Consumer complaint received 2019-04-23
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC. (CA)

My complaint is with Midland Credit Management based out of XXXX XXXX, CA. 

I have been harassed with phone calls from various phone numbers since XX/XX/XXXX of this year. I placed myself on the do not call list in XX/XX/XXXX and still receive calls. 

Some calls are robocalls that leave voice mails regarding student debt consolidation ( I have never taken out a student loan in my life ). Others are humans leaving messages about loan consolidation ( I have no outstanding loans ). Most of the time, they just ring and don't leave a message when I don't answer. When I do answer, if I hear it is a robot I hang up and block the number, but they seem to have an infinite amount of fake numbers to use to call and harass me. 

The phone numbers they are using come from all over the US : FL, MI, IL, CA, TX, NY, NJ .... etc, etc. They are literally calling from ALL OVER THE USA. I receive on average, 8-10 of these calls a day. All different numbers, all different cities. When I call any of the numbers back, I either get a busy signal, a message saying that this number is not in service, or an immediate robocall from that number back to my phone. 

Today, I received another call from a XXXX XXXX number that had been calling me all weekend and decided to pick up. It was a human ( XXXX accent ) who was attempting to verify my name. I refused to verify my name until I was told why I was being called. He would not give me any information and continued to aggressively demand that I tell him who I was and that I was being recorded. I told him to XXXX XXXX and take me off his call list. 

Then I called the number back. I got placed on hold and found out it was Midland Credit Management by their on hold recording. I asked the man ( XXXX  guy again ) who answered why they were calling me, but he refused to tell me anything until I would verify that I was me. I refused to verify my name and told him they have the wrong number and wrong person because I have no outstanding debt. I told him to take me off of their list, then he proceeded to start asking me more questions and I told him to XXXX XXXX and hung up again. 

Any old, unpaid debt I could even possibly ( even accidentally ) have had would have been resolved well over the 4-year statute of limitations in the state of CA. I haven't used any form of credit or taken out any loans since 2014 ( I was in an anti big bank phase ). I just got my first new credit cards and started using credit again last year- in fact, just before these calls began. My credit score is excellent with no outstanding debts. 

I do not know whose debt or what debt they are trying to collect from me because I XXXX  the company after the call and found out how many shady dealings they have had over the years. I am hesitant to discuss anything further with them without legal counsel. 

I am concerned, based upon the horror stories I have read online thus far, that they will continue to take further action against me and ruin my credit as a result. 

Also, I am concerned that they are either using fake phone numbers to trick or scam people or they are selling people 's phone numbers to scammers. I don't think it's a coincidence that all of this happened at the same time. 

Who else are they doing this to? There are over 495 complaints listed about them ON YOUR SITE ALONE!!! This is clearly business as usual for them and citizens should be protected! Consider the elderly and less educated people they are harassing and taking advantage of! They must be stopped!!! 

How does this company still exist and how can they be continuing to behave in this manner when they have already been sued, found guilty, and fined by you and various other organizations? 

I appreciate what you have done and are doing, but clearly, stronger actions need to be taken to ensure the safety and protection of our citizens. 

This company and companies like them are the scum of the earth.