Consumer complaint received 2019-07-11
Company: Pacific Collections
State: IN
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt was result of identity theft

Complaint:
I received a letter in the mail from Pacific Collection Group claiming that I owe {$980.00}. The creditor is listed as XXXX XXXX XXXX. After speaking with four different representatives, the only useful information I was able to obtain is that I supposedly spoke with someone from XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX about some sweepstakes they were running, and provided my billing and mailing information to them at that time. I was told that I supposedly made " 6 or 7 '' payments of {$49.00} before becoming delinquent, and that that amount was to continue monthly for 30 months. I was informed that the card that was charged had an expiration date of XX/XX/XXXX, but that no other information could be provided. After reviewing the statements for XXXX XXXX for all of my accounts, including speaking with XXXX XXXX XXXX to ascertain the phone number for the original creditor, as no representative with Pacific Collections would provide any form of contact information to me. The second and third conversations that were had with Pacific Collections were on speaker phone with 3 other witnesses to hear the obscene manner with which their representatives spoke to me. I repeatedly stated that there was no need to be so rude, and was met with a variation of " this isn't customer service, this is debt collection '' each time. At one point, the representative, XXXX, told me that he could not see my information to tell me if what I was stating was correct or not. XXXX then told me a few minutes later the exact amount they were claiming I owe, and when I stated as much ( in front of 3 witnesses who were all shocked with the way I was being spoken to ), he told me that I was now making things up and " being ridiculous '', and he would connect me to his supervisor. I was then immediately placed on hold for several minutes before being connected to a XXXX, who also said I was " being ridiculous '' as I repeatedly requested more information. I have still been unable to locate a way to contact XXXX   XXXX XXXX, and have not found a single charge from that company in any account statement for the duration of XXXX. The only thing I can find ( which definitely fits the timeline, and was affirmed by XXXX, but then refuted by XXXX ) is a charge to my XXXX debit card for {$29.00} on XX/XX/XXXX. That statement also shows, on XX/XX/XXXX, a " Credit due to Debit Card dispute '' in the same amount. When I  informed both XXXX and XXXX of this fact, I was laughed at and told I don't know how anything works because the bank will just refund just because I ask for it, and it doesn't mean the charge was fraudulent. When I spoke with XXXX regarding this issue, I was informed that the charge was listed as unauthorized, and the investigation proved that to be true. That charge was from " XXXX XXXX XXXX ''. I called the number on the statement, and the woman there ( unsure of spelling ), XXXX, informed me that the charge was for one of the companies they work with, " XXXX XXXX XXXX '', and that the account had been closed on their end. She asked me for the name of the company that contacted me, and I could only say, " Pacifi- '' before she cut me off and said, " Pacific Collection Group? '' She then informed me they've been receiving a number of calls regarding letters from Pacific Collection Group from consumers asking about supposed debt. She informed me that her company believed them to be an illegal debt collection agency who was finding old accounts such as mine and trying to scam consumers out of money. She informed me that I had nothing to worry about on their end because my account had most definitely been closed out, and there would be no attempts to collect debt. That charge for {$29.00} from XX/XX/XXXX is the only charge I could find in any of my accounts from that time period that even remotely fit the description of a magazine service. XXXX with Pacific Collection Group confirmed that was the first charge, but XXXX insisted I was wrong and that all " 6 or 7 '' payments made were for {$49.00}. To the best of my knowledge, and as far as I can tell from digging through all of my banking statements across 4 credit cards and my checking account, there was no charge in XXXX XXXX for that amount, and certainly no recurring charge of that amount. Again, the immediately disputed and refunded charge of {$29.00} is the only charge I can find, and that was proven unauthorized, and the account closed out by the company, XXXX XXXX XXXX. If there is any other information I can provide, please let me know, and I will do what I can to provide what is needed. Thank you.

Company response to consumer: Untimely response