Consumer complaint received 2020-11-30
Company: Sequium Asset Solutions, LLC
State: TN
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Written notification about debt
Sub-issue: Didn't receive notice of right to dispute

Complaint:
Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ) creditors must validate the debt. This company did not verify the debt via mail nor by phone. 

The company did not validate an assumed debt of {$80.00}, did not provide me an opportunity to dispute the false debt, breached the ( FDCPA ) several times as well as the TCP, and used deceptive practices. 

The agency did not send me any communication in writing notifying they believed a debt to be mine, nor did they verify the assumed debt before reporting the unverified debt to the three credit bureaus. 

In addition, the collection agency uses deceptive practices in their collection attempts. The representative I spoke with stated on a call I recorded that this company uses predictive dialer, XXXX, ROBO calls to contact consumers to trick them into answering the phone. Those Automatic Phone Dialing Systems are illegal under the TCP ( Telephone Consumer Protection Act ). The ( FDCPA ) in section 807 in the False or misleading representations subsection ( 10 ) The use of any false representation or deceptive means to collect or attempt to collect any debt or to obtain information concerning a consumer is also against the law. 

The agency also is in breach of section 807 subsection ( 14 ) The use of any business, company, or organization name other than the true name of the debt collector 's business, company, or organization. The company will not tell you their company name and intentionally attempt to deceive consumers. 

Under section 804 Acquisition of location information of the ( FDCPA ) subsection ( a ) Communication with the consumer, line ( 1 ) the collection agency must not attempt collection at any unusual time or place or a time or place known or which should be known to be inconvenient to the consumer being before XXXX XXXX  XXXX  and before XXXX XXXX XXXX, local time at the consumer 's location ; Acquisition of location information. The TCPA prohibits any company, not just a debt collector, from calling on my cellphone using an automated telephone system or pre-recorded voice without my express consent. The company called my cell phone via robo dialer 47 times at XXXX. These two actions alone constitute litigation. This collector knows they are breaking the law and do it anyway. 

I was never notified of any potential debt nor was I ever notified in writing of my rights by law. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ) section 809. Validation of debts, creditors must notify consumers of any assumed amount of the debt, the name of the original creditor, that the assumption that the debt will be reported as valid unless I dispute it within 30 days, given a notification that I could request verification of the debt within 30 days, nor a notification that I can request the name and address of the original creditor within 30 days. I was never notified of any debt of any kind and was not provided any opportunity to dispute the debt. 

When I realized that this company has reported a collection on my credit report I immediately contacted them via phone call on XX/XX/04 at XXXX XXXX by the phone number provided on the credit report. Upon answering the call the debt collector began asking for personal information to ensure that they're talking with the right person. I am not required to give out your personal information to anyone. The information they did have on file for me was totally incorrect which further made me suspicious as any debt collector should have the correct information. 

I contacted the original creditor and found out that this company was attempting to collect on a closed account with a XXXX  balance. I notified the original creditor and they notified the agency of the XXXX  balance. This company then " updated '' the bureaus of the XXXX  balance rather than remove the false debt fully from my credit report.

I have disputed the debt with the three credit bureau and file a complaint with the XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX and th3 collection agency has not responded at all.

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