Consumer complaint received 02/28/2017 about Debt collection (Other (i.e. phone, health club, etc.)) with Ability Recovery Services, LLC (MD).
Issue: Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not mine

Complaint: Dating back to XX/XX/XXXX, I had signed up to attend classes at XXXX College in XXXX, Ga. However, when I found out that any credits earned could not be transferred because of their non-accreditation status, I had cancelled the registration, which I thought was the end of this. But for years to follow, I had received collection letters from agencies trying to collect on the full tuition. Needless to say, letters of explanations had gone out and no further contacts were received. I even called the school again to remind them that I cancelled my classes before they ever began. 

A few years later, on XX/XX/XXXX, I had gone to my PO Box to find a letter from Ability Recovery Services , LLC stating they were collecting on this old frivolous claim. Well, due to my work schedule, I could n't respond right away. 

On the evening of XX/XX/XXXX, I received an ALERT from XXXX stating I had a new collection added to my credit file. 

On Saturday XX/XX/XXXX, I called XXXX College and spoke to a rep in the billing office to discuss what is going on. the conversation ended-up resulting in a discovery that their employee never updated the records when they should have, and I should have paid an early termination fee of {$110.00}. Needless to say, I paid them the {$110.00}, which allowed the women to update the notes to reflect there was no outstanding balance on the account. 

On Monday XX/XX/XXXX, I called Ability Recovery to update them on the information and to inform them on not only the misuderstanding of what happened with XXXX College, but also instruct them to remove their collection notices on my credit file. A copy of the receipt paid to XXXX College was forwarded to them. 

In communication with the rep from Ability, I was told they could not and will not remove the account until further investigation is conducted and that it could take a few weeks once they determine whether or not the account is valid or not. And at that point, I reminded them of the penalties that could be imposed for them reporting inaccurate information on credit files, which did n't seem to matter. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I joined XX/XX/XXXX and noticed that Ability Recovery Services , LLC had placed a collection notice on my credit file back in XX/XX/XXXX, which indicated that the account was closed, but still showing an upaid balance of {$1000.00} On XX/XX/XXXX, I opened-up disputes with XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX against Ability to have them remove these negative marks on my credit files. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX sends me a noticed indication a change on my credit file. That said, I logged into my account and saw that Ability had flagged the collection as UNPAID, which still shows a negative balance of {$1000.00} ; this mark is shown on both my XXXX and XXXX credit files. 

In summary of this, Ability is fraudulently placing collection notices on people 's credit files ( 1 ) without giving them a chance to dispute it, and ( 2 ) keeping collection notices with balances on credit files when proof is provide that the collection is invalid. 

At this point, because Ability Recovery Services is falsely report a collection that does n't exist, I am demanded that they remove all collection notices and balance completely off my credit files, and to furthermore, cease and dismiss all collection efforts. Additionally, this company should be investigated for potentially violating the Fair Debt Collection Act.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation