Consumer complaint received 2025-12-04 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: NY

Complaint narrative:
I am submitting this complaint to request immediate assistance and regulatory intervention regarding multiple fraudulent Midland Credit Management ( MCM ) accounts that continue to appear on my credit reports across the three nationwide consumer reporting agencies. These accounts were not opened by me, were never authorized by me, and are the direct result of identity theft, which I have formally reported through the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ). Despite filing an Identity Theft Report, contacting the credit bureaus, and challenging the validity of these accounts, Midland Credit Management continues to report them as if they are legitimate. This continued reporting has caused significant financial, emotional, and legal harm, and violates multiple provisions of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), including 602A, 605B, 611, and 623. 

This filing represents a new case, as prior attempts to resolve the matter were closed without satisfactory resolution. I am providing full details of what happened, the actions I have taken to correct the issue, and the ongoing harm caused by these fraudulent Midland accounts.

1. Identity Theft Was the Origin of All Midland Accounts To clarify, I do not own any Midland Credit Management accounts, whether original creditor accounts or purchased debt portfolios. I did not sign contracts, open credit lines, authorize transactions, or use any credit associated with these accounts. The presence of these tradelines is solely attributable to identity theft. 

After discovering the accounts, I took immediate steps to verify whether they could have legitimately been connected to me. I quickly learned that : The original creditors listed were unfamiliar to me. 

The balances reported were inconsistent with my financial history. 

I had never received statements, notices, or communication about any of these debts. 

The dates opened did not align with my known activities, addresses, or financial behavior. 

Because none of the information matched my identity or financial history, I concluded these accounts resulted from unauthorized activity. 

2. I Filed an FTC Identity Theft Report and Took Steps Required by Law Once I confirmed I was a victim of identity theft, I immediately filed an FTC Identity Theft Report, which is recognized under FCRA 605B as a valid basis for the blocking of fraudulent accounts. This report documents the identity theft incident, including the unauthorized creation of accounts, and legally requires furnishersincluding Midlandto stop reporting the disputed information unless they can provide evidence proving the accounts are valid. 

I also placed : Fraud alerts Freezes Reinvestigation requests on my credit reports with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 

Even with these protective actions, Midland continued to furnish the fraudulent accounts without providing : A signed contract An original application Documentation showing I opened the accounts Evidence linking the debts to me This failure to produce evidence is a violation of their obligations as a furnisher under FCRA 623.

3. Midland Credit Management Is Reporting Multiple Accounts That Do Not Belong to Me There are multiple Midland accounts appearing on my credit reports under different account numbers, balances, and dates. Although the specific account numbers vary, the pattern is consistent : Each account reports as a collection account. 

Each account claims delinquency or charge-off status. 

Each account attributes debt to me that I never owed. 

All accounts originate from creditors with whom I never had any relationship. 

None of the accounts include documentation confirming ownership.

Despite already notifying Midland and the credit bureaus that I am a victim of identity theft, these fraudulent accounts continue to appear, harming my credit profile and violating my rights under federal law.

4. Midland Failed to Conduct a Proper Reinvestigation Under FCRA Requirements Under FCRA 623 ( A ) ( 8 ), furnishers like Midland must : Conduct a reasonable investigation Review all relevant documentation Provide verification of disputed information Cease reporting information that can not be verified However, Midland : Did not provide verification Did not provide an original signed agreement Did not provide documentation from the alleged original creditor Did not clarify chain of ownership, assignment, or transfer Did not provide details of the investigation or the method used Instead, Midland continued reporting the accounts, effectively shifting the burden of proof onto me, which is unlawful when identity theft is involved.

5. FCRA 605B Requires Blocking of Fraudulent Information Midland Did Not Comply Because I filed an FTC Identity Theft Report, the FCRA requires the credit bureaus to block the fraudulent information within four business days unless the furnisherMidlandprovides authenticated documentation proving the accounts belong to me. 

Midland did not provide such documentation.

Therefore, under FCRA 605B : The accounts should have been blocked The accounts should have been deleted No further reporting should have occurred Yet Midlands tradelines remain, meaning the law has not been followed.

