Consumer complaint received 2024-11-10 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Telecommunications debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: Collection Bureau of the Hudson Valley, Inc.
State: NH

Complaint narrative:
Re : Formal Complaint Regarding Inaccurate Credit Reporting and Violation of Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) To Whom It May Concern, I am filing this formal complaint regarding the inaccurate and fraudulent collection entry on my credit report. I have identified an account that I do not owe and have no knowledge of, listed by Collection Bureau of Hudson VA on behalf of XXXX, which is clearly the result of identity theft. Despite my efforts to resolve this issue, the company has failed to conduct a proper investigation in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), resulting in this erroneous entry continuing to negatively affect my credit report. 

What Happened : Account Information : Creditor : XXXX  ( via Collection Bureau of Hudson VA ) Reported Date : XX/XX/XXXX Balance : {$790.00} Account Status : Reported as a collection item on my credit report. 
Timeline of Events : XX/XX/XXXX : The collection account was first reported on my credit report by Collection Bureau of Hudson VA, which I did not recognize, nor was I aware of any debt owed to XXXX. 
XX/XX/XXXX : I filed a police report with my local law enforcement, indicating that I was a victim of identity theft. This report was made available to all involved parties. 
XX/XX/XXXX : I submitted a dispute with the credit bureaus, indicating that this account was fraudulent and was the result of identity theft. 
XX/XX/XXXX : I reached out directly to XXXX and Collection Bureau of Hudson VA to dispute the account and provided them with a copy of the police report and other supporting documentation, including a report from XXXX that confirmed I was a victim of identity theft. 
XX/XX/XXXX - Present : Despite my repeated attempts to resolve this matter through dispute channels, XXXX has failed to properly investigate the claim, nor has Collection Bureau of Hudson VA taken steps to remove the account from my credit report. Their refusal to investigate and remove the erroneous account violates my rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), 15 U.S.C. 1681i, which mandates that companies must conduct a reasonable investigation when a consumer disputes the accuracy of information. 

Actions Taken by Me : I have filed a police report and IdentityTheft.org report as evidence of my identity theft. 
I have disputed this fraudulent account with the credit bureaus ( XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX ) and provided supporting documentation. 
I have contacted XXXX and Collection Bureau of Hudson VA multiple times, but they have not investigated the dispute in a timely or appropriate manner, nor have they removed the account. 

Legal Basis for Removal : Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), I am entitled to have inaccurate or fraudulent information removed from my credit report. According to 15 U.S.C. 1681i, if a consumer disputes an item on their credit report, the creditor or reporting agency is required to conduct a reasonable investigation and correct any inaccuracies. 
In XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX. XXXX ), the court emphasized the obligation of a credit reporting agency to thoroughly investigate disputes and remove any inaccurate information, especially when it pertains to identity theft. 
The FCRA also provides remedies under 15 U.S.C. 1681e ( b ), which requires that information reported on a credit report must be accurate and complete. Given that XXXX and Collection Bureau of Hudson VA have failed to meet these obligations, the continued reporting of this debt is in violation of my rights. 

Outcome I Am Seeking : The immediate removal of the fraudulent collection entry from my credit report

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation