Consumer complaint received 08/30/2017 about Debt collection (Other debt) with AFNI INC. (AZ).
Issue: Written notification about debt
Sub-issue: Didn't receive enough information to verify debt

Complaint: AFNI, Inc contacted me in XX/XX/XXXX claiming I owe them for an alleged debt from XXXX XXXX from XX/XX/XXXX. I asked them to validate the debt and they sent me a letter from their company claiming the attached documents showed to validate the debt however all they did was attach old XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX phone bills. I asked them to provide me with validation according to the Fair Credit Reporting Act which is either an executed contract with true signatures of myself and their organization showing we have done business, or in the case of a third party debt collector, they must provide a chain of assignment as proof they legally acquired the debt from XXXX XXXX and every organization within the chain of custody. They refused to provide me with any further information. I then attempted to dispute this item with the three major credit bureaus ( XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX  ). I wrote each a certified letter with return receipt three times within the last four months. Each time each of the credit bureaus would conclude the information was verified and continue to report. I would follow up each dispute after the 30 day period and call. Each rep would tell me the same thing that basically it does not matter what I put on my dispute if AFNI responds and simply states the collection is validated and verified then each bureau would continue to allow them to report regardless if they have provided proof or not. On the third attempt at dispute however AFNI did not respond to XXXX and they have removed this item from my report. I also sent a certified letter with return receipt to AFNI a month and a half ago demanding validation of the debt before I submitted the third dispute to the three credit bureaus and AFNI has not responded to me at all. I called AFNI today before contacting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to give them a final chance to resolve this issue. They stated on the phone verbally to me that they do not have a signed contract nor do they have a chain of assignment. They simply stated they have a right to collect on any alleged debt because they have a license to do business in my state. They refused to cooperate any further. When I called XXXX and XXXX today to give them their final chance to resolve the issue they each came back with the same results. The XXXX representative even went so far as to tell me that it does not matter what I place in the dispute they will submit it to AFNI as disputing inaccurate information and as long as AFNI responds to them with a statement that says This account is validated and verified the bureau will continue to allow the collection agency to report to my credit account without any further investigation or proof. They knowingly allow this fraudulent activity to continue. I also have let AFNI and all three of the credit bureaus know that AFNI continues to report this alleged debt account as being opened on XX/XX/XXXX even though the XXXX XXXX bills they present are from XX/XX/XXXX. None of the entities will correct this incorrect aging of the account. 

Doing research on AFNI, Inc they are well known for their immoral and often illegal debt collection practices. They have a long history of consumer complaints about aging debt, collecting on invalid debt, debt that has already been paid, or debt that a consumer never had. On the CFPB site there is at least 1800 complaints on file, there are 732 complaints with the BBB, and thousands of other complaints on other consumer complaint and fraud warning sights. AFNI continues to operate outside of the FCRA and the FDCPA at the expense of consumers by way of damaged credit reports and ultimately higher interests loans and services and often times denial of credit, new accounts or even employment. 

I have attached proof of correspondence as copies of the certified return receipts to each entity as well as an example of an original dated letter to each entity.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation