Consumer complaint received 2020-12-15
Company: PORTFOLIO RECOVERY ASSOCIATES INC
State: NY
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Written notification about debt
Sub-issue: Didn't receive enough information to verify debt

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2020, I sent out three debt verification letters to three companies. XXXX, XXXX and Portfolio Recovery. I received a response from XXXX who stated they had no valid information to validate the debt and was removed from my credit report immediately. I never received a response from XXXX or portfolio. According to the FDCPA, I waited the 30 days and then gathered my information and sent it to XXXX. I contacted XXXX after 30 days to find out what was the status of the case. The first time, they had no info and after explaining that I had not received a response from the debt collector under the FDCPA law, I was asking for a decision to be made. The representative from XXXX stated that the debt collector, even though they had received a validation letter that needs to be answered within 30 days under the FDCPA, did not have to respond to me and could do so at their leisure. I explained to him that either he didn't know the law or he was just not listening to me, but as a professional, should not be giving out false, misleading information. I went ahead and requested a supervisor, who told me to contact FTC and file a identity theft case. I just couldn't understand why I couldn't get an answer or help. I went ahead and reached out to Portfolio Recovery to find out what information they had and were using to validate this debt. The representatives were rude and continuously talked over me. I explained the situation again regarding request for validation, and that I never received any. The representative stated that verification was sent, but to a address in Delaware where the account has no statue. I asked why the information wasn't sent to the address on the debt validation letter, and I was told that not because I send in a piece of paper with an address on it doesn't make it valid. The representative continued to tell me this was their policy and they would never send it to my current, or the address provided on the verification letter. I then asked her why after 2 months of requesting information, was I sent a letter dated XX/XX/2020 from Portfolio Recovery stating that the statue of limitations to collect on this debt has expired. This was very recent. She became quiet and stated I needed to call back and speak to someone in the dispute department. XXXX was very unprofessional and both calls needed to be escalated to the supervisor just to get minimal assistance. These companies XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX  hold peoples lives hostage by creating or allowing false information to pollute your files. It is said that trying to clean up and fix your credit is harder than getting into XXXX XXXX. I have disputed this information over and over and have not gotten anywhere. I believe XXXX violated their oath by allowing Portfolio, XXXX and XXXX to keep negative information on my credit report, which in turn has hurt me mentally and financially. For years, XXXX and the other credit companies allowed XXXXXXXX to continuously place a collection account on my credit report with no verification. I have disputed this a few times as well. All it took was one verification letter for XXXX to get back to me stating they have no info to validate this debt. This is the reason I believe XXXX is complicit in false information to consumers, failing to accurately and thoroughly investigate a dispute, and lastly, failing to keep consumers safe from false information entering their files.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation