Consumer complaint received 2017-07-29
Company: Convergent Resources, Inc.
State: FL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Written notification about debt
Sub-issue: Didn't receive notice of right to dispute

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received notice from a credit monitoring service that a collection had been added to my credit reports. I was completely unaware of the alleged debt that was originally owed to XXXX XXXX and was from a debt that is substantially past the statute of limitations in my state ( from XXXX ). The amount they claim is due is {$160.00}. I never received ANY communication from them by phone or in writing stating that I owed this debt. They just " parked '' this debt on my credit reports probably hoping I would respond. After a phone call from my husband ( I have never spoken with them in any form, and I never gave them permission to speak with my husband on my behalf, although I did hear some of the conversation, since I was in the room when he called ), they mailed me a letter ( attached ) dated XX/XX/XXXX which stated I have 30 days to dispute the debt ( a " dunning letter '' I believe ). Ironically, the dunning letter states " Your Response is Requested. '' I thought I had to be given the opportunity to respond BEFORE they report it to the credit bureaus. They also sent a " debt verification '' letter ( attached ) dated XX/XX/XXXX with a computer printout from XXXX XXXX from XXXX. Ironically their Dunning Letter states : " The records of XXXX XXXX show that your balance of {$160.00} is due in full. '' However, the debt verification printout from XXXX that they provided shows a XXXX balance ( attached ). When they spoke with my husband, he SPECIFICALLY asked them who owned this debt. They claimed XXXX owned the debt, and they were collecting on behalf of XXXX. Upon calling XXXX directly, I learned that they ( XXXX ) had sold the debt. XXXX would not give me the date ( which the do n't have to, but the debt collector is supposed to if asked ). Upon receiving their " Dunning Letter '' and " Verification Letter '', I also immediately noticed that the first name on the account was not my legal name, but a nickname. I highly doubt I ever opened an account using a nickname, which begs the question how it ended up on my credit reports at all. This company apparently has a reputation for bad business practices ( according to a number of sources ). I have SPOTLESS credit, and I do not avoid paying legitimate debts when they are presented. But parking an old debt on my credit reports while being less than truthful regarding how they acquired the debt and not giving me the opportunity to research and respond BEFORE they report it to credit bureaus is at best a bad business practice and at worst a violation of my rights under the FCRA and/or the FDCPA. I did send them a validation of debt request letter ( attached ) which they signed for onXX/XX/XXXX. They also claim on my credit reports that the debt was reported on XX/XX/XXXX. I can prove this debt was not reported to any of the credit reporting agencies as ofXX/XX/XXXX. It started reporting on XX/XX/XXXX, the day I received the credit monitoring notice.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation