Consumer complaint received 2016-02-27
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed — Debt was paid
Company: ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC. (TX)

I am being threatened by a debt collector whom I believe is intentionally breaking the law. In pursuit of a non-existing debt. 
My most recent correspondence with this company is as follows. 

XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX, Texas XXXX RE : Creditor Midland Funding LLC Paid Debtor : XXXX Account No : XXXXXXXXX In Response to your communication of XXXX 2016 The FDCPA states that ANY person/lawyer or firm that is hired to collect on a debt, is considered a debt collector and falls under the rules of the FDCPA. 
The federal and many states ' law require that financially distressed consumers not be abused, deceived, lose their privacy, or be treated unfairly. 
You have called me and my extended family members using intimidation, talking with my friends and family about a debt. Without my permission this is illegal. Talking to them about non-existing debt is slanderous. Making harassing telephone calls and threats to sue on a debt that was paid, or no longer owed due to settlement is illegal. ( such is the finding when a debt collector and debtor settled a debt, and then the debt collector instituted litigation on the same debt ) Have I been mislead? 
In our documented agreement. 
You wrote up the settlement with an amount that was much closer to the original debt, as it was closer to the original debt before all the add ons, I accepted the mutually agreed amount of {$6700.00}. I paid that full amount agreed upon within the time frame you had given. 
I am not trying to get out of paying my bills, however I will not pay money I do not owe. 
This agreement states that if I make payments totaling {$6700.00} in a timely manner ( within the time frame you gave me ) the original note will be marked as paid and returned to me, and any remaining balance would be forgiven. I did as you asked. It now appears that you have failed, on your end, to mark the original note as paid, and return it to me, as you stated in your letter, that you would. 
Instead you have called me, and extended family members, leading family to believe I was in trouble with the law. All in trying to collect on a debt by your agreement is no longer owed. 
The correspondence written XXXX XXXX, 2016 is confusing. 
It shows that I indeed paid the {$6700.00}, ( the settlement amount that I also have in canceled checks ), written to and cashed by XXXX XXXX. It reads as though you are attempting to collect even more money. Money that is not owed. 
I dispute and deny this debt, as I will dispute any continuance of this matter. As you can plainly see, positively this is a mistake, by someone in your office. 
This information will now clear that up. I have done all that I was asked to do by your office. 
If you continue to seek force, and threaten to extract money I do not owe, I will have no other choice but to seek outside help to resolve this matter. 
You may contact me in writing to advise me that your debt collection efforts are being terminated, or that you are or the creditor are taking specific actions allowed by the FDCPA or Texas laws.