Consumer complaint received 2015-10-24
Company: ERC
State: GA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other (i.e. phone, health club, etc.)
Issue: Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not mine

Complaint:
XX/XX/XXXX I was contacted by XXXX in reference to a debt they claimed I owed. I wrote them a letter ( I do not have a copy ) indicating that I did not owe this debt and this debt was not mine. I received a letter from XXXX indicating that my claim was denied. I received no other communication from XXXX and then learned that the XXXX debt had been reported on my credit. I was unaware of what I could do so I did nothing to continue to dispute the debt. I waited and after 6 or 7 years, the debt dropped off of my credit report. I assumed the nightmare was over and I could start to rebuild my credit which I did. Now XX/XX/XXXX, a week or so ago a received a phone call from ERC ( a collection agency ). They indicated to me that I owed a debt. I told them that they had the wrong person and they proceeded to tell me that this was a debt reported by XXXX. I told ERC that the debt did not belong to me. The representative told me that since I was disputing the debt they would send the dispute to XXXX and they would send a dispute form in the mail. At that time and in order for me to do my due diligence, I asked for the phone number associated with the account and address on the account. The phone number was not provided but the address was. It was not an address where I had ever resided, nor a city I had ever resided in. A week or so after initial contact by ERC I received a fraud dispute letter from XXXX and a request for documents that would validate my identity during the time the account was opened. I am in the process of completing their request and I will also separately mail a debt validation letter and a debt dispute letter. All letters will be sent to XXXX, ERC and FTC 's Bureau of Consumer Protection. I have disputed this debt and have illustrated that I did not reside at the location in which the bill was sent. According to a representative from ERC, they claim that all XXXX has to do in order to verify the debt is not mine is to check to see how the payments were made between the time the account was opened XXXX/XXXX/XXXX and XXXX/XXXX/XXXX. 
These dates were provided to me by ERC. The address where the billing statements were sent for 2 years and paid for 2 years was an address in XXXX, Georgia ( information also reported by ERC ). At the time this account had been opened and utilized, I had purchased my primary residence which was located in XXXX, Georgia and there I resided. At what point will XXXX stop harassing me for a debt that I do not owe? Will they be able to sell this debt to a collection agency every 6-8 years and start this debt collection process over and over again and again? When does the statute of limitation kick in? Does a creditor really have the autonomy to continue to harass anyone just because they claim a debt is owed. I have disputed the debt indicating that I did not live at the address where the billing statement was being sent, I had no record of a XXXX account with the account number that was provided by XXXX ( via their written letter dated XX/XX/XXXX ), there was no proof that the debt was mine nor was there any information provided to me which illustrated that I authorized an account to be opened in my name. It appears XXXX has all of the information in their possession that would prove that the account is not mine. I contacted XXXX and spoke with a representative regarding this matter specifically relating to the debt being placed on my credit report again. I was told that the original creditor can continue to sell the debt to collection agencies for the remainder of my life and with each collection agency, they can report the debt to the credit reporting agencies. When will this end? Is there a statute of limitations? I am in the process of retaining an attorney.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief