Consumer complaint received 2022-12-20
Company: Lockhart, Morris & Montgomery Inc.
State: FL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Medical debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not yours

Complaint:
I am writing to alert the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau of a collections company that is violating my rights and not using proper communication methods when showing up on my credit report. I need the CFPB office to please look into my case. This LOCKHART, MORRIS & MONT account with a balance of {$73.00} has just popped up on my credit report without ever communicating to me. There was no written letter to me or calls to me so I can explain that they have the wrong person. They have recently just popped up on my credit report and I am not familiar with how they got my information or how they have my social security number. I do not owe this company and I Right now I am getting an alert on my XXXX XXXX and credit monitoring service saying my credit score has dropped tremendously. I can furnish the images of this alert showing the collections company. They are hurting me financially and this is a really big issue. To my understanding they must be compliant with laws and regulations that say they must write the consumer within days of the first communication. They are using my credit to communicate with me yet they NEVER wrote me before. If they don't write me then how could send me a right to dispute or explain my rights? Please review the original paperwork for this account. I request they send me a copy of this information to my address. I also request the original contract signed showing my signature along with all other pages of the original agreement. I am suffering damages because of this error. I have been a victim of ID theft before and I monitor my financial affairs very closely. To me, this seems like an instance of debt parking that I read about on the FTC website. The Federal Trade Commission has taken action against debt collection companies that allegedly placed bogus or highly questionable debts onto consumers credit reports to coerce them to pay the debts. They label this as DEBT PARKING. The Federal Trade Commission recently took action against a XXXX  XXXX XXXX and its owners, alleging that they collected more than {$24.00} XXXX  from consumers, largely by placing bogus or highly questionable debts on their credit reports. The defendants used this illegal debt parking to coerce people to pay debts they didnt owe or didnt recognize, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX of the F.T.C.s bureau of consumer protection XXXX said in prepared remarks about the agencys settlement with the company, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX I DO NOT HAVE ANY BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS COMPANY and I am concerned they have unethicality acquired my information and they are acting unethically with their debt collections. There is a process in law that protects consumers from these illegal actions. This account is lowering my credit score and if I am declined for anything, I will seek financial remedy by talking to a fdcpa lawyer.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation