Consumer complaint received 2020-02-13
Product: Debt collection — Medical debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was result of identity theft
Company: TRANSWORLD SYSTEMS INC (AR)

RE : Account # XXXX, Former creditor account # XXXX To Whom It May Concern : This letter is to follow-up my previous written requests, made Wednesday, XXXX XX/XX/XXXX, and again on Saturday, XXXX XX/XX/XXXX, to dispute this debt in its entirety. 

I received a harassing telephone call this morning Thursday, XX/XX/XXXX, from an agent who initially refused to identify who they represented, saying only that they were calling for XXXX XXXX regarding a personal matter, and asked me to verify my date of birth or address. I continued asking who the agent worked for, and only after asking several times did the agent tell me she was with Transworld Systems Inc. 

I informed her that the account is question is not my debt. You are already aware. You have now reported to the credit bureaus that I have an account in default with you prior to the end of the 30 day window of my disputing the account and prior to re-contacting me in written form, in a move that could be viewed as illicit, neglected to inform the credit bureaus the account was in dispute. I repeat : this account is not mine. I have been the victim of identity theft. 

I have filed identity theft reports and/or complaints with the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and my local police. Thank you for correcting your previous illicit omission with the credit bureaus and for doing the right thing which you are legally obligated to do and reporting to them that the account is in dispute an action you should have taken in the first place, not after having been prompted by Consumer Financial Protection Complaint XXXX. 

Today your company escalated this situation with what could be perceived as harassment. Your agent failed to identify who she worked for, demanded I verify my birthdate and address, and became increasingly hostile in tone and approach. I reiterate my initial written dispute as to the validity of this debt in its entirety, which dispute I originally provided in writing on Wednesday, XXXX XX/XX/XXXX, and again on XXXX XX/XX/XXXX. I do not have any responsibility for the debt you are attempting to collect. 

I repeat from previous letter : Stop all other communication with me and with this address, and record that I dispute having any obligation for this debt. If you stop your collection of this debt, and forward or return it to another company, please indicate to them that it is disputed. 

Your multiple actions to date, including premature reporting to credit bureaus with the omission the account was in dispute, and your agents harassing call to me this morning, in the middle of the workday, in my place of business, could be perceived as a series of actions taken in bad faith and for the specific purpose of harassment in direct violation of the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act, including 809 Validation of Debts 15 USC1692g.

On a personal note, your persistent actions have driven my credit score more than 50 points downward into the grave, caused me to be blocked from receiving lines of credit for which I would otherwise qualify, and have triggered my documented XXXX  XXXX, for which I am now incurring new medical bills which I am paying, because I do owe them unlike this account, which is not mine, and I do not owe. 

All the best, XXXX XXXX XXXX