Consumer complaint received 2026-05-15 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Rental debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: Bureau of Accounts Control
State: NJ

Complaint narrative:
Creditor : Bureau of Accounts Control ( XXXX ) Account Number : XXXX Original Creditor : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ) ( XXXX XXXX ) Disputed Amount : {$5600.00} Subject : Dispute of Invalid Debt, Violation of N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.1, and FDCPA Communication Violations. Complaint Description : I am formally disputing a collection account reported by Bureau of Accounts Control ( XXXX ) regarding an alleged debt from XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ). This debt is legally void under New Jersey state law, and the collection agency is engaging in non-compliant reporting and illegal communication practices. 1. Strict Statutory Violation ( N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.1 ) I surrendered possession of the premises at XXXX XXXX and returned all keys on XX/XX/XXXX. The landlords own " Move-Out Statement '' explicitly acknowledges XX/XX/XXXX as the " Move-Out Date ''. Under New Jerseys Security Deposit Act ( N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.1 ), the landlord is strictly required to return the security deposit or provide an itemized statement of deductions within 30 daysby XX/XX/XXXX. The landlord failed this requirement ; the notice was postmarked XX/XX/XXXX, missing the statutory deadline ( Exhibit A ). Consequently, the landlord forfeited any legal claim to the security deposit or move-out charges. 2. Failure to Conduct a Reasonable Investigation ( FCRA Violation ) The collection agency, XXXX, has failed in its duty to conduct a " reasonable investigation '' of my dispute : Contradictory Documentation : XXXX provided two conflicting versions of the " Move-Out Statement. '' Version 1 was generated on XX/XX/XXXX, while Version 2 was generated on XX/XX/XXXX ( Exhibit B ). Procedural Impossibility : XXXX " verified '' this debt as accurate with the credit bureaus on XX/XX/XXXX. However, the primary supporting document used to justify the balance ( Version 2 ) was not generated until XX/XX/XXXX - six days after Move-Out Statement version 2 was generated, XXXX verified the debt in all credit bureau XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX ( Exhibit C ) Disregard of Evidence : On XX/XX/XXXX, ( Exhibit D ) I sent a formal dispute to XXXX via XXXX, mentioned about Violation of N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.1 rule. XXXX response on XX/XX/XXXX, shows the XX/XX/XXXX mailing date but willfully ignored the legal implications of the missed 30-day deadline. I have attempted to resolve this matter directly with XXXX through formal written disputes, providing them with clear evidence of the legal deadline violation. Despite having this proof in their possession, XXXX has refused to correct the record or delete the invalid entry, demonstrating a bad-faith effort to collect a void debt. 3. Unreliable Business Records The landlords internal records are inconsistent and demonstrably inaccurate. In an email to XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX, the leasing agent claimed a notice was returned to their office on XX/XX/XXXX. However, in a prior email to me on XX/XX/XXXX, she stated the mail was returned on XX/XX/XXXX. The physical envelope ( Exhibit E ) confirms the XX/XX/XXXX date, proving the landlords reporting to the agency is unreliable. 4. Evidence of Retaliatory Collection The referral to collections was a direct response to my legal inquiry. On XX/XX/XXXX, I sent a formal demand for the return of my security deposit. Within 25 hours, on XX/XX/XXXX, the landlord responded by stating the account had been referred to a collection agency. This timeline confirms the debt was weaponized only after I requested my funds back as per New Jersey law ( Exhibit F ). 5. Direct Violation of the FDCPA ( Illegal Communication ) In my formal, written dispute letter sent on XX/XX/XXXX ( Exhibit G ), I explicitly instructed XXXX that they were not authorized to contact me via telephone and that all communications must be in writing. Despite this clear, written restriction, XXXX representative " XXXX '' placed a collection call to my phone on XX/XX/XXXX, at XXXX XXXX, leaving a voicemail demanding a callback ( Exhibit H ). This constitutes a willful violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ) regarding restricted communications. This is a clear violation of 15 U.S.C. 1692c ( c ), which requires a debt collector to cease communication upon written notice.

Company response to consumer: Untimely response