Consumer complaint received 2017-01-26
Product: Debt collection — Other (i.e. phone, health club, etc.)
Issue: Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed — Debt was paid
Company: Rent Recovery Solutions (GA)

On XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted the XXXX regarding a check I mailed to them ( signed by an XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX ). The check was for an old debt of {$3000.00}. The young woman who answered the phone told me she would locate the check and call me back. She called me back the same day and told me the check was returned to me via mail ( I still have not received this check to date ) because it was a personal check and I would have to bring a money order or certified check to pay the debt. On XX/XX/XXXX, I took a certified check to the office and asked for a receipt or letter stating I paid the debt. The woman went to speak to the property manager and district area manager regarding this. She returned and I was told they were not able to give me a receipt or letter because this was an old debt and I would have to contact the collection agency and get them to call their office directly so they could confirm I paid. During this time the young lady made a copy of the check for their records to place " in my file '' .On XX/XX/XXXX ( the same day ) I contacted a XXXX ( XXXX ext. XXXX ) at Rent Recovery Solutions to inform her I paid the original creditor ( XXXX ) for a debt ( account XXXX ) this company is listing on all XXXX of my credit reports. She asked me " why did I do that '' and told me " she would annotate my file that the debt was paid but would continue to report this debt on all XXXX of my credit reports. '' She went on to say " the original creditor hired her company to collect a debt and should not have taken the money from me because that defeats the purpose ; therefore, she will not be calling them to verify the information. '' Ironically, when she was attempting to collect on this debt with me ( calls on XX/XX/XXXX & XX/XX/XXXX ), in the past, she would say she had to contact the client to see the amount they were willing to accept ( each time a higher amount than the previous ) ; yet, she was not willing to call the original creditor " who hired Rent Recovery Solutions '' to verify whether of not the information " they '' are reporting is accurate. Also, this company has failed to respond to my requests in the past to verify ownership of this debt. Rent Recovery Solutions is a company hired by creditors to collect a debt ( not the legal owner of the debt ) ; so, there should be no issues with this company following up with the company that hired them. On XXXX/XXXX/XXXX I filed a complaint with the XXXX Better Business Bureau. On, XX/XX/XXXX I faxed a letter stating the issue to Rent Recovery Solutions, a copy of the original statement from ( XXXX ), and a copy of the certified check used to pay them. I received no response. On, XX/XX/XXXX I mailed the exact same documentation to Rent Recovery Solutions. On, XX/XX/XXXX a representative for Rent Recovery Solutions responded to my complaint with the Better Business Bureau stating they received the mailed copy of all of my documentation and would contact the XXXX and once verified would be report the account as closed to the bureaus. Reporting this account as closed would be inaccurate because I did not pay this company any money. They do not have the legal right to report this information. I paid the original creditor ; therefore, this information needs to be removed from all XXXX credit bureaus immediately. Needless to say, this company reported this account as derogatory with all credit bureaus on XX/XX/XXXX. This information is fraudulent. This company is abusing their power and holding myself ( the consumer ) responsible by damaging my credit because I chose to pay the original creditor. This is evident based on the phone conversations and their unwillingness to abide by the laws in place to help consumers.