Consumer complaint received 2019-08-09
Company: Phoenix Financial Services LLC
State: NY
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not yours

Complaint:
XX/XX/XXXX XXXX- I received an email from XXXX that there's some changes to my credit score/ file. I immediately checked my credit karma and I see that Phoenix Financial has put me in collection and my original creditor is XXXX XXXX XXXX. I called the number provided in derogatory remark and spoke to a representative XXXX. She informed me that this bill is dated back in XX/XX/XXXX and it was for a emergency service I had on that day. I requested for debt validation over the phone and she said she will email my debt validation. I also sent an message to XXXX XXXX ( the hospital I frequently go to and they have the same address as XXXX XXXX ) believing that the debt was mine because I did go to emergency in that year and so I asked XXXX XXXX to provide me the bill because I thought this bill was taken cared of because I had medicaid when I visit the doctors at that time. 

XX/XX/XXXX XXXX- I've received an invoice in my email, not debt validation. I've done some research online and I sent a certified mail to Phoenix Financial LLC requesting for debt validation. 

XX/XX/XXXX XXXX- I received a reply from XXXX XXXX and they told me that they do not have any record of my service prior to XX/XX/XXXX ( that's the visit I had and thought that Medicaid already taken cared of it when I first message them ). 

XX/XX/XXXX XXXX received a letter from Phoenix Financial Services acknowledging the dispute and a billing statement from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, LLC and not a billing statement by the original creditor XXXX XXXX XXXX. In fact, the only information I have about the original creditor is the name. There's no account # address from the original creditor and the most importantly the itemised billing of the service or even the statement by the original creditor. I do not recognised the diagnosis XXXX, the first symptom XX/XX/XXXX, the procedure service/ cpt XXXX XXXX. I quickly call XXXX after receiving the letter and told her that I don't believe this is my bill and I have a written letter from XXXX XXXX that I do not have service prior to XX/XX/XXXX and that the debt I believed her the first time was actually XX/XX/XXXX bill which is already settled. I forwarded her the letter from the hospital. I also started a dispute with XXXX stating that I do not own the debt. 

XX/XX/XXXX XXXX- I received a phone call from XXXX stating that they have an email from me to the insurance company that I have the service and that they will cover my XX/XX/XXXX bill. I asked her to forward me the email and she said I should have it because it's the email I sent her. I explained to her that that's the bill I thought I had in XX/XX/XXXX and that I somewhat believed her that I had a debt back in XX/XX/XXXX when I wrote the message to XXXX XXXX. I told her that the hospital does not have any record of me visiting them prior XX/XX/XXXX. I asked her for the original creditor bill and she said that's all the documents she have and that she has requested for more documentation. She said she wants me to show her my medicaid coverage at that time and I told her I will get it. After speaking to a friends, I was advice to not provide any further information until I received the original creditor bill and that the debt is actually mine. So until it is proven that it's mine, I should not submit or acknowledge the debt. I called her back and told her that I will not submit any documents/ medicaid until I received the original bill and that it is proven to be mine. She also told me that she sent 3 letters to my current residence ( to which I did not receive, and I would like to see proof that the letters are mailed out, if that's possible ) before reporting me to credit bureau, I told her that had I received it, I would have contacted her. She said she can't do anything on her part except to dispute this case to the credit bureau. I then contacted XXXX to understand the dispute process and I was told that Phoenix Financial responded back to them and say that the debt is mine. I told them that I have a letter from the hospital stating that I do not have service prior to XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX Dispute department recommended me to file a fraud claim. I file the fraud claim with XXXX  and they have advice me to make a police report and send it to them. They will then give it to Phoenix Financial for them to determined if this is a fraud claim. The police came and said that this is a civil matter and I should take legal action.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation