Consumer complaint received 2020-05-21
Company: PORTFOLIO RECOVERY ASSOCIATES INC
State: LA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: I do not know
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not yours

Complaint:
Around XX/XX/XXXX, I received a credit monitoring alert stating that a new account had been reported to my credit. I discovered then that Portfolio Recovery had listed a collection account on my credit reports. I sent PRA written notice of dispute at that time. I received no response. 

Since that time, PRA has continued to report this disputed and unsubstantiated account on all three of my credit reports. In XXXX of this year, I received a collection phone call from PRA. This was the only communication from PRA that I had ever received aside from their reporting on my credit. During the phone call, I again stated that this is disputed, and asked why Portfolio chose to ignore my dispute. PRA claimed -- as it still does to this day -- that they never received such dispute. Even so, as of that phone call on XX/XX/XXXX, PRA was well aware that this account is disputed. During this phone call, I was transferred to a supervisor, and he informed me that because he could see where I disputed two prior accounts with PRA -- both of which turned out not to be my responsibility -- he had no reason to doubt my saying that I disputed this one in the same manner. 

Important to note -- PRA claims that this is the first communication they have had with me. As such, this communication triggered the five day notice requirement found in 15 U.S. Code 1692g. This notice was never sent to me. 
I had heard nothing from PRA, aside from them noting on my credit reports that the account has been disputed by consumer. So, I called PRA back on XX/XX/XXXX, to check into the status of my dispute. The first agent I spoke with called me a liar and said that the supervisor I had spoken with on the last call had no idea what he was talking about. Sick and tired of the bullying attitude and dishonesty, I asked to be transferred to a supervisor, I believe her name was XXXX. XXXX informed me that PRA puts an internal time frame on answering disputes, and because XX/XX/XXXX had not arrived yet, even though she claimed my dispute investigation was complete, PRA had not yet sent me the results of that investigation. She claimed she could see it all in front of her. But for whatever reason, I was not notified and nothing had been sent to me. 

I filed a complaint with the XXXX. PRA responded by telling the XXXX  that the investigation results were mailed out to me on XX/XX/XXXX. Now, nine days later, I have not received anything. I've sent mail clear across the country last week and it arrived, in multiple cases, within 3-4 days. But mail going a much shorter distance still has not arrived after 9 days? I'm not buying this. 

Incidentally, PRA is still under a CFPB consent order, entered into in XX/XX/XXXX, which was put in place to address the abusive and illegal practices that this debt collection firm uses. Apparently, despite that consent order, little has changed at PRA. 

PRA has violated FDCPA in numerous ways -- -- attempting to collect a disputed debt without honoring the dispute -- behavior which has the natural consequence of harassing, abusing or annoying the consumer -- failing to provide the required 5 day notice of rights to the consumer after initial communication -- reporting a disputed and unsubstantiated debt on a consumer 's credit reports I have suffered actual harm due directly to PRA 's actions, in the form of denial of credit and increased costs of credit. Apparently the {$8.00} XXXX penalty PRA was ordered to pay was not enough. 

This started simply enough, I disputed an account that even the supposed original creditor told me they knew nothing about. In fact, we have been customers of that same original creditor in good standing since before this alleged account supposedly originated. We still are to this day. PRA needs to follow the law and stop playing games that cost people money for no good reason.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation