Consumer complaint received 2019-02-11
Company: JH Portfolio Debt Equities, LLC
State: WA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not yours

Complaint:
XXXX : Being XXXX XXXX, I had to exercise one of my SCRA benefits, and terminate my cellular service contract early, due to XXXX to a location where my current service was not yet provided, as well as getting ready to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, where you don't get cellular service, for 100+ days. I called XXXX, and explained the situation to the agent. The agent okayed my early contract termination, waived the termination fee, and provided me with my final amount due. I paid the final amount, and the agent verified I didn't owe anything further, and closed my account. 

XXXX : I get a letter in the mail from XXXX XXXX, letting me know they were attempting to collect a debt for XXXX, stating I owed them {$380.00}. Confused, I called XXXX and asked them why I owed them. The agent couldn't tell me because my " account was sold ''. I asked why XXXX never contacted me to let me know. They claim they did, but I was XXXX, so I wouldn't know. My wife saved all mail, unopened, addressed to me, with the exception of any utility/service bills that we shared that had to be opened to be paid, and none were from XXXX, but one was from XXXX XXXX. She never recalled seeing anything from XXXX. I then called XXXX XXXX and inquired about this supposed debt. All they would tell me was that it was regarding my XXXX Account, and that I owed {$380.00}, and needed to pay. I then informed XXXX that the debt was not valid, as I am XXXX XXXX, and had exercised my benefits under the SCRA, and I would be sending them a Debt Validation/Verification/Cease and Desist ( unless to validate/verify the debt, via letter ). I sent the letter via certified mail, and waited, and waited for verification/validation of that debt. 

Free yearly credit report time rolls around, and I hop on to each of the credit bureaus, and to my didmay, for the first time ever, there are negative remarks/reports. From XXXX XXXX. I open up a dispute with each bureau, stating that it had been over SIX months since I had sent a validation/verification letter, via certified mail, to XXXX XXXX, and I had yet to receive a response. I also mentioned that the original debt was not owed, as I was afforded benefits under the SCRA, which I exercised, and that the original creditor ( XXXX ) assured me that I was fully paid up when they closed my account. When I received replies from each credit bureau, they were all in agreement with me, and the negative remarks/reports were removed from each of my credit reports. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I receive a piece of mail from XXXX XXXX XXXX , XXXX. OH. MY. GOD! This company is attempting to collect a debt of {$380.00} for my " current creditor '', XXXX XXXX, who is trying to collect a debt for my " original creditor '', XXXX. I send a Debt Validation/Verification/Cease and Desist ( unless to validate/verify debt via LETTER ), notice of past Statute of Limitations, and also bring up the fact that I was XXXX XXXX at the time, and still am XXXX XXXX, and was, and am, exercising my SCRA benefits. 

XX/XX/XXXX : ARE YOU XXXX KIDDING ME?!! I receive a letter, this time from XXXX XXXX, XXXX, stating that I have a debt of {$380.00}, owed to my " current creditor '', XXXX XXXX. This letter also states that " XXXX XXXX can not sue you or report on your credit fot this debt. '' They go on to say that I have to notify them within 30 days that I dispute the validity of the debt, or they will assume it's valid. 

HOLD UP! So, I send XXXX the first debt validation letter, so THEY KNOW I am seeking validity/verification of the debt, but even after TEN YEARS, they have YET to send me any such letter. Even so, they SELL this debt to one company ( XXXX XXXX, XXXX  ) ; I send another validation/verification letter to THAT company, and then XXXX SELLS THE DEBT AGAIN, this time to XXXX XXXX, XXXX? What the XXXX? 

So, I have yet ANOTHER validation/verification letter I have to send, via certified mail, AT MY COST. It will be sent today, Monday, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX. 

If it's NOT illegal to sell debtspast the SOL, it SHOULD be.

If it's NOT illegal for a company to just keep reselling debt past the SOL, instead of sending validation/verification, when a LETTER REQUESTING IT HAS BEEN SENT, it SHOULD be.

If it's NOT illegal to keep pursuing a debt past the SOL, even though you KNOW the debt is being disputed because it was acquired in a manner that violates any law or act, including the SCRA, it SHOULD be. 

Not only do I feel harrassed by XXXX XXXX, I hold a XXXX XXXX, and even though I can easily explain this DEBT I DO NOT OWE, it still looks unprofessional.

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