Consumer complaint received 2020-05-13
Company: Benjamin Chaise & Associates
State: ID
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not yours

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a letter from Benjamin Chaise & Associates stating I was responsible for almost {$5000.00} of debt to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX, an automotive service shop in XXXX  XXXX, ID. I live 300 miles away from this establishment and have never used the services of XXXX XXXX   XXXX. I called Benjamin Chaise on XX/XX/XXXX and explained that they were contacting the wrong person. The Benjamin Chaise employee asked, " Oh you're not the guy with the ex wife? ". I said no I do not have an ex-wife. The employee also asked does your phone number end in XXXX? and she gave me the last 4 digits of a phone number that did not match mine - it was apparent they had confused me with someone else, and it sounded like they had already been in contact with the other individual. I was told by the Benjamin Chaise employee " if it's not your debt, then don't worry about it ''. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received a 2nd letter from XXXX XXXX, stating that I needed to respond or further action would be taken. I again called them, explaining they had sent a letter to the wrong person for the 2nd time. I was again told, " if it isn't you, then don't worry about it '' and that the 2nd letter was probably sent out before I had called on XX/XX/XXXX. This wasn't true, because I called Benjamin Chaise the 1st time on XX/XX/XXXX and the 2nd letter was dated XX/XX/XXXX. 

At this point in time, I contacted a detective in the fraud division of my local sheriff 's office on XX/XX/XXXX and filed a report. After speaking with XXXX XXXX   XXXX, the detective realized it was a case of mistaken identity. At the time of writing this complaint, XXXX 's XXXX is still in possession of the car that the debt is from. The detective ran the license plate of said car, and it belongs to an individual who shares my first and last name, but has a different middle name. The name of the individual who owns and dropped off the car to XXXX XXXX is XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ), who lives at an address in XXXX, ID ( a city near XXXX XXXX ). I am NOT XXXX XXXX XXXX. This is an individual who I have been confused with before, as his overdue medical bills appeared on my credit report in XXXX. I was able to dispute those bills and have them removed from my credit record, as they were obviously not mine. The employee at XXXX XXXX XXXX told the detective that he would call Benjamin Chaise and inform them that they have been contacting me in error, and that they should stop contacting me. 

At XXXX XXXX  on XX/XX/XXXX I sent an official dispute letter in the mail ( that I will attach below ) via certified mail. Benjamin Chaise received the letter on XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX XXXX  ( I will attach the delivery conformation below ). 

At XXXX XXXX  on XX/XX/XXXX I received a phone call from XXXX XXXX XXXX. The employee said he had called Benjamin Chaise to explain that they had been contacting me in error, that I am NOT the person who owes this debt. Benjamin Chaise insisted that I am the correct individual, that they have " loads of evidence '' that it is me, that they have my signature and it matches the signature on XXXX XXXX paperwork. All of this is not true since I have never been to XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX, let alone signed paperwork there ( I believe they have the signature of the XXXX XXXX XXXX who owns the car, and that they have mistaken me for that individual since our names are similar ). Benjamin Chaise also told the XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX employee that there is nothing XXXX XXXX can do to change things, that it is legally out of XXXX XXXX hands. 

Upon receiving this phone call from XXXX, I again contacted the detective working my case. The detective again called XXXX XXXX and asked whose name they gave Benjamin Chaise. XXXX XXXX states they gave XXXX XXXX the name of an XXXX XXXX XXXX residing in XXXX, ID. Again, XXXX XXXX XXXX is NOT ME. 

At this point I am very frustrated. According to XXXX XXXX, Benjamin Chaise has the correct name, address, and phone number of XXXX XXXX XXXX, to whom the car and debt belongs. When I have contacted Benjamin Chaise it is apparent they have confused me with someone else, seeing as they think I am the guy with the ex-wife and provide a phone number with the last 4 digits that do not match mine. In my conversations with them, it appears that they have already been in contact with XXXX XXXX XXXX, but they continue to send me letters. The fraud detective believes that Benjamin Chaise tagged my name with this debt as they looked up other XXXX XXXX, seeing that XXXX XXXX never gave Benjamin Chaise my name or address.

Company public response: Company disputes the facts presented in the complaint
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation