Consumer complaint received 2024-10-24
Product: Debt collection — Credit card debt
Issue: Written notification about debt — Didn't receive notice of right to dispute
Company: United Collection Bureau, Inc. (GA)

Dear Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, I am submitting this formal complaint regarding United Collection Bureaus ( UCB ) continued failure to provide proper debt validation in accordance with federal law. Despite my timely request for debt validation pursuant to 15 U.S.C. 1692g ( a ) under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ), UCB has failed to comply with the necessary legal requirements.

Legal Violations : 1. Failure to Provide Sufficient Debt Validation under FDCPA ( 15 U.S.C. 1692g ( b ) ) : Under 15 U.S.C. 1692g ( a ), once a consumer disputes a debt or requests validation, a debt collector is required to provide adequate verification of the debt. This verification must include : Proof that the debt is valid, such as a copy of the original agreement or contract creating the debt ; ( UCB has verified this requirement ) A breakdown of the total debt amount showing principal, interest, fees, and other charges ; ( UCB has verified this requirement ) Documentation showing the legal right of the debt collector to collect the debt. 
The 36 pages of account history provided by UCB do not satisfy these requirements. They did not furnish documentation showing proof of assignment or purchase of the debt from the original creditor, XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, nor did they provide a copy of the original signed agreement or contract. Without these, UCB can not demonstrate their right to collect the debt. 
Case Law : In XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, the court held that a debt XXXX failure to provide proper verification of the debt, including sufficient documentation to prove the debts validity, constitutes a violation of the FDCPA. Similarly, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  reaffirmed that collection efforts must cease until debt validation is properly provided. 
2. Violation of Credit Reporting Obligations Under FCRA ( 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2 ) : Despite my dispute of the debt, UCB has not updated my credit report to reflect that the debt is being disputed, which violates the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2 ( a ) ( 3 ). This statute mandates that a debt collector must inform the credit reporting agencies of a consumer dispute within 30 days of receiving notice of the dispute. Failure to do so is a violation of the FCRA and could further damage my credit score.

3. Failure to Comply with Debt Collection Cessation Requirements ( 15 U.S.C. 1692g ( b ) ) : According to 15 U.S.C. 1692g ( b ), once a consumer disputes the debt in writing, the debt collector must cease all collection activities until proper validation is provided. However, UCB has continued reporting the debt to credit bureaus despite failing to adequately validate the debt. Their actions represent a continued violation of federal law, as demonstrated in XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX where the court reaffirmed that collection efforts must cease until appropriate validation is provided.