Consumer complaint received 2023-02-14
Company: Collection Bureau of America Ltd.
State: FL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Impersonated attorney, law enforcement, or government official

Complaint:
In XX/XX/XXXX, I filed a CFPB complaint regarding a fraudulent account that was opened in my name with XXXX ( formerly XXXX XXXX ). I received a fraud package which I am submitting here for the purposes of transparency and accountability as I believe that the practices being used my XXXX  and XXXX are deceptive and illegal. Specifically ( pertinent documents are attached ) : 1. In early XX/XX/XXXX, I filed a credit bureau dispute ( attached ) which included this account. At that time I requested an explanation as to why the trade line on my credit indicated that Collection Bureau of America was listed as a " collection agency/attorney ''. Per federal law it is illegal to present as an attorney if you are not or suggest the threat of legal action if there isn't one. I believe this violates federal law. I also noted that a similar account was placed against my credit from XXXX which I had disputed with the State of Florida as I did not take delivery due to differing of services promised versus what I was getting. I alleged that this new account was a continuation of the old account based on the similarity of amounts, services, and circumstance but there was no explanation provided for that either. Essentially, XXXX could have taken the old debt, changed the amounts and account number, and submitted it to the collection agency simply to harass me for payment. Again, I have not been provided one single document showing my signature or agreement to the services that I'm being charged for. ( attached as 'Credit Letter Dispute ', Florida  XXXX XXXX Complaint and XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX  Dispute ' ) 2. In my original CFPB XXXX complaint submitted in late XX/XX/XXXX, I also remarked that I had not received a copy of any agreement that I signed or paperwork which would indicate that I owe on this account. The response from XXXX that I received stated that they verified my address when they sent the collection notice in XX/XX/XXXX and that I lived at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX NJ which I did. I had actually lived there since XX/XX/XXXX when my husband received military orders there. I noted this in the complaint when I asked the question of how I could have XXXX services in Florida while living in NJ ( see attached NJ Orders ). Again, no explanation or documentation. I also have received multiple different amounts owed. I have seen {$230.00} listed as the original amount, {$290.00} listed on my credit report, {$300.00} listed on the most recent correspondence from XX/XX/XXXX and {$300.00} listed on correspondence from XX/XX/XXXX. I would also point out that the breakdown of charges on both letters differs significantly with one showing a {$230.00} principal balance with {$73.00} in interest and one showing a {$190.00} principal balance with {$72.00} in interest and {$35.00} in collection fees ( see attached XXXX Fraud Package and XXXX  water cooler dispute ). Again, it is a violation of federal consumer law to collect incorrect amounts or report incorrect amounts to the credit bureaus. Further, again where is the agreement stating that interest would be owed on an outstanding balance? 

3. XXXX stated in their response to my original CFPB complaint that they did not have the authority to release me from a fraudulent debt, however the tradeline on my credit shows them as the creditor ( see attached CFPB XXXX  Response ) which I surmise means that they could at the very least remove the tradeline on my credit report. 

4. The Fraud Package ( see attached XXXX  Fraud Package ) is fairly extensive and invasive. I don't have utility bills from XXXX-XXXX  but I have included documents that provide the information requested in the package to include, 1. My military ID, 2. A copy of my husband 's military orders and housing assignment form to military housing in New Jersey to prove residency at that time 3. Personal info and the details of my complaint included in my original submissions as attached. I believe that the Fraud Package is unnecessarily burdensome to preclude consumers from exercising their rights under U.S. law to include requirement of notarization AND submittal of government issued docs ( it's usually one or the other to prove identity ), requirement of utility bill submission from 4-5 years ago, as well as the cost and time associated with complying with these requirements. At this point, I have provided sufficient documentation and accurate information and timelines such that the proof should be on the creditor, not consumer, to prove the debt is legitimate. Far too many companies know that enforcement of U.S. consumer law is lax due to resource constraints and that most consumers will need to take legal action, which most can not afford to do, to enforce their rights. It's a dishonest numbers game and it needs to stop.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation