Consumer complaint received 2020-02-10
Company: Harris & Harris, Ltd.
State: MD
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Written notification about debt
Sub-issue: Didn't receive notice of right to dispute

Complaint:
I have been a resident of the state of Maryland since at least XX/XX/XXXX. A debt collector, Harris and Harris,  has recently contacted my parents in Illinois regarding a debt I allegedly owe to them. When I reached out to Harris and Harris today they advised me they were collecting debt originally owed to the state of Maryland for traffic toll in XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. At the time of writing this description I have been on hold with MDs central reporting bureau for more than an hour, and will soon have to give up in order to join a work meeting. At no point prior to the contact from Harris and Harris did MD notify me that I had an outstanding toll balance. 

MDOT appears to have attempted to contact me using the address which had originally been recorded for my vehicle. I dispute the validity of this attempt on for multiple reasons. First and foremost, the State collections office ought to have had a better address for me as I had provided a mailing address to MDOT in XX/XX/XXXX, and again in summer of XX/XX/XXXX. When I didn't immediately reply they could've used either of these addresses. I had contemporaneously had a similar problem with the state of Illinois. ( these were both caused by the belief that the lack of rear axle on my motorcycle meant that it did not constitute a two axled vehicle. ) Illinois was able to contact me at my corrected address without issue sometime prior to XX/XX/XXXX. At that time I resolved the issue with Illinois state and have the receipt to prove it. Maryland ought to have been privy to far more of my contact information and thusly ought to have been able to issue a notice which I wouldve been able to receive. 

An additional ground for contesting this debt is that I went to MDOTs central office several times in XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. According to Harris and Harris that wouldve been after the last date of un-paid toll. During these appointments I repeatedly provided my ID, as well as the registration of the vehicle for which the toll was owed. At no point did any agent of the state inform me I had an outstanding toll balance. Since then I have established an account with the states online tolling system, which also failed to notify me of any outstanding balance. 

At this time my objection is chiefly with the state of Maryland, but Im also dubious of the work put into notifying me by Harris and Harris, as they also were attempting to use my vehicles original address in Wisconsin, as well as my parents contact information, both of which wouldve been long out of date for reaching me by the time they took over the debt. Neither organization has done their due diligence and I think that I am being pursued inappropriately. 

I would appreciate any advice you might be able to provide on how to proceed, and I thank you for your consideration. Please reach out by email or by phone if theres anything I can do to assist. 
Thank you kindly, XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation