Consumer complaint received 2021-12-11
Company: PORTFOLIO RECOVERY ASSOCIATES INC
State: OH
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Communication tactics
Sub-issue: You told them to stop contacting you, but they keep trying

Complaint:
In XXXX of XXXX, I took out a {$2000.00} loan with XXXX Bank to have dental work done through XXXX XXXX in XXXX, Ohio. The terms of the loan specified there would be no interest until XX/XX/XXXX. 

After taking out the loan, I learned that my XXXX insurance through XXXX University included a dental discount plan, and the dentist reduced the estimated cost of my dental work to just over {$1600.00}. I was ensured just under {$400.00} was immediately returned to the lender. 

After just a single filling was completed, at a cost of just over {$300.00} before my dental discount, I learned I was pregnant and could not finish the dental work we had planned. I was promised the remaining money would immediately be returned to the lender. 

In XX/XX/XXXX, I made a {$200.00} payment to the lender, XXXX Bank. 

In XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX Bank charged me interest, against the terms of the loan. I made a {$130.00} payment and called to find out why interest was charged. I was told my XXXX payment had been held, rather than being cashed, until after the due date, and so now XXXX was permitted to charge interest under the terms of the loan. I asked about the dental discount and the funds that were returned to them, and they claimed they received nothing. 

I called XXXX XXXX, and they said they had reduced the cost of my filling to just over {$100.00} and returned all the remaining funds to XXXX Bank. 

I wrote to XXXX Bank about this and did not hear anything else until I checked my credit report in XXXX, when a collections agency began listing the full debt plus interest as originating in XXXX. 

I disputed that item, and it simply reappeared months later under another collection agency 's name. I attempted to dispute it again, but was told I could only dispute that debt once, and all I could do after that was note the dispute on my report. 

In XXXX, the debt became listed under XXXX -- Portfolio Recovery Associates, another collections agency. Once again, I disputed the debt. Once again, I was told that wasn't permitted because it had been previously disputed, and all I could do was note my dispute on my report. 

I went through the same process in XXXX and XXXX. 

Finally, this year, XXXX, the bogus debt was removed from my credit report. Apparently, despite claiming that it originated in XXXX for 5 years, there was proof that it actually originated in XXXX, and can no longer legally be included in my report. 

Portfolio Recovery, however, began barraging me with harassing phone calls from seemingly endless different phone numbers immediately after the debt was removed from my report in XX/XX/XXXX. At first, I patiently asked that they no longer call my phone over a XXXX debt that I never owed and they can not collect. The call volume only increased, coming from more and more phone numbers. I began blocking every call from the company, and the volume increased even more, with even more phone numbers being used. Today alone, Saturday, XX/XX/XXXX, I have received calls from 11 different numbers beginning at XXXX Eastern time, with some numbers calling my phone 2-3 times a piece.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation