Consumer complaint received 2025-12-09 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: Harris & Harris, Ltd.
State: MI

Complaint narrative:
Harris & Harris has reported a {$2600.00XX/XX/XXXXcollection to XX/XX/XXXX that is not mine, not validated, and was never disclosed to me in any form. This collection is reporting ONLY toXX/XX/XXXX, which is an immediate red flag for fabricated, unverifiable, or illegally furnished debt. If a debt is legitimate and truly owed, it would be reported uniformly across all consumer reporting agencies. It is not. 

This false account dropped my score XXXX points overnight and is causing ongoing financial harm. 



VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL LAW 1. FDCPA Violations ( 15 U.S.C. 16921692g ) a. No validation notice ( 1692g ( a ) ) I never received ANY written notice within 5 days of the alleged initial communication. This alone makes all subsequent collectionincluding reportingillegal.

b. Continued collection without validation ( 1692g ( b ) ) Harris & Harris reported the debt toXX/XX/XXXX without ever validating it first. This is a textbook violation.

c. False, deceptive, or misleading representation ( 1692e, 1692e ( 2 ), 1692e ( 8 ) ) Reporting a debt that is not mine and can not be verified is a direct violation of 1692e ( 8 ). Furnishing false info to a CRA is unlawful.

d. Unfair and unconscionable practices ( 1692f ) Attempting to collect or report a completely unverified debt is explicitly prohibited.

FCRA Violations ( 15 U.S.C. 1681 et seq. ) 2. Violations by Harris & Harris and XX/XX/XXXX a. Failure to maintain reasonable procedures to ensure accuracy ( 1681e ( b ) ) No valid debt = no lawful basis to report.

b. Furnishing information known to be inaccurate ( 1681s-2 ( a ) ( 1 ) ) They furnished a debt that : I do not owe Is not validated Is not reporting to any other bureau c. Failure to conduct a reasonable investigation ( 1681i & 1681s-2 ( b ) )XX/XX/XXXX marked the account as verified despite NO validation being provided. 

d. Non-uniform reporting ( Regulation V, 1022.40 ( a ) ) Major alert. A real debt does NOT appear on only one bureau. 
Failure to furnish uniformly violates the complete and accurate standard of the FCRA. 

e. Metro 2 Compliance Violations Collections must be validated and documented BEFORE being furnished. 
This was not done. 



Relevant XXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX held that a debt collector can not report to credit bureaus without proper validation. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX CRAs must conduct a reasonable investigation and can not simply accept a furnishers word. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Non-uniform reporting can be considered inherently unreliable. 



ONLY REPORTING TOXX/XX/XXXX = HIGHLY SUSPECT This account does not appear on : XX/XX/XXXXXXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXXALWAYS report to all three bureaus via the same furnisher. 
This selective reporting strongly suggests : Bad data Mixed files Wrong consumer Internal error Fraudulent placement Lack of legal right to collect This MUST be investigated under full CFPB authority. 



NOTICE OF INTENT TO PURSUE FEDERAL ACTION If this account is not permanently deleted from Experian with written confirmation, I will pursue : A private right of action under FDCPA ( statutory + actual damages + attorneys fees ) A private right of action under FCRA for negligent or willful noncompliance A complaint with my State Attorney General A lawsuit in U.S. District Court I am also requesting the CFPB investigate Harris & Harris for systemic non-compliance.

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