Consumer complaint received 2016-11-08
Company: Phillips & Cohen Associates, Ltd.
State: NY
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card
Issue: Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not mine

Complaint:
Phillips and Cohen first contacted me by phone in early 2009, claiming they had been hired by XXXX Bank to collect on XXXX separate credit card accounts for deceased " XXXX XXXX '' ( my grandmother ) and that they were seeking info on identity of any probate lawyer, executors etc. 
The person who called a " XXXX XXXX '' would only give them the last XXXX digits of the alleged account numbers. 
I gave " XXXX XXXX '' the info I had on XXXX of the last people I knew to be XXXX of XXXX attorneys and told her I would not give them any more information until they confirmed to me the actual existence these accounts with a copy of the applications and all statements for the time the accounts were in effect., proof that they were indeed hired by XXXX and so forth. 
She claimed they were not allowed to tell me anything else, so I told her that I would say no more until they did and that they should just call the lawyer then. 
A few months later, someone else called from this outfit, telling me she wanted me to confirm the information I had given them the first time. 
She claimed person who had first called me by name of " XXXX XXXX '' was no longer working there. 
I refused and told her I had never been sent anything I had requested and that XXXX Bank denied hiring them. 
There were no more calls that I am aware of, but instead I received a letter for XXXX of the accounts addressed to " XXXX XXXX '' not " the estate of '' etc. That letter came from a different address than the XXXX in XXXXXXXX I had first been given. 
I also asked this woman why they were pulling MY credit for an account of relative. 
She denied it happened. I told her I could send a copy of my credit report, but she claimed there was no reason to do so since they did not pull it, she insisted and refused to give me her contact info. 
I later found an email address for people at thus company and wrote them a detailed explanatory email demanding an explanation to all these issues and once again, the copies of the info I had requested. 
It was ignored. 
The letter sent is dated XXXX 2009 and is after my speaking to them twice on the phone. 
I contacted XXXX Bank multiple times over this matter, but they refused to help, insisting they had never hired PC and therefore there was nothing for them to do, and refused to give me an explanation as to how PC somehow was able to get the info on these accounts if they were never assigned or sold the accounts By XXXX. 
Enclosed is a copy of the XXXX demand letter that came in the email. 
The address of the office that contacted me is XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXXXXXX XXXX, different than the XXXX on the letter. 
I did an internet search on phone number XXXX and it did not show up as belonging to PC and oddly area code XXXX listed in their fax number is apparently XXXX, not XXXX or XXXX listed on the letter. 
Also related to this matter are XXXX previous complaints I filed against XXXX bank, numbers XXXX and XXXX.

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