Consumer complaint received 2025-05-27 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC.
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
I am filing this complaint due to a series of escalating, unlawful, and retaliatory debt collection actions taken by Midland Credit Management ( MCM ), in direct violation of my rights under federal and state law. 

After receiving several weeks of repeated and harassing phone calls from MCM, I became aware of my legal rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ), 15 U.S. Code 1692g, to request proper debt validation, including the original purchase agreement or assignment from the creditor. I also exercised my right under 15 U.S. Code 1692c ( c ) to request that all collection communications cease, as I do not recognize this debt, and the limited information MCM has provided does not align with my credit report.

Instead of complying with my lawful request for validation, MCM mailed a generic legal collection notice and a XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX statement over XXXX XXXX weekend, after I had already sent a formal debt validation letter via certified mail. On XX/XX/year>, at XXXX XXXX, I contacted MCM by phone to address my concerns. During this recorded conversation, a representative explicitly stated that MCM does not provide validation of debts or purchase agreementsa clear violation of FDCPA 1692g ( b ). Additionally, I was told I was " being sued, '' although I have not received any proper legal service or summons, in violation of FDCPA 1692e, which prohibits deceptive or misleading representations regarding the status or legal nature of a debt.

Further compounding the issue are inconsistencies between the information MCM sent and what is reported on my credit file, including : Conflicting amounts owed Different names of the original creditor Multiple and inconsistent mailing addresses Inaccurate or mismatched identifying details These discrepancies raise serious concerns about violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), 15 U.S. Code 1681s-2, which mandates that all information furnished to credit bureaus must be complete and accurate.

Additionally, I have a documented history of identity theft and do not recognize or acknowledge this debt as mine. I did not authorize the sale, sharing, or disclosure of my personal information to MCM or its affiliates, potentially implicating privacy violations under federal and state consumer protection and data privacy laws, including but not limited to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.

It is important to note that I am currently recovering from major XXXX, which has left me temporarily XXXX XXXX XXXX significantly limiting my XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX  promptly. Despite my physical limitations, I made every effort to respond in writing. However, my correspondence has been further delayed due to the XXXX separate addresses provided for MCM, including : One listed on my credit report One listed on the mailed XXXX  statement One provided by the customer service representative One listed online and/or in public records This intentional confusion of contact information appears to be part of a deliberate strategy to evade validation requests and obstruct timely consumer communication, which may also violate FDCPA 1692e ( 10 ) ( use of deceptive means to collect a debt ). 

These tactics appear to be retaliatory, arising directly after I exercised my rights under federal law. The timing and manner in which MCM responded indicate an attempt to intimidate or punish me for asserting my legal protections. I view this not only as unlawful conduct but also as behavior designed to suppress consumer rights and mislead the public.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief