Consumer complaint received 03-06-2017 about Debt collection (Non-federal student loan) with Firstsource Advantage, LLC (CA).
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Attempted to collect wrong amount

Complaint: I 'm filing this complaint against XXXX. Back in XX/XX/XXXX I reviewed my credit report because I was in the market to purchase a home for my family. When I was looking at my credit report, I noticed that there was a collection to a XXXX for {$18000.00}. It said it was for a XXXX. I have only gone to XXXX college/university ever and that was to XXXX. I have been paying that loan for well over a year now trough XXXX/Dept of Education. 

When I saw this debt I disputed it with the XXXX credit bureaus. There is no way I could be paying XXXX/dept of education and still have to pay XXXX. I did this on XX/XX/XXXX. 
What I received was credit reports from all XXXX bureaus stating that this debt will remain on my report because it was verified. At that point I sent a written validation request to XXXX asking for an original contract. I sent it on XX/XX/XXXX. I never received a contract. What I did receive was an itemization of the charges I supposedly owed to XXXX with another bill. 

Afterwards I sent another dispute with the credit bureaus informing them I never received a contract to prove I owe the money XXXX said I did. Again the account remained. Because of everything that happened, I did some research about how debt collection works. After a few months I felt I had enough understanding of how things worked so I placed a call to XXXX directly and asked them point blank to provide me a contract. I did it on XX/XX/XXXX. I spoke with a XXXX and she said that she would request it for me and send me the proof. She also said she would call me back. I advised her that I knew that because they had already taken so long that this debt was no longer able to be collected for failure to validate but that I would wait for it and her call one more time. That call never came. 

Today, XX/XX/XXXX, I call XXXX and I ask where the contract is. I spoke with a XXXX and she said it has n't been received yet but that she would request it again ... I told her that I was fed up with their excuses and that I was told the same thing on XX/XX/XXXX and that I still do n't have the contract. I told her I also requested it in writing back in XXXX and did n't get it then either. I told her at this point I was demanding that she delete the account from my credit report for failure to validate the debt. She stated that deleting it from my report was not an option ... I then asked to speak to a supervisor. She transferred me to XXXX. 

I spoke with XXXX and told him the same thing I 've told everybody up to that point. I have not received a contract and now I 'm furious as they are credit reporting without validation for 6 months now. He tried to tell me that I never requested a contract and that it was not on any notes but that he would request one now. At this point I know that they are just playing games with me. I happen to have a recording of my conversation with their representative when I specifically ask for a contract on numerous occasions. Many other comments were made by the supervisor but he no longer had any credibility with me and so I only partially paid attention to what he said. In the end, their company is collecting a debt they have no validation for. 

XXXX. Unfair Practices. ( 1 ) The collection of any amount ( including any interest, fee, charge, or expense incidental to the principal obligation ) unless such amount is expressly authorized by the agreement creating the debt or permitted by law. 

They have no contract, they lied to me on the phone on numerous occasions, they have not validated debt after 5 months of requests, They lied to the credit bureaus by " verifying '' unverifiable debt. At this point whether they obtain proof or not does not matter anymore. They need to stop collecting this debt or I will sue.

Company public response: Company believes complaint caused principally by actions of third party outside the control or direction of the company
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation