Consumer complaint received 2020-11-04
Product: Debt collection — Other debt
Issue: Written notification about debt — Didn't receive enough information to verify debt
Company: ERC (CA)

This company as do many collection companies buys debt that they've not verified has been disputed in the past with the debtor. The debtor is just trying to clear their books for XXXX to end in the black rather than red. They just think that they can buy it, start making harassing robo calls to the debtee & they'll scare the person into paying. Well they called the wrong person because that doesn't fly with me! I've been repeatedly getting calls from XXXX area code numbers that are in CA. Each time I didn't answer because I don't know anyone that answers calls for numbers they don't recognize. I've blocked all of them including the one that called today. When you try to call them back it says the number isn't valid. That tells me it's a scammer so it gets blocked. I spoke to XXXX  XXXX today who was very nice. We went through the verification process & she was able to tell me it was XXXX XXXX  XXXX. I told her not very nicely unfortunately, that I don't owe them the amount they claim ( more than {$400.00} ), I endlessly disputed the debt with them because one of their foreign reps with limited English comprehension skills lied to me about an email I received warning me my contract plan was up & to call for new rates. She said to ignore it that my rate didn't expire for another month. Turned out she didn't know what the heck she was talking about, it expired the month I received it, then I received a bill for above {$200.00}! I tried numerous times to resolve this including complaining to several managers. Not 1 tried to help. I complained to the FCC & their corp. office contacted me. That was a disaster in itself. None of them were helpful just rude! They never tried to call me when I was available even though I told them when I would be available ( obviously I was trying to resolve it ), they kept making calls to me when I wasn't able to answer my phone leaving XXXX  messages to cover their rear ends. I told them numerous times if they called me after a certain time I'd be at work & would not be answering my phone because my employer doesn't pay me to handle personal business on their time! They tried to make me feel guilty, which I didn't because that pay check was paying their bills!!! I left some pretty tart messages for them. They all finally admitted they have a lot of people to call ( no surprise due to their terrible customer service & error riddled billing system ) & only have until XXXX XXXX  to do it. Why couldn't they say that in the beginning?! Because it's XXXX XXXX  XXXX & thinking is not their strong suit. I got into an argument with with 1 who kept calling me. She nor any of them really tried to help. Each time she was more annoyed & I reciprocated. She wasn't going to belittle me under any circumstances! I don't tolerate that behavior from anyone. Eventually I quit taking their calls, we weren't accomplishing anything just getting into arguments. They just wasted my time to cover their XXXX  because they never had any intentions of helping. Around XX/XX/19 they cut off my service, then billed me for a full month service which I didn't have! I fought with them about that too. One of their managers in the XXXX lied to me saying she would credit the bill & adjust it to the few days which amounted to {$75.00} or so. She gave me her extension telling me to call her back, I did numerous times but she was conveniently never available or no one knew who she was. Again, standard practice for XXXX XXXX  XXXX! I got tired of trying to fix the problem. This went on for more than a month. I was in the process of moving & didn't have time to deal with them anymore. So when a collection person called me I briefed them on what happened, how I was treated & that until they corrected that bill to the right amount they would NEVER be paid! I maintain my stance on that to date! That's what I relayed in a shorter version to XXXX  XXXX today. I told her to tell XXXX XXXX XXXX to XXXX  what I XXXX  because it was never getting paid! If ERC thinks because they now own the debt that I'll pay them, WRONG!!! The bill is wrong & I REFUSE to pay an incorrect bill! I don't care who bought it! That's a them not a me problem. I told XXXX  XXXX that if they even attempted to damage my credit with this that I would not hesitate to sue them & I will for quadruple the amount + legal fees! ERC should've made sure the debt wasn't in dispute prior to purchasing it. I doubt XXXX XXXX XXXX would've told them the truth but it goes back to what I said, standard practice for XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX had more than ample time to resolve this with me, & it wasn't like I didn't stress myself out trying, but they refused, blew me off, cut off my service & I returned their attitude without hesitation! Until they fix the bill I will never ever pay it! Like I said let ERC damage my credit & I won't just sue them I'm going after XXXX  XXXX  XXXX  too! I did my part, XXXX XXXX XXXX refused to assist & now it's coming down to a law suit or ERC returning the debt to XXXX XXXX XXXX. They would be smart to send it back! I told XXXX  XXXX not to call again & I mean it. If I get another unauthorized call from ERC I will go to the FTC XXXX  FCC & report them for harassing robo calls & I'll keep blocking the numbers. If it gets too bad I'll call my carrier & report the issue to them as well! So ERC you lost by purchasing a debt you never verified is actually legitimate. If XXXX XXXX XXXX had worked with me this would be a non issue because I would've happily paid them directly. I'm not trying to skirt debt but I'm also not going to pay something I know is inaccurate either! It's the principal. By the way ERC has YET to send me any written communication! I never received any notification from them just a call. So what makes these idiots think I would begin to consider paying something for which I have NOTHING in writing confirming the legitimacy of their company, or the debt itself?????? Not sure what they're getting XXXX  on at that company but they are DEFINITELY XXXX!!!!! Since I never got anything in writing - ever, I have no account number to reference. So tell them to look for it! I used the address they have on file to assist them.