Consumer complaint received 2016-07-16
Product: Debt collection — Other (i.e. phone, health club, etc.)
Issue: Disclosure verification of debt — Not given enough info to verify debt
Company: Franklin Collection Service, Inc. (NC)

Upon trying to obtain credit I was notified of a collection account for {$180.00} on my credit report placed by Franklin Collection Service Inc. When I inquired with them who the creditor was they told me it was for XXXX service through XXXX. As I inquired further, I learned it was for a rental property I own in XXXX XXXX, NC ( I live in XXXX ). The internet ( through XXXX ) was in my name personally for several years. The bill was paid through an auto draft on my bank account. Then, last year a long term tenant moved in & got utilities in his name so I discontinued the XXXX service. The bill had been drafted and I received no further notifications from XXXX so I assumed all balances had been paid. I received NOTHING from XXXX. When I contacted them after finding out about the collection they placed they claimed they sent notifications to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( which is the address of the rental property ). I asked them to send me copies of letters they sent and never received anything. The tenant living in the home now is a doctor & is very diligent about forwarding anything he receives to me. The only item I believe was ever sent was a collection letter from Franklin collection dated XXXX/XXXX/2016 which was many months after the collection had been placed on my credit report. I am XXXX and have never had a derogatory item on my credit in over 27 years. I 've been in the XXXX over 25 years so I know the value & importance of maintaining a good credit history. This erroneously placed collection has dropped my credit scores from XXXX to XXXX points. In looking to refinance my home the damage this collection has done to my credit scores is going to force me to pay a rate that is .375 % to .5 % higher than my previously sterling credit would have gotten. I 've contacted Franklin Collection & XXXX on numerous occasions to straighten this issue out and all my pleas have fallen on deaf ears. My last communication with XXXX was on XXXX. After being transferred numerous times I finally spoke with a gentleman named XXXX XXXX. I told him I was happy to pay the balance they said I owed but I wanted this collection account DELETED from my credit not just marked paid in full since showing paid in full does n't restore my scores. XXXX XXXX assured me that if I paid the account in full he would send notes to Franklin Collection to remove the collection from my credit with XXXX, XXXX, & XXXX ( the XXXX credit bureaus ). I paid the {$180.00} and waited a few weeks to check my credit again. When I checked my credit I found out he did n't do what he said he would do. The collection showed as paid & 'consumer disputes account '. However, my credit scores remained unchanged since the collection was n't removed. My only goal is to get XXXX and Franklin Collection to do the right thing and removed this account from my credit history as they said they would do. Thank you so much for your help in getting this resolved. The account number used to file the collection is XXXX if this helps in finding the account in question.