Consumer complaint received 2017-08-25
Company: JH Portfolio Debt Equities, LLC
State: NJ
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: I do not know
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Threatened or suggested your credit would be damaged

Complaint:
This complaint is based on violations of the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act and Fair Credit Reporting Act by JH Portfolio Debt Equities , LLC ( JH Portfolio ). 

On XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I received a collection letter from Credit Control, LLC, hereafter ( Credit Control ), a collection agency hired by JH Portfolio. 

On XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I submitted a certified mail dispute letter to Credit Control, and requested for a validation of alleged debt. ( U.S. Postal Service Certified Mail receipt number XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ). Neither Credit Control nor JH Portfolio validated the alleged debt. Further, JH Portfolio failed to report to credit bureaus that the debt is disputed, and continued to attempt to collect the disputed debt by using the credit reporting system as a means to do so. Since that time, I received multiple denials of credit and unfavorable terms with my creditors which resulted in lowering my credit scores. 

On XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I sent JH Portfolio a second certified mail dispute letter and, again requested for validation of the alleged debt. My second dispute was received on XXXX XXXX, XXXX via U.S. Postal Service Certified Mail receipt number XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. As part of letter, I included the same dispute form / questionnaire created by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. In my letter, I advised JH Portfolio that in order to enforce my consumer rights under the FCRA ( in addition to the FDCPA ), I would also dispute the account thru the consumer reporting agencies. 

On XXXX XXXX, XXXX, instead of validating the debt, JH Portfolio hired a new collection agency, at this time, XXXX XXXX XXXX that is attempting to collect the disputed debt on behalf of JH Portfolio. 

On XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I disputed the account thru the consumer reporting agencies. 

On XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I received notification from the consumer reporting agencies that JH Portfolio had falsely verified the disputed debt which had not been validated. 

I have exhausted every mechanism under both the FDCPA and FCRA for JH Portfolio to validate the alleged debt where if it was unable to do so, to remove the account from my credit reports. JH Portfolios conduct has been so careless, reckless, malicious, abusive, false, and constitutes unfair practices that includes, but is not limited to, the following : ( a ) Violation of the FDCPA 15 USC 1692g ( b ) in that they verified a debt that was disputed but not validated which is the failure to cease collection of a debt. 
( b ) Violation of the FCRA 15 USC 1681s-2 ( b ) ( 1 ) ( A ) in that they failed to conduct a reasonable investigation with insufficient records to rely upon.
( c ) Violation of the FCRA 15 USC 1681s-2 ( b ) ( 1 ) ( E ) in that they failed to delete inaccurate information or information that can not be verified.
( d ) Violation of the FDCPA 15 USC 1692e ( 2 ) ( A ) in that they failed to delete unsubstantiated information which is the false representation of the character, amount, or legal status of the debt. 
( e ) Violation of the FDCPA 15 USC 1692e ( 5 ) in that they are attempting to collect a disputed debt which is the threat to take action that can not legally be taken.
( f ) Violation of the FDCPA 15 USC 1692e ( 8 ) in that they communicated information which is known or which should be known to be false, ( g ) Violation of the FCRA 15 USC 1681s-2 ( a ) ( 5 ) in that they failed to mark the disputed account as disputed, and ( h ) That the foregoing actions constitute a false or deceptive means to collect or attempt to collect a debt, in violation of the FDCPA 15 USC 1692e ( 10 ).

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation