Consumer complaint received 2015-04-15
Company: HW Holding, Inc
State: VA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other (i.e. phone, health club, etc.)
Issue: Disclosure verification of debt
Sub-issue: Not given enough info to verify debt

Complaint:
I received a letter from a debt collector by the name of Hunter & Warfield in XXXX 2015 referencing that owed XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX ( the apartment complex at which I was previously residing ) {$170.00}. The bill states that I can settle for {$91.00}. What the bill does not state is WHY I owe them money, nor does it provide me the option of disputing the debt. It only asks for a payment. Because of this, I phoned Hunter & Warfield in XXXX to request a validation of debt because I wanted proof that I owed them money. I informed the agent I spoke with, XXXX, that I did not receive notification from XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX by phone or mail ( I had left them my forwarding address and phone number before leaving ) before I received the collections notice, and was therefore never provided an opportunity to pay the bill before it went to collections. I stated I needed an itemized bill before paying. XXXX advised me that XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX attempted to send me a bill, but claims they received returned mail. She verified the address that XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX had on file, and I confirmed with her that the address she had on file was correct and current ( how else would I have received their bill? ) She informed me she would request the itemized bill and would halt credit reporting since I was disputing the debt. On XXXX XXXX, 2015, I received a letter from Hunter & Warfield stating that they needed additional time to validate the debt and that all collections attempts have ceased while the debt is disputed and suspended credit reporting. According to my rights under the FDCPA, I disputed this debt because I doubt that I am liable for any monies owed to XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX. However, as of today, XXXX XXXX, 2015, I have not received a validation of debt, and I discovered that the disputed information is still being reported against me on my credit report. The letter that Hunter & Warfield sent to me advising that the credit reporting was suppressed was deceptive because they did not stop reporting as they stated. Because the derogatory information is still being reported against me, this was held against me today while signing a lease for a new apartment ( and is n't this purposeful inaccurate reporting a violation of the FCRA? ) The new complex could not allow me to sign the lease because my credit report reflects that I owe money to XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX. So, I called Hunter & Warfield to request a status update on the validation of debt, and I was informed that it was still pending. When I asked XXXX if they were still waiting for documentation from XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX, XXXX informed me that she had no information for me, but that I was welcome to email her Compliance department to find out the status. Although Hunter & Warfield did not actively attempt to collect a debt from me, purposely delaying a validation of debt is a deceptive and unfair method to attempt to collect on a debt : their delay tactic forced me to pay the debt that I have been disputing for 2 months in order to secure a new residence. Not only that, but they added a processing fee of {$14.00} to my " settlement '' offer of {$91.00} to pay online or over the phone. This means that I was forced to PAY THEM A FEE for them to TAKE MY MONEY that I DID NOT OWE IN THE FIRST PLACE, which is one more deceptive act on the part of Hunter & Warfield.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation