Consumer complaint received 2025-05-10 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: January Technologies, Inc
State: NY

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/XXXX at the XXXX by XXXX store at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX NY XXXX XXXX my aunt and cousins were in town visiting from Florida, and my younger teenage cousin lost her phone. We went to this XXXX  location to purchase her a new phone. My aunt failed to answer a security question correctly, which was required to purchase the phone. The sales rep said someone else could answer security questions to purchase the phone. I asked if electing to answer these questions would make me a co-signer or in any other way financially liable for this transaction - the sales rep said no, it was just so that my aunt could swipe her credit card and purchase the phone for my cousin. 

XXXX - I received a notice via mail from XXXX XXXX, dated XX/XX/XXXX, reference # XXXX - attempt to collect debt of {$530.00} from XXXX XXXX XXXX - account ending in XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX with XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX- I called to ask what this debt was, and explained to them ( as stated above ) that this was my aunt 's debt and they need to take the debt out of my name and collect it from her. I was speaking with someone named XXXX, and then a supervisor listening in on the call started talking and took over the call, telling me I shouldn't have provided by information because that makes me liable and I should just pay the debt off now at a reduced rate and have my XXXX XXXXXXXX me the money. I told her that that was unacceptable, and she continued to try to collect and I told her the debt wasn't mine and I am disputing it as such - however, my aunt is happy to pay when the debt is correctly reassigned into her name. 

XX/XX/XXXX - I received another notice via mail from XXXX XXXX- this contained a copy of a " Rental Purchase Agreement '' from XXXX XXXX XXXX that is under my name, address, XXXX, and e-mail, but apparently not my phone #. Apparently this agreement was authorized via digital fingerprint ( which I did not provide ) on XX/XX/XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX. Also included was a " XXXX XXXX '', detailing several failed payments, from a credit card that is not associated with me. 

XX/XX/XXXX - I called XXXX and was advised to call XXXX because that's where the error originated. I called XXXX, they wouldn't discuss anything with me because I am not an account holder - advised to go to the store that this was purchased from and talk to store manager. I went to the location the phone was purchased from - store manager said he could not help because XXXX switched databases and is therefore unable to look up details from a XX/XX/XXXX transaction. 

XX/XX/XXXX - I spoke with XXXX at XXXX, call reference XXXX XXXX- she confirmed that an account was set-up under my name and information as above, but not my correct phone XXXX. I asked what phone # was associated with " my account '', and she said she could not provide me with that information. She also advised that XXXX XXXX no longer works with XXXX  because their sales representatives were previously incentivized to set-up these agreements with XXXX, often times unknowingly. I asked if I could speak to a supervisor, and was told that one would call me - never called. 

XX/XX/XXXX - I spoke with XXXX at XXXX. I provided the reference # from previous call - asked to speak with a supervisor- repeatedly reoriented to solve the problem with him. Filed complaint, case reference # XXXX. I received an e-mail response XX/XX/XXXX - I received an e-mail in response to my compliant with XXXX- Thank you for contacting XXXX regarding your lease. After further investigation regarding your dispute, we recommend that you contact XXXX XXXX for a resolution regarding your dispute. 

XX/XX/XXXX - I received an e-mail ( that went directly to spam ) from a company called January Technologies, attempt to collect debt of {$530.00} from XXXX XXXX XXXX - account ending in XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX with XXXX XXXX XXXX I've talked with XXXX XXXXXXXX by XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXX, and now January Technologies - explaining that this debt is not mine but my aunt 's, and that she is happy to pay it - it just needs to be transferred to her. None of these companies are communicating with eachother, and I have spent over 25 hours at this point trying to get the debt taken out of my name- all of these companies are saying that isn't possible, they can't talk to me b/c I'm not a XXXX XXXXustomer/ I can't verify the phone # associated with the XXXX account. And now, there are 2 debt collectors trying to collect the same debt. 

Please advise how this debt can be taken out of my name and correctly transferred to my aunt ( the originating transaction from XXXX by XXXX will have her information, and she was paying for the phone through her XXXX  account ).

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation