Consumer complaint received 2019-08-31
Company: PORTFOLIO RECOVERY ASSOCIATES INC
State: TX
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not yours

Complaint:
On or about XX/XX/XXXX this year I received a letter from Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC demanding payment on a debt that is not mine. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I informed Portfolio Recovery Associates that the debt was not mine and requested that they provide me with all of the documentation that made them believe that it is mine. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received the response from Portfolio Recovery Associates rejecting my dispute and insisting upon full payment. It included a copy of a letter from the original owner of the debt XXXX XXXX to the real debtor and a summary page with the past due amount. Incidentally, all of the bank correspondence to the debtor was sent to an address in Florida. 

At this point I thought it best to hire an attorney. 

On XX/XX/XXXX my attorney sent a letter to Portfolio Recovery Associates requesting further information. He specifically asked for a complete executed copy of any agreement between XXXX and myself. On XX/XX/XXXX Portfolio Recovery Associates again responded but did not send the information he specifically requested. All he received were more summary credit card statements. 

The reason that Portfolio Recovery Associates can not provide any proof that it is my debt - is because it simply does not exist. And yet, on XX/XX/XXXX and again on XX/XX/2019 Portfolio Recovery Associates informed the credit reporting company XXXX   that this account was in collection under my name. 

The facts are : 1 ) all correspondence from XXXX to the real debtor were sent to XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX CT XXXX, FL XXXX. I have never lived in or even visited Florida. Tax and real estate records will prove this. XXXX own dispute report # XXXX dated XX/XX/2019 validates this. 

2 ) I have a history of paying the balance on my credit cards every month and have done so for at least 20 years. I do not let credit card debt accumulate nor do I make late payments. A simple review of our credit history would have verified this. XXXX own dispute report # XXXX dated XX/XX/2019 validates this also. 

I believe that Portfolio Recovery Associates is in violation of The Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) Section 623 by reporting this disputed account to credit reporting agencies after being informed ( multiple times ) that the information is inaccurate. In addition to what I told Portfolio Recovery Associates multiple times, they also have access to my credit history and dealings. Together they would cause a reasonable person to have substantial doubts about the the accuracy of their information. 

Portfolio Recovery Associates can not provide me with any substantive documentation regarding this account such as the original consumer contract that my attorney asked for three months ago. Once again, on XX/XX/2019 I demanded to see all verifiable proof ( an original Consumer Contract with my signature on it ) that they have on file for this account. 

Since Portfolio Recovery Associates falsely and maliciously informed XXXX that this debt is mine my credit score and rating have dropped substantially, damaging my reputation and impacting my ability to get future credit. This has caused me great pain and mental anguish. Because of this I have filed a complaint with the Texas Attorney Generals Office ( complaint number is XXXX ) and now with the FTCs Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 

I am also now looking to retain a legal firm specializing in consumer protection matters. I will incur further cost to correct Portfolio Recovery Associates ' errors.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief