Consumer complaint received 2021-05-17 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Payday loan debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: Debt Solutions Inc
State: AZ

Complaint narrative:
I received a call from a debt collection agency entitled " Debt Solutions, Incorporated '' stating that they had a debt for me that had not yet hit my credit but could shortly. I immediately asked what date they showed on the account as it was unfamiliar to me and the representative stated it was XXXX so not yet past the period they could collect. Again as it was unfamiliar to me, I asked to have a " Validity of Debt '' letter emailed to me which they kindly agreed to. Upon review it was apparent to me that they were not, and had not been, truthful. 

The letter indicated that account had been opened on XX/XX/XXXX, so 14 years ago! They had also indicated a charge-off date of somewhere in the XXXX era but the letter provided showed XX/XX/XXXX or a mere 3 months after the account opened. 

My initial response to the " VOD '' letter stated exactly, and I do mean exactly, the following : " I definitely dispute the validity of this debt and this correspondence should be considered my notification in writing as such. '' During the initial call in which I had requested the VOD letter, we had also arranged a follow-up call which I just received and which prompted this complaint now. The same individual that had contacted me initially was the one reaching out, and after quickly alleging the debt was not valid and that the dates on the letter didn't align with what they had told me the first time, I wasn't responsible for it. This prompted the agent to then transfer me to their " supervisor '' who immediately offered me a settlement for several hundred dollars. I repeated to this new person that even a settlement made no sense when all I was doing was disputing the validity of the debt itself. 

The " supervisor '' repeatedly said " you know this debt is yours and you have a responsibility to pay it '' to which I replied that I had stated numerous times including once in writing that I disputed the validity and that the dates on the VOD letter did not align with what I had been told by now two people from Debt Solutions, INC. '' He continued to say that what I was saying wasn't truthful and that further action would be taken against me. I simply stated that I disputed the validity and he continued to suggest that I was refusing to pay and that I had said as much. 

After that I injected legalese into the conversation to the effect that our words had ramifications and him saying I was refusing to pay had consequences and comparably my disputing the validity did as well. I said he was in no uncertain terms calling me a liar after which he simply disconnected the call. 

I would like to not be contacted by this company again and I am reporting their dishonest actions so this happens to fewer people. There are many people who receive calls like this that would simply accept the debt 's validity and pay it without asking for proof but the letter they provided indicated no such proof.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief