Consumer complaint received 2018-04-05
Product: Debt collection — Medical debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was paid
Company: Capital Accounts, LLC (NJ)

This company fraudulently put a collection on my credit profile even though the bill was paid. The initial bill was sent in error to the company, who claimed they sent out correspondences but also stated my account has been in collections since XX/XX/XXXX. However, my wife and the provider 's wife XXXX, have been in constant contact regarding the bill. The provider was advised to submit the bill to us via email so we can present it to our HRA to be paid ; unfortunately, the bill XXXX submitted more than once was denied payment because it was an unacceptable format. Since I moved during that time, I was unaware that they were not paid ; until we received an email from the XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX.  Immediately my wife contacted XXXX and provided her with our credit card over the phone, to which XXXX said she didn't know how to process the payment without the card being present. My wife then took off work and went into the office and paid the bill and XXXX gave her a card, wrote the amount and the word " paid ''. My wife then submitted that card to the XXXX for reimbursement, which was denied and had to go into the office for a proper printed receipt. During this time, we moved again and received a forwarded letter from Capital Accounts. My wife called to let them know this bill was already paid and believed this was an error since XXXX is elderly and spoke with XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX at  XXXX. XXXX asked for a copy of the receipt which my wife informed him then that she is still waiting for a proper receipt to present to our XXXX and XXXX then stated he would initiate an investigation to contact the provider to verify the information. Since then, my wife finally received the proper copy of the receipt and since we have not heard anything from Capital Accounts, we assumed they too were given confirmation of payment. However, on XX/XX/XXXX Capital Accounts confirmed the debt was still unpaid on my credit report. We called them back on XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX and spoke to XXXX, who basically tried to strong arm us into paying this bill again and was unwilling to do research to see if that investigation was ever initiated or if the provider ever received payment. He also said even if I paid it Capital Accounts  still had it as due and I would need to pay it to make it go away. We disconnected that call and called right back and spoke to XXXX at XXXX. XXXX was briefed on the same and stated he is unable to do anything but put in a request to contact the provider but the only other option would be to pay the bill and get reimbursed from the provider. This is affecting my credit and is unfair to me as a consumer since my wife and I have been in constant contact with the provider 's wife XXXX ; although she's older, there's no need for me to be penalized for either an oversight or negligence on the part of the provider 's office or the collection agency ; who should not have had my account as it was already paid. The fact that Capital Accounts refuses to verify the payment and is constantly suggesting I pay the amount in order to have it removed from my credit report is alarming and in my opinion a bullying tactic.