Consumer complaint received 2021-07-29
Product: Debt collection — Payday loan debt
Issue: Written notification about debt — Didn't receive enough information to verify debt
Company: CURO Intermediate Holdings (TX)

I have tried multiple times and ways to obtain proof from Ad Astra Recovery over the past 18 months that I owe this debt. I have never received an initial notice of collections, including one in which that states I could dispute the debt. When I pulled my credit reports quite a while ago, I was surprised to see this debt and company. I do not recall every doing business with them or the original creditor. Upon learning of the derogatory trade lines, I first submitted my debt validation requests directly to XXXX XXXX, and XXXX  requesting proof of the debt, as they are the repositories reporting the information. I did not receive a debt validation, any proof of the debt owed, or a response at all from any of the three bureaus as a result of that request ; however, all three bureaus acknowledged my request by adding a statement to their respective Ad Astra trade line indicating " Account Information Disputed By Consumer ''. Ad Astra has since continuously called and harassed a family member. Ad Astra has been advised several times it is a wrong number for me ; however, Ad Astra continues to call them at the same number repeatedly. At this point, my family just hangs up when they call. I called Ad Astra today, XX/XX/2021, to request they cease calling my family and ask for a debt validation to be sent to me, as well as inquire why they did not respond to the dispute via the bureaus. The first representative advised me when they acquired the debt, they were given data only, but no copies of original documentation they could produce proving it's my debt and that I agreed to repay. That representative advised me I should file a police report for fraud. Due to being struck by a car and left with a XXXX XXXX XXXX, I did have some medical and miscellaneous bills fall behind, though I am unfamiliar with this one. I told her it would be unethical and illegal to file a false police report, and due to my XXXX XXXX XXXX, I would need to review their documentation to ensure the debt was or was not taken out by me. The representative advised me a fraud report or police report is just their policy, she was unable to assist further and transferred me to a supervisor. The supervisor advised that they could send me a " verbal validation '', which he explained is a letter from them stating that I owe the debt. I advised him that was not sufficient per FCRA, and I would need to see the documentation - note, promise to pay, security instrument, etc. - that was signed agreeing to repay the debt, so I could confirm if it was indeed mine or the result of fraud. The supervisor was rude and refused. When I advised him that I wanted to enforce my rights under FCRA, he indicated he did not know what FCRA is and that I was " just throwing out initials [ I ] saw on XXXX. '' Ad Astra has failed to respond to three separate credit repositories with a dispute and request for debt validation, they have continued to call and harass my family members with repeated calls to a number they have been notified is not for me, they have stated to me they do not have the debt validation documentation where I supposedly signed agreeing to repay the debt, and they have refused to provide me with a legitimate debt validation upon my request directly. I have exhausted all options.