Consumer complaint received 2021-01-07
Company: ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC.
State: OH
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Payday loan debt
Issue: Written notification about debt
Sub-issue: Didn't receive notice of right to dispute

Complaint:
I was contacted by a voicemail left by a XXXX XXXX At XXXX XXXX.XXXX. ( vm attached ) on XX/XX/2021 Upon receipt of This voicemail I Proceeded to call the number provided ( ( XXXX ) XXXX XXXX ). A woman by the name of XXXX answer the phone around XXXX XXXX. on the same day Inform me that I had a outstanding balance with lone that I took out. I informed her That I had no knowledge of any loan that I had out. I Notified her that I would like their address So that I may send them a letter requesting a validation of debt as I was unaware of any debt I had. She stated that she was with a company called Midland and and they were not a collection agency however they were just charged with locating and contacting me. I stated to her that I was unaware of any debt that I like some more information on it so that I may do my research. I also stated that I had the right to request a validation of debt. She responded by saying that she was not going to talk to me about it that I would have to talk to her manager. About time I was transferred over to a XXXX XXXX who claimed he was the director and that their client XXXX XXXX  Had contracted them to locate me. I notified Mr. XXXX why The previous representative transferred myself to him And I was requesting an address so that I can send a validation of debt. He stated I should have known I had a loan with XXXX  XXXX and if I wanted to talk to them I would have to look up their number myself and call them. Mr. XXXX then informed me that it was pointless to contact XXXX  XXXX  directly because they wont to talk to me And if I wanted to discuss it I would need to contact a XXXX XXXX  that they were the collection agency and he provided me the number to that company. I notified Mr. XXXX at this time that i needed to do my due diligence and contact the company for validation. I proceeded to contact XXXX XXXX and was informed that I did indeed have a debt and that it was sold to a XXXX XXXX XXXX  and was provided a number. I proceeded to Contact XXXX XXXX XXXX and was informed that they no longer had the debt and it was transferred to a XXXX XXXX XXXX and was provided a number for them. I contacted XXXX  XXXX  XXXX and was informed by them that my account was sold to the XXXX XXXX company. I contacted the XXXX XXXX  and spoke with a XXXX there. She informed me that they did not currently have the debt and it was sold to Midland. At this time I contacted Midland again and requested to be transferred to Mr. XXXX again via his extension that was provided to me during the previous contact. I notified him of the contacts that I had made and what was discussed with the other companies. He replied with " so you know its yours now? '' I replied that I did not, that the only thing that XXXX  told me what that they sold the debt to Midland and that could not verify ownership any longer as it was sold. Mr. XXXX told me that they shouldn't have told me that and that they ( XXXX ) own the debt and they were just trying to help me " make it Right ''. I asked Mr. XXXX what XXXX it right meant? He Stated that if i wanted to take care of it, they would stop the XXXX Officer. I then asked him if they were the Debt Collector? He again stated that they were not the Debt Collector, that they were just going to help me take care of it. At that point I again stated that i would like to know what that meant, and if that meant that I could pay them? He stated that if I was offering to pay it that I was admitting to ownership. I denied that I was admitting to ownership and all I was asking for was the proof that they were legally aloud to collect the Debt under the FTC. He Replied with " here we go, sounds like you have been on XXXX. You don't know what you are talking about! '' Mr. XXXX again stated that we can just take care of this right now. I replied with " I am not even sure what i am taking care of. '' He replied with " come on man. '' I then informed him that if they were truly the collectors of the Debt and it was correct that I was interested in fixing it. However I was not even given an amount yet. '' Mr. XXXX at this point became very agitated that I kept requesting an address to send a verification request. He would no longer let me speak and just kept repeating " just pay it '' and " you should know it yours ''. I continued to inform him that I would like to verify that the information was accurate before I continued. He then advised me check my bank account and that was all the verification that I needed. I informed him that I was simply trying to confirm the information because of the number of different companies that i contacted and all of them stated they sold the debt. He again replied that it was a waste of my time because I knew I went and took out a loan and should remembered it. I informed him again that I wanted verification and reminded him that he stated that he was not the debt Collector and that I was just trying to protect myself. He Replied with " but I will give you a receipt ''. I again informed him that a Receipt was not enough and that I needed to Verify it. And if he was a debt collector than he needed to provide that information to me. Mr. XXXX again stated he was not a debt Collector. I asked what they were then? He replied " that they were not a debt collector '' I asked Mr. XXXX if they were a law firm? His response was " did I ever say we were Lawyers? '' I replied " no, I am just trying to find out what's going on and who i might be possibly paying. '' Mr. XXXX again responded with " so you are admitting the debt is yours? '' I replied with " no that what I am Trying to verify. '' Mr. XXXX then Proceeded to go on an undistinguishable rant about obvious legal action. and being served. I stated that I did not want that to happen, that I just wanted to verify that I am paying the right person. Mr. XXXX again stated that he was not going to provide that information. I responded that unless midland could provide verification that i had nothing further to add. Mr XXXX Became very upset and told me to just pay it, just pay it. you know its you, just pay the XXXX loan. and Then Mr. XXXX Disconnected the call.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation