Consumer complaint received 2020-07-21
Company: Bonneville Billing and Collections
State: CA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not yours

Complaint:
Back in XXXX, I disputed accounts that were on my credit report withXX/XX/XXXX because most of the accounts in collections were 7 years old or longer. The only collection which wasn't that old was one to an XX/XX/XXXX XXXX. That one was only about 3 years old but I know for a fact I didn't owe them what the collection agency was reporting I did. Bonneville collections was reporting I owed {$1500.00} to XX/XX/XXXX XXXX. What I want to disclose to you and Bonneville collections is that I am not disputing I ever had an account with XX/XX/XXXXXXXX. What I am disputing is that I owe them {$1500.00} or anything at all. Another thing I want to make clear is how until I saw my credit report in XXXX, I had never heard from anybody about this account. It's almost as if someone tried to sneak it into collections quietly without telling me first because they knew they were trying to get away with something. I say this because I know I called XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX to let them know I was forced to move against my will and I needed to shut off services. My landlord was selling the house I resided in during this period and I had to move out. XX/XX/XXXXXXXX must have tried to charge me for several months after I moved out without telling me. 

To fight this account what I did was on XX/XX/XXXX of XXXX I sent a dispute letter to the three credit bureaus as well as to Bonneville Collections. To the credit bureaus I sent a dispute letter specifically stating " I called the company to cancel service and they continued to charge me for months after I moved out. This collection is illegitimate, remove it. '' We are now on XX/XX/XXXX and I never heard back from XX/XX/XXXX. 

To Bonneville collections I sent a notice asking for actual proof of this debt also dated on XX/XX/XXXX of XXXX. Again, I have received no response from Bonneville collections either. Since it has been four months of me not getting anywhere with this I decided to hire a local professional who specializes in dealing with credit and debt issues. Yesterday I went to his office and we called Bonneville collections together. We speak to an XXXX and by God I must tell you she confirmed everything bad I've ever thought of a collection agency. 

In that phone call to Bonneville Collections the credit specialist asked XXXX about this debt. Where it came from, when it originated, when it closed, when the last payment was made, and several other questions I can't remember anymore. Her answer made the situation worse every time. Besides putting us on hold in the middle of our questions for several minutes at a time, XXXX told us several things that made my suspicion and this complaint 100 % valid. 

She claims she never received any notices from me and any disputes from any of the credit bureaus. The credit specialist told her he had the copies I brought him of my disputes with the dates and addresses listed on them so he believed me when I said I already disputed these accounts. I will also give you these copies for review. XXXX asked for the address I sent the dispute letters to and my representative read off the address of : Bonneville Billing & Collection Inc PO Box XXXX XXXX, UT XXXX XXXX claims that was the wrong address and their address was XXXX XXXX XXXX. The problem with her statement is the credit report as of yesterday is still showing an address for Bonneville Collections as XXXX XXXX XXXX. I will also give you a copy of the report page so you can review it as well. This means their company is giving a wrong address to the credit bureaus on purpose. How am I supposed to know it is a wrong address if nobody ever contacted me, or sent me anything about this account beforehand? This was only part of the problem. The other part is even if I did sent a letter to the wrong address through no fault of my own, what about the disputes I initiated through the credit bureaus? Why didn't they respond to those and send me some sort of notice back? I gave my correct address on the letter to the credit bureaus. 
The fact they didn't respond to those disputes makes me believe this collection agency is just out to get me and don't care they aren't doing their job right. 

During the same conversation with XXXX regarding this account, the credit specialist also asked if anyone had ever contacted me or sent me any bills regarding this account. XXXX straight up said in XXXX her company received a mail return of the initial notice. This proves I never received notification of this debt nor was made aware of it. I also wasn't given the opportunity to fight it or address if if it was truly owed. Further along in the conversation she also said they never reached me by phone. Again, I was never notified nor made aware of this account and therefore was never given my right to fight the account or pay if it was truly owed. Bonneville Collections still found it appropriate to damage my credit report with this account however knowing full well they never notified me of it. How is that fair, right, or legal? 

After the specialist asked her to re-confirm all the facts again of me never receiving their notices, me never hearing from them by phone, them never responding to a credit bureau dispute, and their address being wrong with the credit bureau she either put us on hold for a very long time or hung up on us. I don't know because after several minutes of silence from XXXX 's end we hung up. 

Please have Bonneville Collections delete this account from my credit report. They've had plenty of chances to do the right thing and they refuse to do so. I honestly don't even believe the address for them with the credit bureau is wrong but even if it is, it is further proof that they are incompetent. Either they ignored my request or consider this ; how can they verify this debt if they can't even verify their own address with the credit bureau?

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation