Consumer complaint received 2021-08-27
Company: HSBC NORTH AMERICA HOLDINGS INC.
State: AK
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt was paid

Complaint:
I was contacted in XXXX ( not sure about exact date ) about a debt for a XXXX XXXX  I had in XXXX that was sent to collections and was told that I was being taken to court if this matter wasn't taken care of right away. I paid this card off I believe in XXXX. I explained this to to a man named XXXX XXXX with legal services ( XXXX ) XXXX case number they gave me was XXXX. I didn't think much of this at the time as I had a strong feeling something wasn't right. Later in the month my old employer was contacted and asked how to get ahold of me. I work at XXXX on XXXX so I am not always able to receive phone calls, texts, or emails. Again, I told XXXX I would get back to him and try to resolve the matter. But wouldn't be able to do so until I got home. Fast forward to the present. On XX/XX/XXXX I received a screen shot text from my ex-wife and I quote, " You are approved for a 1 hour hold! Please have XXXX XXXX. contact our office at ( XXXX ) XXXX and reference XXXX for extensions or to update a location documentation should be sent to. They also were calling and texting her daughter. They had my phone number. Why bother someone I haven't spoken to in 7 years? I then called ( XXXX ) XXXX and talked to a man named XXXX XXXX, who proceeded to tell me I owe {$1600.00} or I could settle this right now for {$560.00}. I wanted to see some paper work to prove this was not a scam and needed to be a 100 % sure. During this whole transaction Mr. XXXX was rude and condescending and at even one point called me a liar, then hung up on me when I suggested this was a scam. I then called Mr. XXXX back and asked how this situation could be resolved. he explained to me that I could pay the {$560.00} with a bank transfer, credit card, or debit card. I asked if a paper check was good and was told " NO '' it had to be one of the earlier listed. I then asked for some sort of proof again that they were a legitimate company. He then emailed me a XXXX Document and stated that if I didn't want to go to court and settle this I had to sign the document and pay them within the hour. This threw up all kinds of red flags for me. I then did some research on XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. # XXXX XXXX XXXX, Ca. XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX and found a whole lot of scam details written by other people. I also took the time to look at the statue of limitations in my state as well as California ( it isn't 20 years its more like 4-6 ) I then called my local police department and they transferred me to the Alaska State Troopers and I was told to wait on a phone call back from them. In the meantime I received another call back from Mr. XXXX wanting to know if I had time to review the document and was ready to take care of this situation. I told him I was waiting on a call back from my Lawyer ( lie ) and started to hang up on him and he told me " you're so full of it '' and I hung up. This has been the last of any contact with these people. Although at XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX I have received Spam Calls on my phone and will not answer these, only assuming it is someone from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. I will no longer have any contact with these people. they know the last 4 digits of my # SSN They have my Phone Number and Birth Date way too much information for my comfort. They are rude and unprofessional. I have delt with credit collectors before and have never liked it but have also never had other people, and or employers in my life be harassed. I'm not that hard to find. So why not get ahold of me directly? Also there is the debt itself, its upwards of 20 years old, how is this even possible to collect.? Its not even on my credit report, HSBC the company these people told me was the ones who generated all this 15-20 years ago, has no record of me because they cant go back that far in their records even told me this must be some sort of scam. It all started off sounding legitimate but has turned into harassing conversation No paper work ( except the XXXX which I will attach ) and unwanted phone calls to employers and family. So please put a stop to this kind of action.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation