Consumer complaint received 2025-04-19 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Rental debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was result of identity theft
Company: Kimball, Tirey & St. John LLP
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
After separating from XXXX XXXX in the XXXX XXXX, where I spent 6 years XXXX  in the XXXX, I received correspondence from a debt collector for a massive debt I knew nothing about. 
The law offices of Kimball Tirey and Saint John LLP first began contacting me via mail in XXXX of XXXX. They claimed I had a debt incurred against my name of {$38000.00}, from late fees and unpaid rent supposedly from an apartment complex in XXXX California called XXXX XXXX, address XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX Ca, XXXX. 
How could I have occurred a debt at an apartment I did not live in, throughout the years I spent overseas XXXX XXXX XXXX? I was shocked and I made efforts to deny this claim and to request any documentation proving my liability. 
I was sent a lease renewal agreement, dated from XXXX, which contained my name, and an electronic signature which had been fraudulently signed by another party without my express permission. The form was an electronic agreement, and the email and phone were both clearly belonging to the real tenants of the apartment, my mother and my step father. During their stay, these individuals, who I will highlight have shown a long history of financial ruin and continued drug abuse, had incurred a debt of late fees and penalties, and had skipped out of the rent for a long time before vacating without notice. 
I took actions in XXXX of XXXX, complying with Kimball Tirey and Saint John LLP. These included : providing proof of my service and residence at the time of the supposed tenancy, providing numerous samples of my signature to compare with the ridiculous fraudulent scribble, providing bills and transaction statements to show no payments of mine were ever associated with the apartment company or facility, and providing military records of my service. Additionally, as they requested, I filed an fcc report of fraud and provided the copy of my report to them through certified mail. 
The result of this effort, was a month or so without additional correspondence. Finally, hearing back from them in in XXXX of XXXX. The following is the exact correspondence : Dear XXXX XXXX : Thank you for the documents you provided regarding your claim of personal identity theft. After a thorough investigation, our client has instructed us not to pursue you for any amounts owed associated with the above-referenced matter. 
At this time, we have terminated all collection efforts against you and have taken steps to remove any associated derogatory information from your consumer credit profile. 
Please accept this letter as confirmation that you are not liable for the debt outlined above, and retain for your records. 
This communication is from a debt collector. Although this letter is from a law firm, this particular matter may not have been reviewed by an attorney.

Sincerely, KIMBALL , TIREY & ST. JOHN LLP Kevin Galan Compliance & Special Projects Administrator Now, some 5 months later, I have received a letter from this same law firm, continuing the collection efforts for the same amount, for no provided reason. This is the beginning of the new correspondence : XXXX XXXX : As you are aware from our previous correspondence, our client has forwarded this account to our office for collection. The reverse side of this letter contains a breakdown of your current balance due. Please call our office to discuss potential options to pay this debt. 

I believe I have been the victim of unfair and unscrupulous debt collection practice, and my express statement and proof of fraud has not prevented the determination of this organization. My health has suffered, and my service-connected XXXX such as XXXX  and waking nightmares have taken a poor turn. I will be pursuing legal action to desist this wrongful and absurd collection. 
If there is any resources you may point me to or direct me, I am a desperate veteran looking to get back some of the help I gave for this country. 
Thank you.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation