Consumer complaint received 2017-11-18
Product: Debt collection — Medical debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was paid
Company: COLLECTION SERVICES OF ATHENS, INC. (TX)

On or about XX/XX/XXXX, I received a call from an unknown lady that stated she worked for Collection Services of Athens and that I owed two medical collections (  {$2100.00} & {$4000.00} ) that they are responsible to collect. I responded that my attorney XXXX XXXX will be issuing a payment, we had just closed the case. The unknown lady told me to not to worry about it and I should not do nothing else. 

On or about XX/XX/XXXX, I received a letter to collection to two medical debits. I responded with a letter stating " Be advised this is not a refusal to pay, but a notice that your claim is disputed and validation is requested. Under the Fair Debt collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ), I have the right to request validation of the debt you say I owe you. I am requesting proof that I am indeed the party you are asking to pay this debt, and there is some contractual obligation that is binding on me to pay this debt to you and your company. I respectfully request that your offices provide me with competent evidence that I have any legal obligation to pay you, made pursuant to 15 USC 1692g Sec. 809 ( b ) of the FDCPA. 

At this time I will also inform you that if your offices have or continue to report invalidated information to any of the three major credit bureaus ( XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXX ),  this action might constitute fraud under both federal and state laws. Due to this fact, if any negative mark is found or continues to report on any of my credit reports by your company or the company you represent, I will not hesitate in bringing legal action against you and your client for the following : Violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Defamation of Character. 

I also asked for them to provide the following below and to date I have not received any of the information. 

Agreement with your client that grants you the authority to collect on this alleged debt. 
Agreement that bears the signature of the alleged debtor wherein he/she agreed to pay the creditor. 
Any insurance claims been made by any creditor regarding this account. 
Any Judgments obtained by any creditor regarding this account. 
Name and address of alleged creditor. 
Name on file of alleged debtor. 
Alleged account number. 
Address on file for alleged debtor. 
Amount of alleged debt. 
Date this alleged debt became payable. 
Date of original charge off or delinquency. 
Verification that this debt was assigned or sold to collector. 
Complete accounting of alleged debt. 
Commission for debt collector if collection efforts are successful. 
Please provide the name and address of the bonding agent for Your business in case legal action becomes necessary. Your claim can not and WILL NOT be considered if any portion of the above is not completed and returned with copies of all requested documents. This is a request for validation made pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Please allow 30 days for processing after I receive this information back. 

Instead they responded back providing a verification or proof of my mailing address, but not as I requested for VALIDATION of the said two separate debts and has continued to update the three major credit bureaus ( XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXX ) every month or two that they have had contact with me and keeping the date current. Informing inaccurate or invalidated information to the credit-reporting agencies is not correct and derogatory, has continued to this date, has negatively impacted my credit report. 

The debt has been reduced with the settlement with my attorney and funds mailed to the various creditors ( see attached letter from attorney ). I feel that any negative references to this account must be deleted and completely removed from my credit file and a copy of such deletion request shall be sent to me immediately.