Consumer complaint received 2023-09-29
Company: PORTFOLIO RECOVERY ASSOCIATES INC
State: GA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt was result of identity theft

Complaint:
In XXXX I begin receiving notices that an account of mine had been sent to a debt collection company. I learned it spawned from a XXXX  account I had reported to have had fraudulent activity back in XXXX. After reporting the fraud in XXXX, I thought that particular account was closed, being that I had a new XXXX account issued to me back then and have used it with no problem for years. I do not think XXXX would have allowed me to open and use a new account if I somehow owed them on a previous account. But the debt collection company Portfolio Recovery began and continued to pursue me for the debt they claim they bought from XXXX. I contacted XXXX they had no record of that account anymore but the customer service rep did not inform me if that was due to it being closed because of fraud or if they had sold it as a debt to this company. I filed several affidavits to Portfolio Recovery explaining the debt spawned from an account I reported to have fraudulent activity on and each time the affidavits were ignored. I even listed who was responsible for the fraud, which is an individual who has prior arrested for credit card fraud and identity theft charges. Portfolio Recovery continued to pursue me and I received a court summons. At the court date, I went before a judge and a representative from Portfolio Recovery and explained the situation. By this time 5 years had gone by and my credit score had been destroyed over this situation. In order to make it go away, so my credit score would improve I agreed to be put on a payment plan in return the debt would be wiped off my credit history apon completion of payments. They agreed. I was contacted by Portfolio Recovery the following day and given instructions for how to pay. The next month I went to create an account to begin making payments and in order to do that, needed information I did not have, like my account number Portfolio Recovery was suppose to give me. I attempted to contact Portfolio Recovery and left messages and sent emails never getting a response. I contacted the clerk of court in the county our court case had been in and explained the situation. She said she couldn't be of assistance but explained to me this was a tactic this company uses to in order to be able to garnish your wages later down the road instead of wait out the years of payments. I continued to contact Portfolio Recovery and received a message back that now in order to make payments I had to do it through an attorneys office. I contacted the attorneys office that represented Portfolio Recovery, received an automatic message on a voicemail about needing my parties extention number or my account number to make payments. I don't have any account number, thats the whole reason I couldn't login to start in the first place. A year goes by and I have had no communication, no notice of any further court dates, I've heard nothing from them.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation