Consumer complaint received 2016-10-14
Company: PORTFOLIO RECOVERY ASSOCIATES INC
State: GA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card
Issue: Taking/threatening an illegal action
Sub-issue: Sued w/o proper notification of suit

Complaint:
There was not an option that fit my situation. 

I had a credit card with XXXX XXXX XXXX. I got behind and was not able to continue to make the payment. The debt was sold to to Portfolio Recovery Associates LLC. They turned around and filed for a judgement at the XXXX County Magistrate. Upon recieving notice of this filing I reached out to Portfolio Recovery to investigate what this was about. I called them on XXXX/XXXX/XXXX. They informed me it was for the XXXX XXXX Credit Card that had a balance of about XXXX. We settled on a payment of XXXX. I made the payment over the phone at that time using my debit card. I requested that proof of payment be sent to me via email at the time and they stated that it was a process and they would get the process started within 48 hours. Two days later I called to get an update on the proof of payment and they stated that they would send it out. This went on for about three weeks and they still never sent the proof of payment. They verbally reassured me that the file was closed and that they reported it to the Credit Bureaus. 

XX/XX/XXXX, over one year after I had made the payment on XXXX/XXXX/XXXX I received notice from XXXX County Magistrate Court that a Judgement was granted to Portfolio Recovery. I was stunned being that I had already paid it. I called Portfolio Recovery and let them know that they needed to correct this. At this point the judgement was appearing on my credit report. XX/XX/XXXX I received a Certificate Of Service stating that the Judgement was satisfied on XXXX XXXX, XXXX. This was well over a year after the payment was made. 

Last week I applied for an auto loan at my credit union and was denied because I had a judgement reporting on my credit. I called Portfolio Recovery and they stated that the file is closed and that they can not do anything about it. I kept calling and the sent me to the voicemail of their attorney ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ) that was handling the case. He still has not called me back. 

Today I called Portfolio Recovery and they told me to go to the Magistrate Court and ask them to help me. When I went down there the clerk said that they can not do anything and that it was already filed. 

Portfolio Recovery refuses to help and take the proper steps to correct the mistake that they have made. I have been hung up on, put on hold until I got tired and hung up and been sent to eronious voicemails. These people are very aggressive in obtaining payment but once the payment is made they do not honor their word and make sure that the file is properly closed out. This infringing on my quality of life. 

I have attached the following documents : XXXX. Statement of Payment History : This statement will show that that I paid off the settled amount of XXXX on XXXX/XXXX/XXXX. 

2. Default Judgement Order : This shows that the judgement was rendered on XXXX/XXXX/XXXX. Almost two months after the payment was made. 

3. Judgement Satisfied Certificate of Service : Well over a year after the payment was made and they send me a Judgement Satisfied letter. 

4. Proof of Payment showing a XXXX balance. 

I was finally able to get somebody to send me the documents that I am uploading today. But it was after days and hours of phone calls.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief