Consumer complaint received 2020-06-22
Company: CONTRACT CALLERS INC
State: CT
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt was paid

Complaint:
TO WHOM THIS MAY CONCERN : During a XXXX  XXXX situation I had to leave the state of NY in a hurry. I didnt get a chance to closed or notify XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX company of my move. I lights stayed on for a time. When I got settle and was able to start paying my bills I started paying my old account online at the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX website. After making two payments I contacted the company directly because I realized that there was two different accounts with two different amounts. I called XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX   company directly and I was told that theres only one account. Somehow when my account had gotten shut off the system generated a new number for my account but the bill is the same. The issues was they had already sent my accounts to a Contraction Callers XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, GA XXXX, collection agency. I got the information reached out to them but they were very nasty and refused to settle or remove the collections off my credit report, with no good results looked through my bank account and realized that I already started paying on the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX company website. I asked can I pay them instead of the collection agency. The operator said yes. I asked will it be removed from my credit report and she also said yes. I asked can I get a letter saying that these accounts are no longer a debt and I owed nothing she said yes. I paid that day and she gave me credit for the amount I had already started paying online. I called the collection agency and informed them that I paid my debt and XXXX XXXX will send them conformation. The collection agency said when they received the letter from XXXX XXXX they will update my file but they will not remove the negative off my credit report and that it was up to XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX to do so. I waited for the letter. When I received the letter I called and gave the conformation numbers showing that my bill is paid. I waited for them to remove the information from my credit file. Its now XX/XX/XXXX. I paid off my debt to the original creditor in XXXX. I called the collection agency the end of XXXX and gave them the conformation number the end of XXXX. I watched as my scores dropped. I watch my credit report updated as late payments added to my account from the collection agency. I then saw a few weeks ago that the collection agency reported that one of my accounts was paid in full but now its late since the date of the original collection of XXXX. All this time no negative remarks was present on the collection from this collection agency. I called the collection agency and spoke to XXXX XXXX at Contract Callers INC and explain what had happened. I was reminded that had I paid my account it would not be in collections. I explain that I had a serious issue going on and I reached out to the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX directly and paid my account off. She stated that my account was not paid and I still owed {$970.00} reduced from the original Dept of {$1200.00} : the reduction was due to the payments I had already made online on XXXX   XXXX website via my old account. Miss XXXX continue to say that the letter that central sent to them doesnt say my account was no longer a debt. Now my credit report shows from Contract Callers INC that I have a recent collection not true this collection was from XXXX and that my recent collection was from 1 year and 4 months ago. The most recent late payment is this month XX/XX/XXXX. I paid this debt off since XXXX so I dont understand why they reported my collections as late. I called XXXX  XXXX XX/XX/XXXX and they said they would reach out to the collection agency. I own this debt Im not debating that, but I truly believe that before I paid the bill to XXXX  the collection agency refused to work anything out with me and refused to removed the debt off my credit report as a collection agency. After I paid I do believe that I caused them some pain because their actions towards me was maliciously done. They purposefully didnt update my account as paid until XX/XX/XXXX even though miss XXXX one of their customer service rep stated that they received the information from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. Which was not true. My report shows that on XX/XX/XXXX my credit report was updated as XXXX balance saying paid in full but the other account they reporting as owed {$970.00} and late payment history. I have never made an arrangement with them I dont understand why after my account was paid and I received two letters Contract callers continues to report my account. 
Original debtor : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX NY XXXX Debt Account Number : XXXX original amount : {$2000.00} XXXX second account owed {$1200.00} Both account are the same. 
Phone number : XXXX Collection Agency : CONTRACT CALLERS XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, GA XXXX Phone number : XXXX I need your help to resolve this issue and have the collection agency remove these lies from my account. I asking the agency to be reimbursed for the {$250.00} dollars I paid to the original debtor. I understand that this requires proof and I will gladly do so. 
Thank you XXXX XXXX

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation