Consumer complaint received 2017-01-04
Company: PORTFOLIO RECOVERY ASSOCIATES INC
State: CO
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: I do not know
Issue: Disclosure verification of debt
Sub-issue: Not given enough info to verify debt

Complaint:
I have been contacted by Portfolio Recovery Associates LLC stating that they are the new owner of an account ending in XXXX. I have reached out to them by phone asking them to provide physical documentation of this debt, meaning a signed agreement between me and XXXX or XXXX XXXX XXXX. Instead they want to send me a letter saying they are the new owners. XXXX I never entered into any agreement of contract with Portfolio Recovery Associates. I gave them 30 days by law XX/XX/XXXX to produce the physical documents needed to verify this debt and to show this debt is mine. Their letter also states that HSN has in fact closed and charged off this debt, whatever that debt would be. I have also asked this company to produce valid proof that they even have the right to collect on this debt in the State of Colorado. They have ignored my request and have failed to respond to me in a timely fashion. They are saying that I owe a debt of {$400.00} if this is the case please produce a signed agreement showing that I entered into a legally binding contract with XXXX. I have called XXXX and they can not show anything on their end to support this company contacting me or stating that I owe a debt. As a 3rd party collection agency, meaning not the original creditor, this shows that Portfolio Recovery Associates LLC has apparently bought this debt for pennies on the dollar and are now trying to say that I owe this debt which in fact without proper physical documentation meaning a signature page of a contract I am afraid they are trying to say I owe a debt when in fact I do not. Unfortunately there is a lot of companies that say they have a right to collect a debt but without physical verification it becomes hard for me to believe a letter just being sent to me out of the blue. Also since they are a 3rd part collection agency that has to adhere to the FDCRA, I am asking that proper procedure be followed. I do not deal with 3rd party collection agencies, I do not pay a debt to someone that I never heard of nor agreed to pay, by them sending me a letter stating that this is an attempt to collect a debt, that translates into them wanting to do me financial harm. Since this debt can not be validated with proper documentation I will ask that they cease and desist with all collection activity, if they have reported any of this to any of the XXXX major credit bureaus I will ask that they remove that collection immediately if not they are breaking the law by not providing documentation that this debt exists and is mine. I am asking that they also comply with all state and federal laws. It is my right under section 609 of the FCRA to ask for proper verification meaning a signed contract. If they purchased this debt since they say they are the new owners and that XXXX or XXXX XXXX has closed or charged off the debt that means that legally no debt from the original creditor exists at this time, then they would have bought the original signed contract showing a legal debt and legal obligation to pay. If this is once again, not given to me within the proper days allotted by law then I will ask that Portfolio Recovery stop all collection attempts, remove all information from my credit report and never contact me again either by phone or in writing. If they do not do this then I would ask that a full and immediate investigation be started, as well as a formal complaint with the State Attorney generals office will be submitted accusing them of detrimental harm to my financial well-being. What I am asking for is not unreasonable, and is an attempt to verify a debt and any and all information obtained will be used for that purpose. You know are on the clock.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation