Consumer complaint received 2024-05-07
Product: Debt or credit management — Debt settlement
Issue: Didn't provide services promised — 
Company: Rowland Avenue Management, Inc. A/KA Columbia Debt Recovery, LLC d/b/a Genesis (GA)

I noticed there was an inflated collections amount related to rent and moveout charges for an apartment I formerly had. The amount was inflated by over {$1000.00} and seemed to increase with each credit report by XXXX or XXXX or XXXX dollars without any explanation. I disputed this on each report and it came back as verified. 

On Thursday XX/XX/XXXX I spoke to XXXX XXXX XXXX of COLUMBIA DEBT RECOVERY LLC DBA GENESIS ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, WA XXXX XXXX XXXX. I discovered my account number XXXXAccount # XXXX. I informed him that the debt amount was incorrect and showed him the moveout ledger I had, that did not have the exorbitant reletting fee -- indicating I had broken my lease, when I actually extended it a few days with permission from the leasing office -- he then checked with his team and said he was authorized by the rental company reduce the amount to the number my records suggested and that it would be considered paid and full to the company and removed from credit reports. He then promised that I would receive a letter via email that stated as much and, if necessary, that letter could be presented to credit bureaus via a dispute to have the negative collective info removed faster than the initial XXXX day process. The email came. I made disputes with each credit union and I then on received several email from the collections company on XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX stating that : ORIGINAL CREDITOR : XXXXXXXX XXXX  PLACED FOR COLLECTIONS ON : XX/XX/XXXX Original Balance : {$3100.00} Current Principal : {$1000.00} Interest Due : {$2.00} Total Due : {$1000.00} Note, this differs significantly from the proof of payment and promise to remove email sent by the company originally and cc 'd with the agent XXXX that stated quote : " ORIGINAL CREDITOR : XXXXXXXX XXXX  PLACED FOR COLLECTIONS ON : XX/XX/XXXX Original Balance : XXXX Current Principal : XXXX Interest Due : XXXX Total Due : XXXX XXXX XXXX We acknowledge receipt of your final payment shown below : Payment : XXXX Date : XX/XX/XXXX This settles the account and releases you from any further liability regarding obligations to the original creditor. COLUMBIA DEBT RECOVERY LLC DBA GENESIS further agrees to request full deletion of any negative information supplied to any credit bureau regarding this account. This update may take 30-60 days to complete. 

If you have any questions, please contact the undersigned account representative. '' The second and third emails occurred after I had disputed the amount -- with copies of the letter above -- with XXXX and XXXX ; both collections agency first noted that the XXXX amount was valid and after a second dispute used the number in the second and third emails by the collections agency. 

After I received the final email on XX/XX/XXXX, I called the collections agency to see what was going on. They assured me that these were merely automated emails, the bill was not due in their system and it should be quickly removed with a dispute or in the routine 30 days or sooner. After that call, I received the results from my final dispute which again affirmed the XXXX balance, which essentially, the original erroneous balance, minus what I had pursuant to our agreement. This company has refused to honor our agreement and continues to communicate to credit companies that I have a balance, despite the letter promising the contrary.