Consumer complaint received 2021-02-26
Product: Debt collection — Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was result of identity theft
Company: Adler Wallach & Associates, Inc. (MI)

In XXXX of XXXX, I was contacted by phone by AWA Collections about an outstanding debt totaling {$4500.00} from a XXXX XXXX XXXX that began in XXXX of XXXX and ended in XXXX of XXXX. I informed AWA that the debt was a result of identity theft and that the car rental and the debt was not mine. 

I was notified by my credit card company ( XXXX ) in XX/XX/XXXX of some rental card charges and immediately reported this as fraud. XXXX blocked additonal charges from being processed including when the car rental was returned ( it was abandoned at an alternate location and recovered by XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX ). I also informed them XXXX Credit Card opened and closed a fraud case in XX/XX/XXXX and notified XXXX XXXX XXXX of their judgment. 

AWA requested information to verify this and I sent them details including a XXXX invoice balance from XXXX  after the return of the rental, the letters from XXXX opening and closing the case as fraud, and an FTC Identity Theft report ( dated XX/XX/XXXX ) that I filed after AWA contacted me. 

I did not pursue identity theft charges or file anything with the FTC in XXXX of XXXX because I was notified by my credit card company that the case was closed. XXXX XXXX XXXX  also never contacted me after the car was retreived to pay the debt. The first I knew that it was still a potential debt was when AWA contacted me in XX/XX/XXXX. 

I submitted all documentation ( that I am also including in this report ) to AWA in XXXX of XXXX. This included details about the individual that was identified to have committed fraud and rented a vehicle online in my name and with my credit card. The reservation was made on the account of the identity theif, with their email, and business account number. The details are in the FTC Identity Theft report. 

In XXXX XXXX, I received a letter ( dated XX/XX/XXXX ) from AWA, again pursuing the debt. This was their first written notice to me about this debt. I contacted them again and explained the situation and they again asked for verification. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I sent a letter asking for immediate stoppage of the collection process by AWA and requested information required by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, including notifcations they have sent to XXXX  about my identity theft claim, and any supporting information that their client ( XXXX  ) was still in pursuit of the debt and proof they had that it was mine. I also resent all information that I submitted to AWA in XXXX along wtih this letter. The letter also stated to stop any credit reporting agency notifications about this debt and to cease contacting me about this debt, except for furnishing me the information requested in the XX/XX/XXXX letter. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I again was contacted by AWA Collections by phone about this debt. As of XX/XX/XXXX, AWA has not sent me any of the information I have requested from my XX/XX/XXXX letter. On that date, they called and harrassed me about making the payment. I notified them again that the debt was not mine, that I had sumbitted all proof to them, and ended the call. I will monitor how many times they contact me and save any voicemails they leave.