Consumer complaint received 2025-11-24 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: FAIR COLLECTIONS & OUTSOURCING, INC.
State: MO

Complaint narrative:
I am submitting this complaint because Fair Collections & Outsourcing ( FCO ) is reporting a collection account on my credit file that does not belong to me, has never been validated, and has no connection to any account, agreement, or debt that I have ever entered into. This inaccurate account has caused harm to my credit profile, and all the attempts I have made to resolve it directly with the company and the credit reporting agencies have failed. This statement outlines everything that happened, including the steps I took, the actions taken by the company, and the fact that I filed an FTC Identity Theft report because this account is not mine. 

The FCO account appeared on my credit report unexpectedly and without any prior notice. I did not receive any communications from FCO before it appeared. There was no validation letter, no itemized statement, no contract, and no written notice that a collection was being placed. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ), a collector is required to send written notice within five days of initial communication, yet I never received any communication at allwritten, electronic, or otherwise. The very first time I became aware of this alleged account was when it showed up on my credit file. 

Because the account was unfamiliar to me and because I had never received any documentation supporting it, I immediately disputed it with the credit reporting agencies. I explained that the debt is not mine, that I do not recognize FCO, and that no documentation had ever been sent to me. I requested that the credit bureaus conduct a full reinvestigation. I also requested the method of verification under FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 6 ), which requires the bureaus to explain exactly how the information was verified. 

Despite my clear dispute, the responses I received from the bureaus were vague and generic. They simply stated that the account had been verified, but no documentation or explanation was provided. I received no original contract, no bill, no ledger, and no proof showing that this debt actually belongs to me. Because of the lack of proper validation and because this debt appeared out of nowhere with no connection to me, I filed an FTC Identity Theft report. I did so to protect myself and to document officially that this account is fraudulent or misattributed. 

After filing the FTC report, I submitted disputes again to the credit reporting agencies and informed them that I had filed the FTC report because this account was not authorized by me. I requested again that they require FCO to provide proper validation. Even after providing the FTC Identity Theft report, the credit bureaus still failed to provide any supporting documentation. I received the same automated verification response that did not address my concerns, did not include the method of verification, and did not show any original documentation. 

This led me to believe that the reinvestigation performed by the bureaus was inadequate, superficial, and likely automated through the e-Oscar system, where furnishers simply respond with a code instead of providing real proof. This kind of automated verification does not meet the standard of a reasonable investigation required under FCRA 611 ( a ). Without real documents proving the account is mine, the bureaus should not have concluded that it was accurate. 

Because the credit bureaus and FCO continued reporting this account without proofand because they failed to act after receiving my FTC Identity Theft reportI continued to suffer harm. The derogatory status of this collection account negatively impacted my credit score, affecting my ability to obtain fair credit terms, qualify for financial opportunities, and maintain a healthy credit profile. This caused financial stress and emotional distress, especially because the debt is not mine and has never been validated. 

During this process, I learned that furnishers like FCO are required under FCRA 623 ( a ) ( 1 ) to report only accurate information. They are also required under FCRA 623 ( a ) ( 3 ) to mark an account as disputed when a consumer disputes it. Yet the credit bureaus did not consistently display this account as disputed, even though I properly filed disputes multiple times and provided the FTC report. The failure to mark the account as disputed misrepresents the status of the account and is misleading to anyone reviewing my credit. This constitutes noncompliance with both the FCRA and the FDCPA. 

Additionally, because FCO failed to provide validation under FDCPA 809 ( b ), they should not have continued furnishing or attempting to collect this alleged debt unless they provided written verification. They have not done so. I have never received anything from FCO that shows I owe this debt. I have never received a contract, an itemized statement, a lease, a service agreement, or anything that would prove that I am responsible for this account. 

When a company is unable to validate a debt, they are legally required to stop reporting it. Therefore, the continued reporting of this account by FCO suggests that they do not have the required documentation or that they did not take my dispute seriously. Either scenario is harmful and violates federal consumer protection law.

Because this account was placed without my authorization and without any documents connecting it to me, and because neither FCO nor the bureaus provided proof even after receiving my FTC Identity Theft report, I believe this reporting is fraudulent, inaccurate, and damaging. It may be the result of identity theft, a data mismatch, or an internal furnishing error. Regardless of the cause, FCO is continuing to publish information that has never been validated. 

I have exhausted every step available to me as a consumer. I disputed the account multiple times. I submitted an FTC report. I requested validation. I requested the method of verification. I asked for documentation proving ownership. Not one of these steps produced any evidence that the debt belongs to me. Not one produced documents from FCO supporting their claim. The reporting agencies have continued to rely on automated responses instead of real documentation.

Because FCO has failed to comply with federal law, because the bureaus have failed to investigate adequately, and because this account does not belong to me, I am requesting the assistance of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. I need the CFPB to require FCO to produce the original documents proving ownership of this debt or require them to delete the account entirely across all reporting agencies. 

This fraudulent, unvalidated account has caused more harm than any legitimate account on my credit profile. And because I have already filed an FTC Identity Theft report, the burden now shifts to FCO to prove the legitimacy of this debt with real evidencenot automated codes. 

The FTC report stands as an official statement showing that this account is unauthorized. Federal law requires that inaccurate, unverifiable, or unauthorized accounts be removed. The lack of documentation from FCO and the silence in response to my validation requests demonstrate that the account can not be verified. Under FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 5 ), unverifiable accounts must be deleted.

I am not disputing a legitimate debt. I am disputing a false, unvalidated, and potentially fraudulent account that appeared without notice. I have followed every requirement as a consumer to dispute it and protect myself. FCO has not followed their obligations as a furnisher. 

In summary : The account does not belong to me.

I received no initial communication from FCO.

I received no validation under FDCPA 809 ( b ).

The credit bureaus did not provide the method of verification under FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 6 ).

I filed an FTC Identity Theft report to formally document the fraud.

FCO has not provided any documents connecting this debt to me.

The continued reporting violates FCRA 623 and 607 ( b ). 

The account continues harming my credit despite being unverified. 

I am requesting a full CFPB investigation and enforcement of my rights under the FCRA and FDCPA. Unverified and fraudulent information should not remain on a consumers credit report. I am asking for fairness, accuracy, and compliance with federal law.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation