Consumer complaint received 2025-04-29 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Telecommunications debt
Issue: False statements or representation — Attempted to collect wrong amount
Company: Harris & Harris, Ltd.
State: MO

Complaint narrative:
This collection agency contacted me via text message without my permission telling me that reads : Collector : RE : XXXX XXXX. Pay only XXXX XXXX of your balance. Visit XXXX XXXX XXXX or call XXXX. STOP to optout. 

I did click on the link only to discover that it was only pages of information about how to dispute a debt. I decided to dispute this debt by sending a debt validation letter request with what I needed to see to prove that this debt was mine and why/how I owed. I have no recollection of this debt and am trying to get to the bottom of it. I want to know why and how I owe this debt amongst other things about the debt so I sent a letter to this credit collection agency. 

XX/XX/XXXX Harris & Harris XXXX. XXXX XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX, IL XXXX To Whom It May Concern : There was a text message sent to me ( in which I gave no one permission to send messages to me ) concerning a XXXX XXXX bill that I guess is in collections that has no account number. There is nothing in this text message that connects this account to me. Also, there are XXXX other collection agencies currently trying to collect on this same debt. Under XXXX XXXX G ( my rights as a consumer ), I am entitled to asking any creditor thats accusing me of owing something to ask for a Validation of Debt. I need the following to be sent immediately to my email address and XXXX ) Documentation of the name of the original creditor as well as the name of the current creditor or owner of this alleged debt XXXX ) An itemized account of the amount claimed to be owed including the amount of the principal, the amount of interest, fees, or charges, and if the charges were imposed by the original creditor, debt collector, or a subsequent owner of the debt XXXX ) The last account number with the original creditor XXXX ) The date that this debt was incurred XXXX ) The date of my last payment on this alleged debt XXXX ) An original copy of the signed ORIGINAL contract, application, or other documents providing evidence of my liability and its terms XXXX ) Proof of chain of title to collect on this debt Thank you very much for your immediate attention. I look forward to your response in my email. 

Thankfully you * Letter # XXXX sent to Harris & Harris requesting Debt Validation for this alleged debt owed to XXXX XXXX * They sent me a letter dated XXXX saying that they did in fact call the original creditor and that the debt was validated. The letter sent is pasted down below. It had none of the information that could prove that the debt is mine, nor did it tell me why and how I owed the debt. 

" Our office is in receipt of your letter questioning the validity of the referenced account. We have notified our client XXXX XXXX of your dispute, and they have verified that the information is true and accurate. 

If you still dispute that you owe this amount, please provide us with additional details that will better assist us in getting this matter resolved with XXXX XXXX. Any documentation supporting your dispute would be especially helpful. 

If you require any additional information from our office, you may contact our team by phone at XXXX or by mail at XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX IL, XXXX. '' I thought that when debt XXXX go as far as placing items on your credit report, they must be able to prove that the debt belongs to the consumer and send any information requested. They sent none of the information requested, and placed this item on my credit report without even attempting to submit information requested by the consumer. It's very insulting to say that you called the creditor and they validated the debt but you have not sent me anything that backs your claims that I owe this debt. Here is a XXXX letter that I sent requestion the same information from the first letter. 

XX/XX/XXXX Harris & Harris , Ltd . 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX, IL XXXX To Whom It May Concern : Respectfully, your unauthorized communication via text messages began XX/XX/XXXX. No notice has been sent from you or your representatives prior to this text message validating this debt, nor has any validation been sent to me XXXX days after your initial text message to me. I responded with my letter disputing this debt on XX/XX/XXXX. Your reply is dated for XX/XX/XXXX ( over a whole month later ) and includes you saying that XXXX contacted the debt owner to let them know that I am disputing, and that they validated the debt to you, but you have failed to send me the details of the validation that you claim to have gotten. Well, congratulations to you and your team for notifying XXXX XXXX on my behalf! Seems like whatever the conversation consisted of satisfied what you were hoping for. As a consumer, I am entitled to a letter of validation with the information requested from my first letter. However, the debt validation was not communicated in this correspondence to me ( the consumer ) who is accused of owing this debt. What information exactly did XXXX validate in your private communications with them? Current creditor? Account balance? A principal amount? This is very basic information that really doesnt prove that this is my debt. 
Here are a few other things included in my debt validation request that you have failed to include in this letter : XXXX. An itemized account of the amount claimed to be owed including the amount of interest, fees, or charges, and if the charges were imposed by the original creditor, debt collector, or a subsequent owner of the debtWhere does these charges derive from? 
XXXX. The last account number with the original creditor XXXX. The date that this debt was incurred from its original creditor XXXX. The date of my last payment on this alleged debt XXXX. An original copy of the signed original contract, application, or other documents providing evidence of my liability and its terms XXXX. Proof of chain of title for you to collect on this debt Please send the verification in writing to me so that I will know that this is my debt. 

Thank you! 

I have yet to receive any of the information that I've requested to tell me how and why I owe what Harris & Harris says that I owe. This item was added to my credit report XX/XX/XXXX. I thought the law states that when a consumer disputes a debt, until the information requested has been received from the debt collector to the consumer, all collection activity must cease.

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