Consumer complaint received 2019-02-21
Company: CCS Financial Services, Inc.
State: CA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Threatened or suggested your credit would be damaged

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a collection notice from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX demanding payment for services rendered by XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I responded via certified return receipt denying the entire debt and requesting they validate the debt, to include the exact breakdown of the " services '' rendered. Additionally, since this appears to be an attempt to collect on a medical service, I demanded they provide me with a copy of the Federal HIPPA release signed by me allowing XXXX to share my private medical information with a 3rd party. I also informed them that this alleged debt was not validated and placing it on my credit would violate the FDCPA as well as the FCRA. 

The item was signed for XX/XX/XXXX, at XXXX XXXX ( a copy of proof of service within the 30-day requirement under FDCPA attached ) XXXX responded with a cover letter stating " enclosed please find a copy of the documents ( s ) you requested '' dated XX/XX/XXXX, along with a photocopy of the with the creditor 's name, account number, their collection number and an amount. Although the letter was dated XX/XX/XXXX, this letter was sent out via XXXX mail on XX/XX/XXXX. See postage stamp date attached. They intentionally withheld the letter for a full 11 days in what appears to be an attempt to make me miss the response period as outlined in the FDCPA. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I mailed XXXX another letter bringing to their attention that not only did they fail to validate the debt ( presenting me with a copy of an invoice on their letterhead does not constitute validating the debt. It appears no communication was made with XXXX to validate what the service was for and to obtain a copy of the HIPPA release allowing them to be communicating with my private medical information if in fact this debt could be validated as actually belonging to me. In the letter I specifically sited they had failed to validate the alleged debt and must close the account and stop all further collection actions. The letter was faxed directly to XXXX via fax with their cover letter at XXXX am on XX/XX/XXXX ( copy of cover letter and proof of receipt via fax attached. 


XXXX continued to send me invoices on a monthly basis even after they failed to validate the debt. Notices were sent to me on XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX/XXXX/XXXX. They increased the amount from {$26.00} to {$91.00}. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received a notice from my credit monitoring company that a new collection account was posting to all three of my credit bureau reports. This new account was a collection account placed by XXXX for XXXX XXXX for {$91.00} My credit scores dropped nearly 50 points as a result of this illegally posted collection account on my credit reports. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I faxed a cease and desist letter to XXXX notifying them that by pursuing collection on an account they never validated and failing to provide me with a copy of a HIPPA release signed by me granting them access to my personal medical information pertaining to this alleged debt was a violation of my rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX and office of civil rights with respect to private medical information under HIPPA law. 

As of this date, they have failed to respond to my demand, and have failed to remove the collection account from all three of my bureaus as they did not after multiple opportunities to validate the debt. Their actions rise to a legal of intentional deceitful, harmful and illegal collection practices.

Company public response: Company believes the complaint is the result of a misunderstanding
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation