Consumer complaint received 2017-04-25
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: WV
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Written notification about debt
Sub-issue: Notification didn't disclose it was an attempt to collect a debt

Complaint:
American Express I sent in a pay to delete letter along with a pay to delete check. In the letter I wrote this as followed : AMERICAN EXPRESS   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX , FL  XXXX  Account # :  XXXX  Amount : {$800.00} To Collection Manager : This letter is to inform you that the validity of this debt is disputed. I am unaware of this account and have no verification this debt is mine. I only know of this account based on it being reported in my credit repo rt ( s ). As we both know, I have the right to dispute this account , request for verification, and/or request for validation of this debt. However, in order to quickly resolve this account, I am willing to pay {$800.00} if you agree to delete this account from any and all credit reporting agencies. Please do not quote to me that you are unable to do this, I am aware of both your rights as well as my own. We both know you are the source reporting this account and have the absolute right to report it, not report it, or delete it from all reporting agencies. The purpose of this settlement is merely to have this item removed from all reporting agencies. We are both aware that paying this unverified debt is no benefit to me unless we can agree on the terms. I am sure you are aware that paying a collection account does not bode well on a credit report and that merely having a collection on a credit report will have a negative impact whether paid or unpaid.     Please Note : This is not an acknowledgment of liability for this debt in any way or form. If there is any confusion about my position on this alleged debt, please refer back to the first paragraph of this letter in which I state : " I am unaware of this account ... '' That being said, let me be clear, this is NOT : a promise to pay, a renewal, an admittance to this debt, or in any way me agreeing this debt is mine. This is a restricted offer only.     If you agree to the terms and accept this agreement, I will send you certified funds immediately after I receive this signed agreement. The funds will be sent only if in exchange for it, you are agreeing to the terms set forth in this agreement and will be deleting this account from all reporting agenci es (   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   ). This debt will be cons idered satisfied, there will be nothing more owed, nothing further to collect, and you will consider this a closed, satisfied account. Again, ALL references regarding this account must be deleted from ALL reporting agencies. Since certified funds will be used for payment, ALL information about this account WILL be removed from all reporting agencies within   15 calendar days of receiving the funds.
AMERICAN EXPRESS agrees to delete ALL information regarding this account from ALL credit reporting agencies WITHIN FIFTEEN ( 15 ) CALENDAR DAYS following receipt of payment as specified above and will not discuss the terms of this settlement with anyone, for any reason, excluding your client on this account. If contacted by any third party, including credit reporting agencies, AMERICAN EXPRESS will not acknowledge that any settlement offer was made, accepted, offered, or executed and will deny knowledge of any such account.       If you agree to the above terms, please sign ( by an authorized representative of   AMERICAN EXPRESS this agreement below, print ( clearly ) the name of that signature, and provide the position held by the one signing this agreement. It will be implied that this letter shall constitute a legally binding contract, enforceable under federal, state, and local laws. Please also include with this signed agreement a company letterhead stating you received and agree to this restricted offer and the terms set forth within it.
Your response must be postmarked no later than 15 Days from your receipt of this settlement/agreement offer OR this offer will be withdrawn and I will request full validation of this alleged debt, as allowed by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. If you decide to decline this offer, and begin calling about this alleged debt, expect the next letter from me to be a Cease and Desist letter, attached with it, a request for Full Validation. Thank you for your time.
______________________________ Signature ______________________________ Print Name of the above signature ______________________________ Title or Position held ______________________________ Date Please send this agreement, your company letterhead agreement & all other correspondence regarding this account to : took out my name and address but it was placed here On the Check I wrote as followed : In cashing this check you agree that account is paid in full and will appear on all 3 credit reports as paid in full and deleted.
The check was cashed but they used it as a ACH payment. I have requested that I would like a copy of the check. I have not received that yet. I sent in the copies of the letter, carbon copy of the check and the copy of my bank statement showing that they used it as a ACH payment but the check number was stated on the payment to   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   credit reports. They did not delete or update the account as paid in full or deleted they just added the " so called payment I sent in ''. American   express has since then sent me another bill for the remainder of the amount.         Thank you for taking the time and reading my complaint.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation