics and integrity from Transunion and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. Since both companies were not acting in good faith of the consumer, all confidence in Transunions systems and processes was lost. 

I contacted Transunion via their customer service telephone number on XX/XX/XXXX. I was able to speak with one of their Customer Service Representatives and I began to explain the situation and that the erroneous debt should have been removed per my dispute and documented proof. The Customer Service Rep advised that they could not remove it, that XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX would need to remove it. I advised her that XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  sent in electronic correspondence that the debt should be removed, and they needed to check their records. The Transunion representative advised that they do not have any record of this information from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  and that I needed to contact them back. She also stated that she would put in another dispute request. 
At this point, being frustrated was an understatement. I contacted XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  again on XX/XX/XXXX to advise them of the conversation with Transunion. The male collector ( same person I initially spoke to ) proceeded to tell me that an electronic message was sent to Transunion to have the debt removed and that he would send the transmission again. He then stated if they do not update it in 10 days, to call XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  back and they would call Transunion to have it updated. 

At this point, I decided to submit another dispute to Transunion. Their electronic message advised me that I already disputed this transaction and that I could not dispute it again. Unsure of how Transunion processes and procedures work, I decided to do it the old fashion way and send a letter to Transunion disputing the tradeline. In the letter, I included important statute of limitation dates, a credit report from XXXX, and proof of settlement in XXXX to show the statute of limitations was well past. This letter was certified mailed on XX/XX/XXXX to XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX, CFPB, and Transunion. 

I received additional calls from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  on XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. Then I received a correspondence from Transunion on XX/XX/XXXX showing the disputed tradeline was not removed but only updated, which prompted me to seek legal advice. 

This is an unfortunate situation that consumers find themselves in many times due to the bad faith of collection agencies and the faulty procedures and processes of the credit reporting bureaus. This is unacceptable and deserves immediate attention from regulatory agencies. I believe the collection agency, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, knowingly purchased old charged off debt for pennies on the dollar in hopes to grab the low hanging fruit, and also play on the fact that many people may not have the necessary information to prove a debt was paid off or settled because the issue was resolved many years over the statute of limitations. To further exaggerate this issue, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  knowingly and in bad faith, submits the old debt to Transunion, in hopes to get the consumer to contact them to pay the old debt. It is further unfortunate that XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX submits the old debt to the credit reporting agencies, ignoring all statute of limitations, without first making contact with the consumer. This is deliberate, calculated, and egregious. If the debt was never paid, then the collection agency has the right to engage in capitalism to obtain payment while adhering to CFPB and government standards, protocols, and regulations. I do not believe this happened in my case. 

Damages Besides the harassing telephone calls from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, I have spent too much time and unnecessary effort to prove a debt was paid that should have already been known and in my records at the credit reporting agencies. In early XXXX, I was going to refinance my mortgage for a lower interest rate since my credit score increased. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and Transunion has made it impossible for me to do this because the rate I would receive would not be a rate for someone with a credit score above XXXX since my Transunion score dropped XXXX points after XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  erroneous submission. This is a calculated loss of a savings of over {$100.00} per month on my mortgage payment ( or {$36000.00} with a 30 year mortgage ), not to mention the ability to be able to take advantage of better credit cards with more benefits, rewards, and lower rates.

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