Consumer complaint received 2025-06-25 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Credit card debt
Issue: False statements or representation — Attempted to collect wrong amount
Company: Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC
State: NJ

Complaint narrative:
This complaint concerns Portfolio Recovery Associates , LLC ( PRA ), which is attempting to collect an alleged debt of {$1400.00}.

The timeline of events demonstrates a pattern of improper and potentially illegal collection activity : 1. Initial Lawsuit and Failure to Comply with Court Rules PRA first initiated this matter by filing a lawsuit against me in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Special Civil Part. In my official Answer to the court, I made a formal request for the production of documents pursuant to New Jersey Court Rule 4:18-2. PRA completely ignored this discovery request, failed to provide any of the requested documents, and did not comply with its obligations under the court 's rules.

2. Motion to Compel Arbitration Due to PRA 's refusal to litigate the matter properly in court, I filed a motion to compel arbitration based on the terms of the agreement that PRA itself alleged existed. The court granted my motion, and the case was moved from the New Jersey Superior Court to the American Arbitration Association ( AAA ).

3. Continued Failure to Prove Claim in Arbitration During the arbitration proceeding, PRA has continued its pattern of improper conduct and has failed to provide legally sufficient proof that it owns the alleged debt. Their evidence is critically deficient : * Generic Bill of Sale : The " Bill of Sale and Assignment, '' dated XX/XX/XXXX, does not specifically identify the account. It states it is governed by a " Master Purchase and Sale Agreement '' which PRA has refused to produce, even after a formal discovery request in arbitration.

* Blank Exhibit : The Bill of Sale refers to an " Exhibit 1 '' that is supposed to list the accounts being sold. The exhibit provided is a blank template and lists no accounts whatsoever.

* Unauthenticated Spreadsheet : The only document that links my identity to the alleged account is a spreadsheet printout. PRA has provided no affidavit or testimony from anyone with personal knowledge to confirm that this specific spreadsheet was the " final electronic file '' used in the sale.

4. Use of Legally Insufficient Affidavits and Admission of No Contract * PRA is relying on affidavits that appear legally insufficient to authenticate the original creditor 's records. An affidavit from a PRA employee attempts to vouch for records he has no personal knowledge of, and affidavits from the original creditor appear to be litigation documents, not true business records. 
* In formal discovery responses dated XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX made a critical admission : " after a reasonable and diligent search, Claimant does not have any agreements, contracts or applications with Respondent 's signature within its custody, possession or control. '' 5. Attempting to Collect Unauthorized Amounts and Harassing Discovery * Despite admitting it has no contract, PRA is attempting to collect specific amounts in interest ( {$140.00} ) and fees ( {$260.00} ). The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ) at 15 U.S.C. 1692f ( 1 ) prohibits collecting any fee or interest unless it is " expressly authorized by the agreement creating the debt. '' * During arbitration discovery, PRA made harassing and improper requests for my highly sensitive personal information, including a copy of my Social Security card.

In summary, PRA filed a lawsuit in state court, refused to comply with its discovery obligations under court rules, and after being compelled to arbitration, continues to pursue a debt with full knowledge that it lacks the fundamental evidence to prove its case. This conduct appears to be a clear violation of the FDCPA 's prohibitions against false, deceptive, and unfair collection practices.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation