Consumer complaint received 2025-12-02 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC.
State: MO

Complaint narrative:
I am submitting this complaint because Midland Credit Management ( MCM ) is reporting three separate collection accounts on my credit reports that I do not recognize, do not own, did not authorize, and have never received any documentation for. These three accounts show different balances, different collection dates, and different alleged obligations, none of which belong to me. Because these accounts are fraudulent, I filed an FTC Identity Theft Report to document that these accounts were opened or assigned without my authorization, and I am asking for immediate removal and federal intervention. 

Midland Credit Management has reported the following collection accounts on my credit file : An account showing a balance of {$1100.00} An account showing a balance of {$1100.00} An account showing a balance of {$590.00} These three accounts appear as separate collection accounts on my credit report, and I have no knowledge of any original creditors associated with these accounts, nor have I ever been contacted by Midland Credit Management regarding these debts. I have never received a letter, phone call, email, billing statement, or notice of collection from XXXX. Their failure to notify me is inconsistent with the FDCPA requirement that collectors must send a written validation notice within five days of first contact.

The first time I became aware of these Midland Credit Management accounts was when I reviewed my credit report. I immediately knew these accounts were fraudulent because I did not open any debts matching these amounts, and I have no record of transactions related to any creditor that XXXX would have purchased. XXXX is known as a debt buyer, not an original lender. This means they purchase accounts in bulk from other lenders, which makes documentation even more crucial for validation. However, despite filing multiple disputes, I have never received a single piece of documentation from Midland proving that these accounts belong to me.

Because these three accounts appeared without warning and because they do not belong to me, I filed disputes with all three major credit bureaus Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. In each dispute, I clearly stated that the Midland accounts were not mine and that I wanted them removed or validated. I specifically requested : Proof of the original creditor A copy of the original signed contract Itemized statements Account history Documentation showing the debt was assigned to Midland Validation of the debt as required by FDCPA 809 ( b ) None of these documents were provided.

Instead, the credit bureaus returned responses stating the accounts had been verified. Yet no documentation was provided to me. The bureaus did not provide a Method of Verification, which is required under FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 6 ). They did not explain : How the accounts were verified Whether Midland provided actual documentation Whether identity-matching was performed Whether any manual review occurred Whether any account records were reviewed What information was used in their verification The absence of any explanation suggests that the credit bureaus relied solely on an automated e-Oscar response, which is not a lawful reinvestigation.

As I continued reviewing the accounts, it became clear that all three Midland accounts were fraudulent. They all had different balances, dates, and alleged delinquencies, none of which matched my history. I have never had an account go into collections for any of these amounts. I have never been contacted or notified by the original creditors allegedly associated with these accounts. There is no record of these accounts in my personal or financial history.

Midland Credit Management is reporting these three accounts as derogatory collections, which significantly harms my credit score and makes it difficult to obtain credit, mortgages, auto loans, housing, and financial opportunities. Reporting fraudulent collection accounts creates a false picture of my payment history, falsely represents me as having multiple unpaid debts, and causes long-term damage.

Because these accounts are fraudulent, I took the important step of filing an FTC Identity Theft Report. This is an official federal document stating that these accounts were not opened or authorized by me, and that I am a victim of identity theft or inaccurate reporting. Under FCRA 605B, when a consumer submits an identity theft report, credit bureaus are required to : Block the fraudulent information within four business days Notify the furnisher ( Midland Credit Management ) that the account was blocked due to identity theft Stop reporting the information on all future credit reports Not allow reinsertion unless full documentation is provided Despite this federal requirement, none of the three Midland accounts were blocked or removed after I submitted my FTC Identity Theft Report. This is a direct violation of FCRA 605B and demonstrates that the credit bureaus are not properly following identity theft procedures.

Midland Credit Management has also failed to comply with the FDCPA, which requires debt collectors to stop collection activity once a debt is disputed unless they provide validation. Because Midland provided absolutely no documentation when I disputed the accounts, they can not legally continue reporting these accounts. Under FDCPA 809 ( b ), if a debt collector can not validate a debt, they must cease all collection actions, including credit reporting.

Yet Midland continues reporting these fraudulent accounts, even though they have never provided : A validation notice Verification documentation The original contract or application Records of transactions Itemization of the debt Proof that they legally own the accounts Records showing that I was ever contacted about the accounts Because these Midland accounts are fraudulent, and because Midland has not provided proof that these accounts belong to me, these accounts can not remain on my credit report.

Furthermore, the presence of three fraudulent Midland Credit Management accounts raises concerns about : Identity theft Mixed credit files Data-entry errors Portfolio misassignment Incorrect purchase of debts not associated with me Systemic reporting errors Midland often purchases debt in bulk portfolios, and it is common for accounts to be assigned incorrectly or without proper documentation. This underscores the importance of validation, which Midland has failed to provide.

These three fraudulent accounts continue to cause significant damage to my creditworthiness. They make it appear as though I have multiple serious delinquent debts, which is untrue. These entries have resulted in : Lower credit scores Difficulty obtaining credit Potential denial of housing Higher interest rates Loss of financial opportunities Emotional distress due to fraudulent reporting The financial harm caused by these false accounts is ongoing. Every day these accounts remain on my credit report increases the damage.

After exhausting my disputes with the credit bureaus and receiving no documentation from Midland, I realized that the reinvestigations conducted were not meaningful or compliant with the law. A reasonable reinvestigation under FCRA 611 must include : Reviewing all information provided by the consumer Contacting the furnisher for documentation Examining original account documents Ensuring the information is accurate Correcting any inaccuracies The credit bureaus did none of these things. They returned automated verified responses without providing any evidence, leaving fraudulent accounts in place. 

I have taken every legal step required of me as a consumer : I disputed all three Midland Credit Management accounts I requested validation from Midland I requested the Method of Verification from the bureaus I filed an FTC identity theft report I notified all parties that the accounts are fraudulent Despite this, the accounts remain.

I therefore request CFPB intervention, as the normal dispute mechanisms have failed. The only fair resolution is the complete removal of all three Midland Credit Management accounts, along with ensuring they can not be reinserted.

Given the fraudulent nature of these accounts, I ask the CFPB to require : Immediate deletion of all three Midland Credit Management accounts Blocking of all Midland accounts under FCRA 605B Written confirmation of deletion from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Midland No reinsertion unless full documentation is provided Validation documents if Midland claims the debts are
mine A compliance review of Midlands reporting and validation procedures A compliance review of how the credit bureaus handled my disputes Notification to third parties who accessed my report while the fraudulent accounts were present I do not own these Midland Credit Management accounts. I did not authorize them. I did not open them. Midland has provided no documentation to prove they are mine. The credit bureaus have not investigated correctly. I filed an FTC Identity Theft Report confirming that these accounts are fraudulent.

I am urgently requesting that all three Midland accounts be permanently removed from my credit reports.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief