Consumer complaint received 2017-01-27
Company: PORTFOLIO RECOVERY ASSOCIATES INC
State: NJ
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Attempted to collect wrong amount

Complaint:
Back in XX/XX/XXXX, I called Portfolio Recovery regarding the payment arrangement because they began taking two payments instead of the one payment we agreed to every month. They concurred that it was a mistake, but that I can choose to continue the payments this way since it would lower my debt faster. I agreed then. 

I called a second time within the same period to discuss the credit reporting information for both the debts, XXXX and XXXX. I explained to PRA that it was reporting debt in delinquent status when I had paid one in full ( XXXX ) and the other I was paying down ( XXXX ). I also saw they were hitting my credit reports every month as a new account each time they received a payment. Each PRA account was in delinquent status and no payment arrangement was reported. I explained to PRA that the original creditors also have the debt on the credit report so PRA was reporting the same debt twice all in delinquent status. It was preventing my credit score from rising and hindering me from building or establishing new credit. For example, every time I rose a point the next month I got another hit from PRA and was knocked down XXXX points. The PRA representative said there was nothing he could do because that was the way the debt was reported and deferred me to the disputes department. 

I wrote an email to the disputes department and the PRA ombudsmen department explaining the situation. They said they would investigate the matter and I would be notified. I got a letter regarding the debt from XXXX that a request was made to delete the trade line for this account with PRA. I received another letter from PRA for the XXXX debt, that I had been paying down, attached with old statements verifying the debt and stating the investigation is complete with a new balance of XXXX. No mention about the credit reporting. 

XX/XX/XXXX, I get a call from PRA collections agent at XXXX demanding I pay the debt in full. I had no idea what she was talking about because I had a payment arrangement. She stated there was no record of a payment arrangement. I explained I had been paying the company for a long time and they just took money from my bank account on XX/XX/XXXX. She referred me to the supervisor who then explained as a result of reporting the dispute PRA deleted the payment arrangement and now I must make a new agreement. I asked about settling the debt and how it would get reported because that has been my concern this whole time. I only wanted them to report accurately. The supervisor said he could n't explain about how the reporting works but I should contact the disputes department. 

I emailed the disputes and ombudsman department once again. The ombudsman responded that they can not control how reporting agencies report information and there is nothing else they can do for me. 

PRA is now coming after me again for the debt that I was paying. PRA refuses to resolve this problem with me. My credit should not have to suffer because they have access to it. They are n't the original creditor and the original creditor continues to report the debt as a charge-off. I should not be penalized for disputing the debt and requesting it be reported accurately. As I stated to PRA deleting the payment arrangement because of my report does n't sound legal.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation