Consumer complaint received 2021-02-03
Company: AmeriCollect
State: WA
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 disputed inaccurate information reporting on my credit report by Americollect. I was notified by the 3 credit reporting agencies, XXXX XXXX and XXXX that the information was verified. I disagreed with this information, so on XX/XX/XXXX I sent a follow-up to the 3 credit reporting agencies that I disagreed with the information reported and requested their method of verification as in my research, I found they should be able to provide me. Again, they verified the accuracy of the reporting and made no changes. 

Ive also requested procedures in place for the bureaus because they have continually reported inaccurate information, knowingly and willingly. I sent a follow up on XX/XX/XXXX. I wanted to follow-up with the 3 credit reporting agencies, XXXX XXXX and XXXX. I notified them of the errors with the reporting and made it evident that they were knowingly and willfully reporting inaccurate information. This is my exact reason for my dispute : Please verify this account and It's a shame how you have conducted and supposedly verified this account. The errors are evident as they are inaccurate in more ways than one. When reading up on the FCRA, I learned that if an account is reported on my credit report, everything within the reporting must be free from error which is not the case. You have failed to conduct a reasonable investigation and now I'm requesting from you the information you affirm to have firsthand knowledge of this account reporting with 100 % accuracy. Should you deny my request, I simply request that you remove this account in its entirety from my credit report. Based on my research, I'm requesting to further clarify your compliance with Metro2 Compliance. I don't agree with the Credit Limit listed and request that you please verify this information. I am also requesting that you provide verification of documents that you have reviewed. Please confirm the Status Code is also correct. I would like you to provide me with the Metro 2 Format, specifically Base Segment, Field 17A. Let me remind you that " parroting '' is not " conducting a reasonable investigation ''. Please take my request seriously. You have again confirmed to me in writing that the information reported is in fact accurate. It is now my opinion that you may have mix or mis-merged this file onto my credit report. After my research, I have found that mis-merged files occur largely because the CRAs ' computers do not use sufficiently rigorous score or scale thresholds to match consumer data precisely, even when such unique identifiers as Social Security numbers are present. The nationwide CRAs rely on a match of only seven of nine digits of the SSN ( See Reeves v. Equifax Info. Serv. ) The CFPB has identified mixed files as a particularly challenging problem. I again request that you immediately remove this account from my credit profile. Last month, I requested you to provide me with the " reasonable procedures '' that you have in place, yet you didn't provide anything " specific '' with " first-hand knowledge '' about this reporting. Need I remind you that these procedures are designed to prevent inaccuracies. I've requested this in writing and once again, you have failed me. It is my right to know that you have actually followed YOUR own procedures. ( Rothery v. TransUnion, LLC. ) It's not enough to just have procedures put in place but that the employee also follows the procedures in each and every report they prepare ( See Konter v. CSC Credit Serv., Inc. ). You must not just have reasonable rules, but your employees must strictly follow those internal CRA rules ( Carroll v. Exxon Co. ). The FTC staff indicates that " [ o ] ne of the most significant compliance procedures to assure accuracy will be the training of new personnel and the retraining of current employees from time to time. Even isolated instances or error should be followed up and procedures adjusted in order to correct the cause of the error '' ( FTC, Compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act ). Since you have failed yet again, I implore you to do the right thing and remove this from my credit report. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I sent another dispute to the 3 credit reporting agencies to let them know that I have not been able to obtain actual verification of what Americollect is reporting. I notified them that the information is inaccurate and unable to be verified per my request. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I sent another dispute to Americollect to notify them that I've had my rights violated. My requests have gone ignored. 

In my research, I found something called Appendix B to Part 1022 - Model Notices of Furnishing Negative Information. My research shows that a financial institution that is subject to section 623 ( a ) ( 7 ) of the FCRA shall be deemed to be in compliance with the notice requirement in section 623 ( a ) ( 7 ) of the FCRA if the institution properly uses the model notices in this appendix. I would like to see the actual document that was sent to me to verify that my rights have not been violated. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX, I sent another dispute to the 3 credit reporting agencies letting them know that my report is inaccurate. I requested more information regarding the reporting of this account, yet all they did was verify that the information is accurate. My exact dispute was as follows : Please verify this account. I'm unaware of the information reporting on this listing. Please remove it in its entirety or show me what information you reviewed in order to report it in the first place. Based on my research, I'm requesting to further clarify your compliance with Metro 2 Compliance. I don't agree with the Portfolio Type listed and request that you please verify this information. I am also requesting that you provide verification of documents that you have reviewed. Specifically, I would like to confirm the FCRA Compliance Date or Date of First Delinquency/Last Activity is in Base Segment, Field 25. Let me remind you that " parroting '' is not " conducting a reasonable investigation ''. Again, if youre unable to comply with my request, please simply remove this listing from my credit profile. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I sent a request of verification to Americollect so that I can see how and why they have verified this information with the 3 credit reporting agencies, yet, all 3 of them didn't report the exact same thing. I requested a bunch of information ; however, they didn't provide me with the requested information. 

I sent them a follow up on XX/XX/XXXX because they havent sent me the requested information that I was requesting. Still nothing. 

I replied on XX/XX/XXXX and they still ignored my request. 

I sent them another request for follow-up information on XX/XX/XXXX and yet they have blatantly ignored everyone of my request, which Im able to do under the rights of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. I want to make sure that they are reporting accurately since all of the bureaus report something different. 
Im including a copy of their response as well as their validation per my request. They have deemed my legal request as frivolous or irrelevant. How did they come to this conclusion? Each one of my requests for information went unanswered. They have not provided adequate verification. They are supposed to send me verification from the original creditor, yet they have failed to do so. Providing me with a printout of whats reporting on my credit report isnt right. I could see that on my credit report. I want to see all information regarding each of the accounts, yet they have failed to do so, willingly and blatantly.

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