Consumer complaint received 2021-12-28
Company: The CMI Group, Inc.
State: CA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not yours

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2021, I received an email notification from XXXX  XXXX XXXX, that they were reducing my credit line due to a new collection/debt account. I subsequently, received information from other bank accounts/credit accounts that my XXXX score had been reduced more than XXXX points. I was able to obtain the XXXX XXXX information, which is Credit Management ( CM ). I contacted them the same day, and learned that XXXX XXXX ( AE ), was utilizing them to collect a utility service account in XXXX, Texas, which was in arrears for 2 months for over {$700.00}. I informed CM that I have lived in XXXX XXXX XXXX, California, all my life and had never even been to XXXX, Texas. I had to provide the last four digits of my SS # to request that they open a fraud case ( I was provided a reference no. ) and a promise that they would investigate the issue. Lastly, CM provided AEs information. Consequently, I proceeded to report the issue. As a result, their agent, XXXX, provided the address of the utility service as XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, Texas XXXX, and asked for the last four of my SS # too verify my relationship to the account. During our conversation, confirmed the details I had received from CM about the issue, but XXXX  would not provide the account holders name. Their agent confirmed the debt amount and offered to investigate the issue. They provided a Case No. Both CM and XXXX  stated I should follow-up in two weeks, if I had not received a resolution. 
I had not received any information from either entity, by XX/XX/XXXX, so I reached out to both. I was told by CM that the debt had been paid in full. I asked why it was paid in full and by whom ( as it was not me ). I expressed my concern that it may still appear that I had been in arrears on the account, and simply paid it in full. So, now it would appear as a late account on my credit. As such, I requested documentation, that more simply stated the account was fraudulent and not associated with me in anyway. CM was not able to commit to my request but stated that I should receive a Withdrawn Letter. To date, I have not yet received such a letter. 
I also followed up with XXXX  to get additional information on how the debt/account was resolved. They were not able to provide any details, nor would they refer me to a supervisor/or manager for resolution. This was quite frustrating and upsetting. So, I tried reaching out to their corporate office, but was unable to find any information. I, however, was able to obtain information about filing a formal complaint with their Legal Department. 
As a side note, I am a retired Assistant Director for Customer Programs for the largest Municipal Utility in the USA XXXX XXXX XXXX Department of Water & Power. So, to be a victim of fraud for unpaid utility services is not only affecting my credit, but also just simply insulting.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief