Consumer complaint received 2019-12-04
Company: WASHINGTON FEDERAL BANK
State: OR
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not yours

Complaint:
I rec 'd a collection letter on XX/XX/XXXX from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX date XX/XX/XXXX for {$220.00} on an old account at WA Federal Bank that I had removed myself from back in the summer of XXXX but this signature card is not available through WA Federal, they are saying the removal didn't happen. There were 3 people at the meeting to remove me, so the other witness is not sure why I'm listed in any documents on this account. And the " Tax Responsible Owner '' for this account has been deceased for 4 years and his spouse is the other " add-on '' to this account ; and she is over 66 and in bk protection, so when her debt card was charged for a service she doesn't use, she was sent a notice by the bank and she asked them to return the funds to her account and it was not handled at the bank in accordance with her request to remove the charge, she was told to jump through so many hoops she could not keep up. She didn't ever understand why someone could charge her debt card when she wasn't using the web services being charged, so she made a personal visit to the bank to have them remove the charges and WA Federal denied her request again, then they closed this account and sent ME to collections. All the while, I'm having NO idea that I'm even on this account because the 3 of us met with the bank 6 years  ago to remove me but I'm still listed as an " add-on '', but I was never sent a letter to my address or called to my phone about anything happening at Wa Fed but I'm now being sent letters to my home from the collection company and I was called today on my personal cell regarding the collection attempt. My understanding is the bank had a fiduciary duty to remove me when I met with them years ago with the two others on the account ( married couple, including TRO ). They also needed to protect my personal information from leaving the bank when this account has a " TRO '' who is deceased. I'm being told by Wa Fed 's client services line and the LO branch office Manager that I'm not the " TRO '' therefore, I should not be financially responsible and I was never married to the TRO. They said, " for some reason your info was sent to " XXXX  XXXX '' ( 3rd party reporting ) like I was a spouse of the deceased and that is how Complete Payment Recovery got my info. They are saying that XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX will never be able to validate the debt but they are still hounding me for {$220.00}. Per XXXX at the Division of Financial Regulation for Oregon, she said to send a letter asking them to validate the debt, so I did last night to stay within the 30 days their letter states. I have spent 2 full days speaking with Wa Federal and {$7.00} on certified letter to the collection agency. I also took the call from the Collection company but they wanted me to verify myself by giving out personal information. I told them they have sent me a letter and I have responded asking them to validate the debt and that I'm not answering any personal questions. They told me they would be calling in 10 days again. I don't want their phone calls and I said, I will be communicating by mail. I'm also at risk of my credit being damaged if Wa Fed will not cooperate in giving me supporting documentation. I have requested that Wa Fed supply me with the two signature cards on file that contain my name to help me dispute the collection efforts because that's the document that shows the TRO status and it will help to prove that I'm not listed as the TRO and Wa Federal has denied my requests, as they say they can't give out copies of the cards and they have denied helping to clear this up with any paperwork or a call or a fax to XXXX XXXX XXXX. They said, we can no longer do anything because the debt has been sold but they are the ones that originated sending my info off and I have no documents that would allow me to support my efforts to clear my name. I have also asked to speak to " higher up '' Managers and I have been consistently denied any escalation.

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