6. These Fraudulent Accounts Have Caused Serious and Ongoing Harm The continued presence of fraudulent Midland accounts on my credit report has caused : Financial Harm Lower credit scores Higher interest rates Denied credit applications Difficulty
obtaining rental housing Inability to qualify for competitive financing Emotional Harm Distress and XXXX Fear of additional identity theft occurrences Loss of confidence in the integrity of credit reporting Reputational Harm Lenders may view me as chronically delinquent Potential employers or landlords may misinterpret my financial history Legal Harm False attribution of debt Improper collection activity Unlawful reporting despite identity theft evidence These consequences underscore the severity of Midlands failure to follow federally mandated procedures. 

7. Midland Did Not Provide Transparency into the Verification Method Under FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 6 ), creditors and furnishers must provide a Method of Verification ( MOV ) when requested. This means they must disclose : How the account was verified What documentation was reviewed Which data sources were used Whether third-party systems such as XXXX automated scripts, or manual review were used Midland has not provided any such explanation. 

Because identity theft is involved, and because no original documentation was produced, continued reporting is unreasonable and unlawful. 

8. No Contract, No Signature, No Chain of Custody Therefore, No Valid Reporting For a debt collector or debt buyer to report a debt, they must have : A legal right to collect A chain of title showing proper assignment An original signed agreement Evidence that the consumer authorized the account Midland has never provided : A purchase agreement Forward flow documentation Proof of assignment from the alleged original creditor Statements with my name Digital or physical signatures In every case where identity theft exists, the absence of these documents means the account must be removed. 

9. Midlands Reporting Practices Have Demonstrated Procedural Negligence Multiple Midland accounts continue to appear even after fraud alerts, freezes, and FTC reports. This suggests : A failure to use proper identity verification tools A lack of meaningful reinvestigation Automated responses instead of manual review Inadequate fraud prevention systems Systemic mishandling of identity theft disputes Such deficiencies contribute to widespread harm and undermine the accuracy and fairness of the credit reporting system. 

10. Prior Cases Were Closed Without Full Resolution Requiring This New CFPB Filing This filing is necessary because prior disputes were : Closed prematurely Not thoroughly investigated Responded to with generic templates Not supported with documentation Midland has repeatedly failed to address the core issue : I do not own these accounts, and they are the result of identity theft.

Therefore, I am opening a new CFPB case to ensure the matter is fully reviewed and legally resolved.

11. The FCRA Mandates Accuracy Not Approximation The FCRA makes clear that credit furnishers must report only accurate, verifiable, and substantiated information. In cases where : No contract exists No application exists No usage exists The consumer disputes ownership Identity theft is documented the furnisher must delete the accounts.

Midlands refusal to comply represents a violation of : FCRA 602A Accuracy and fairness FCRA 605B Blocking of identity theft information FCRA 623 Furnisher responsibilities FCRA 611 Procedures for reinvestigation 12. Summary of What Happened To summarize : Multiple fraudulent Midland accounts appeared on my credit reports.

I did not open or authorize any of these accounts.

I filed a formal FTC Identity Theft Report. 

I took steps to protect my credit, including freezes and fraud alerts.

I disputed the accounts with all bureaus and with Midland.

Midland failed to provide verification, contracts, or proof of ownership.

Midland continued to report the accounts despite : No evidence No verification Identity theft documentation These accounts have caused serious financial and emotional harm.

The law requires these accounts to be removed under FCRA 605B.

Because Midland did not correct the issue, I am filing this new CFPB case for proper intervention. 

13. Requested Action ( for CFPB Context ) Although the resolution section is separate, it is important to highlight that a fair outcome requires : Permanent deletion of all Midland accounts Removal of all associated inquiries Written confirmation of deletion No resale or transfer of the fraudulent accounts Compliance with all FCRA provisions Notification to all bureaus that the accounts are fraudulent These steps are necessary to repair the damage caused by inaccurate reporting. 

Conclusion I am a verified victim of identity theft. I do not own any accounts with Midland Credit Management. 
Midland has not produced any proof, verification, or evidence that these accounts belong to me. Despite following all required proceduresFTC report, disputes, fraud alerts, and documentationMidland continues reporting fraudulent information.

I am requesting that the CFPB intervene and ensure full compliance with federal law. These accounts must be permanently removed, and Midland must cease reporting, collecting, transferring, or otherwise acting on these fraudulent debts.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief