Consumer complaint received 2015-07-18
Product: Debt collection — Medical
Issue: Disclosure verification of debt — Right to dispute notice not received
Company: Revenue Collection Bureau, Inc. (DE)

On XX/XX/XXXX, I mailed a money order in the amount of {$120.00} to XXXX XXXX for payment of a medical bill showing on our credit report. Enclosed with the payment was a letter of explanation to XXXX XXXX. Also on XX/XX/XXXX, I mailed a money order in the amount of {$150.00} to XXXX XXXX for payment of a medical bill for my husband, XXXX XXXX showing on our credit report. Enclosed with the payment was a letter of explanation to XXXX XXXX. 
On Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX, I called Revenue Collection to follow up on the XXXX payments since I had not received anything in writing as requested in both letters of XX/XX/XXXX. I spoke with XXXX XXXX who informed me that XXXX XXXX handles only municipal collections and does not deal with unpaid medical bills for collection. XXXX XXXX stated that the XXXX payments in question had been posted to fines imposed by the City of XXXX for non-filing of business tax return in XX/XX/XXXX. I requested documentation to prove that the medical bill payments sent to XXXX XXXX where applied to the City of XXXX. XXXX XXXX offered to write a letter stating the payments were posted to fines imposed by the City of XXXX for non-filing of business tax return in XX/XX/XXXX. I declined this offer as proof. I requested that XXXX XXXX send me an internal record that showed this transaction had occurred with the City of XXXX. XXXX XXXX stated that she would have to call me back the next day. 
I did not hear from XXXX XXXX on Wednesday, XXXX XXXX. Therefore, I sent XXXX XXXX an email requesting that the combined amount of {$270.00} be returned to us since they did not provide proof of payment to the City of XXXX. On Thursday, XXXX XXXX, I received an email from XXXX XXXX XXXX, VP of Operations for XXXX XXXX XXXX ( see copy of email ). XXXX XXXX states that the payments made to XXXX XXXX was my error. XXXX XXXX is the bureau listed on the report for the unpaid medical bills. 
On XXXX XXXX, I visited the office for City of XXXX business tax issues. A representative examined my file and found that no payments had been made by XXXX XXXX. 
According to Fair Debt Collection Practice Act 809. Validation of debts, ( a ) Within five days after the initial communication with a consumer in connection with the collection of any debt, a debt collector shall, unless the following information is contained in the initial communication or the consumer has paid the debt, send the consumer a written notice containing ( 1 ) the amount of the debt ; ( 2 ) the name of the creditor to whom the debt is owed ; ( 3 ) a statement that unless the consumer, within thirty days after receipt of the notice, disputes the validity of the debt, or any portion thereof, the debt will be assumed to be valid by the debt collector. 
The law does not specify which party needs to initiate communication. It is my position that initial communication with XXXX XXXX occurred about XX/XX/XXXX when the payments for unpaid medical bills were sent with letters of explanation. It is my position that XXXX XXXX should have sent written notice that the accounts referenced in the letters of XXXX XXXX were not in their possession. By law, this should have occurred within five days of the receipt of payment for the medical bills. It is my position that XXXX XXXX should have notified me in writing within 5 days of the receipt of payments for medical bills that they intended to pay the City of XXXX with the money orders clearly sent for a different purpose.