Consumer complaint received 2015-10-16
Company: PORTFOLIO RECOVERY ASSOCIATES INC
State: MI
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: I do not know
Issue: Disclosure verification of debt
Sub-issue: Not given enough info to verify debt

Complaint:
XX/XX/XXXX, Portfolio Recovery Associates tried to serve me with papers for court at my parent 's residence. I contacted the lady serving the papers so she could serve them at my correct address. When I got the papers, that was the XXXX time I had been contacted by portfolio, to tell me they were taking me to court. I had not received mail prior to this attempt. 
The next morning, I called the Lawyer listed. I asked for verification because the amount they were charging me seemed ridiculously high. The lawyer said it was just fees and that if I did n't set up payments that day, I would be taken to court. I got scared and set up a payment plan that would come out of my checking account automatically every month. {$50.00}. My first payment was XX/XX/XXXX 
The conversation with the lawyer led me to believe we had handled this outside of court. A letter that XXXX mailed to me afterward also led me to believe this ( I will attach the letter ). Then, I get a notice saying I did not show up for our court hearing which was not in my jurisdiction anyway. When I got this letter, I called the lawyer and the courthouse, I went and filed a motion to set aside default. The judge ignored my request for verification of debt because XXXX ( the lawyers for Portfolio XXXX came with an affidavit signed by someone that was not even present. ( this is one reason they are currently being sued by others ) I truthfully did not recognize the amount I was being accused of owing. The judge told me to continue paying the {$50.00} as I had been. 
I filed my federal and state taxes. My state taxes did not come. I called to find out that Portfolio had withheld my refund. I NEVER got notice they were going to do this. Not before, not during and not after. 
One of the biggest issues, aside from feeling like I am paying well above what I actually owe, is the way they report inaccurately to my credit reports. I believe it may be different with each agency. For certain with XXXX, they are reporting as a " revolving account '' which shows up as " KD '' ( key derogatory ) which means I am getting reported as over 180 days late every month even though I am paying as agreed in court. They tell me that is a credit agency error and that I need to resolve with the agencies but all agencies assure me this is not the case. There is no transparency in this company and I feel like they word things to purposely confuse the client. 
I have asked Portfolio to correct the way it reports to my credit. They in return, made the situation worse by removing and re-adding which I felt was purposely done in retaliation. 
I have documents from Portfolio 's lawyer ( XXXX ) where they state " On or about XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX " Defendant '' ), entered into a Contract for certain credit with PORTFOLIO RECOVERY ASSOCIATES , LLC, XXXX " Plaintiff '' ) ... I never entered into a contract with portfolio. My contract was with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX is a debt buyer. 
Also, please see the letter attached. the Paragraph that begins " Pursuant to Defendant 's request ''. 
In response to this, they say I was making payments and or partial payments up until XX/XX/XXXX but they filed their motion a month earlier than that XX/XX/XXXX. I had already made XXXX on time consequetive payments by the time a judgement was entered against me. I have attached proof of those payments. The first XXXX XXXX XXXX ) was processed before they filed their motion on XXXX XXXX.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation