Consumer complaint received 2019-03-21
Company: PORTFOLIO RECOVERY ASSOCIATES INC
State: FL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Threatened or suggested your credit would be damaged

Complaint:
Do not have exact dates but as company, 'records ' all calls, they should be able to verify .... 
Approximately XXXX, XXXX of XXXX, was contacted by Portfolio Recovery Associates that I owe {$2400.00} dollars from a XXXX XXXX credit card that was opened in XXXX and closed in XXXX for default in payment. 

I responded that I have never had a XXXX XXXX card and that someone must have opened an account as me ( fraud ) and XXXX was a long time ago to just be getting information about this. 

Portfolio Recovery informed that I need to file a 'dispute ' and they would send documentation for me to fill out and sent back. 

Filled out documentation, sent back and still received multiple phone calls ( asking for sensitive info ) - explained again and again, this account was not me and I filed a dispute. 

XX/XX/XXXX received a packet with XXXX XXXX statements that with a cover letter that said : '' We have completed our INVESTIGATION of your dispute concerning the account. PRA, LLC has obtained and reviewed the attached documents related to this account, which establish its validity. '' The only thing the documents reveal is my validity and PRA, LLC as fraudulent and misleading. If there truly was an 'INVESTIGATION ', it would revel that the address used on the statements is an address I have never lived at, moreover in a city I have never lived at that is a 10 hour drive from me. I'm a teacher, the dates on the charges are for days that I was in a classroom 600 miles away. Authorized Electronic phone payments were made, did they 'investigate ' how those payments were made ( bank account, etc )? All PRA did was request statements from XXXX XXXX there was no 'investigation ' as they claimed that established the validity of me as the account holder. 

In addition to being deceptive about their investigation, PRA, LLC is deceptive about their contact information. In the above mentioned letter, the letter is signed by the 'Disputes Department ' with a telephone number XXXX. When I called this number to dispute the information in the package, I was informed by the Operations XXXX XXXX, there was nothing he could do to help because this was not the Dispute Department- he could try to connect me but their hours are 9-5 ( it was after 5 ) but  their number is XXXX. 

In the same phone call I asked what would happen if I just ignored this- that I am done dealing with this, it has taken up way too much of my time because they are not doing what they are supposed to on their end and I am feeling harassed. The response was this was just the dispute department and they don't collect debts, but since they established, 'validity ', it will be sent back to the department that does collect and it would affect my credit if not collected. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I contacted the 'true ' dispute department ( XXXX ) and was told that now I need to file an identify theft affidavit that is not available on their website, but they can mail. Again, why was I not told of this earlier as my initial response was that someone used my name to open the account. 

Where am I now- frustrated and feeling like I am purposely being deceived and mislead by Portfolio Recovery Associated , LLC to make it as difficult as possible to resolve this with the underlying threat that if this is not resolved, my credit will be negatively impacted.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief