Consumer complaint received 2026-05-19 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: Communication tactics — Used obscene, profane, or other abusive language
Company: Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC
State: HI

Complaint narrative:
XX/XX/XXXX Consumer Financial Protection Bureau XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXXXXXX Via Online Submission RE : Formal Complaint Against Portfolio Recovery Associates , LLC To Whom It May Concern : I am writing to file a formal complaint against Portfolio Recovery Associates , LLC ( " Portfolio Recovery '' ) for violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ), 15 U.S.C. 1692 et seq., and the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), 15 U.S.C. 1681 et seq. This complaint concerns improper credit reporting practices, failure to provide proper debt validation, and extremely unprofessional and abusive conduct by a company representative. 1. ACCOUNT INFORMATION Creditor : Portfolio Recovery Associates , LLC Alleged Debt Amount : {$680.00} Date Account Opened on Credit Report : XX/XX/XXXX Last Reported : XX/XX/XXXX XXXX. FDCPA VIOLATIONS- FAILURE TO PROVIDE WRITTEN NOTICE Portfolio Recovery has violated 15 U.S.C. 1692g ( a ) by reporting this alleged debt to the credit reporting agencies without first providing me with the required written notice within five days of their initial communication. I have never received any written notice, letter, or validation notice from Portfolio Recovery regarding this alleged debt prior to discovering it on my credit report. The FDCPA requires debt collectors to provide written notice containing : ( 1 ) the amount of the debt ; ( 2 ) the name of the creditor ; ( 3 ) a statement that the debt will be assumed valid unless disputed within 30 days ; ( 4 ) a statement that verification will be obtained if disputed ; and ( 5 ) the right to request the name and address of the original creditor. I received none of these required disclosures before this debt appeared on my credit report. XXXX. SEVERE FDCPA VIOLATION - ABUSIVE AND PROFANE CONDUCT On XX/XX/XXXX, at approximately XXXX XXXX XXXX, I contacted Portfolio Recovery to address the unauthorized credit reporting and to request debt validation. During this call, I professionally stated to the representative that it is illegal to report a debt to credit bureaus without first notifying the consumer. The Portfolio Recovery representative responded with the following verbatim statement : " XXXX you, XXXX you, XXXX you '' This conduct constitutes a flagrant violation of 15 U.S.C. 1692d, which prohibits debt collectors from engaging in conduct the natural consequence of which is to harass, oppress, or abuse any person in connection with the collection of a debt. This includes, but is not limited to, the use of obscene or profane language. This egregious behavior is inexcusable and demonstrates Portfolio Recovery 's complete disregard for federal consumer protection laws. 4. FCRA VIOLATIONS - INACCURATE CREDIT REPORTING Portfolio Recovery has violated 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2 ( b ) by continuing to report this unverified debt to the credit reporting agencies. The credit report reflects that previous disputes have been noted as " Dispute resolved-subscriber disagrees, '' yet Portfolio Recovery has failed to provide any validation or verification of this alleged debt. Under the FCRA, furnishers of information have a duty to conduct a reasonable investigation when a debt is disputed and must cease reporting if they can not verify the accuracy of the information. Portfolio Recovery has failed to meet this obligation. 5. REQUESTED RELIEF I respectfully request that the CFPB investigate this matter and take appropriate enforcement action. Specifically, I request : a ) Immediate deletion of this unverified debt from all credit reporting agencies ( XXXX XXXX and XXXX ) ; b ) A complete investigation into Portfolio Recovery 's debt collection practices, including their failure to provide written validation notices and their use of profane and abusive language ; c ) That Portfolio Recovery cease all collection activities on this alleged debt until proper validation is provided ; d ) Appropriate disciplinary action and sanctions against Portfolio Recovery for these serious violations of federal consumer protection laws ; e ) Written confirmation that corrective action has been taken. 6. FORMAL DEBT VALIDATION DEMAND Pursuant to 15 U.S.C. 1692g, I hereby dispute this alleged debt in its entirety and demand that Portfolio Recovery provide complete validation, including : Proof that Portfolio Recovery is licensed to collect debts in my state ; Verification of the debt amount, including an itemized accounting ; Copy of the original signed contract or agreement with the original creditor ; Proof of Portfolio Recovery 's legal authority to collect this alleged debt ; Complete chain of custody documentation showing how this debt was transferred to Portfolio Recovery ; Name and address of the original creditor. Portfolio Recovery 's conduct demonstrates a pattern of disregard for consumer rights and federal law. Their failure to provide proper notice, their reporting of unverified debts, and their use of profane and abusive language are serious violations that warrant investigation and enforcement action. I have attached a copy of my credit report showing this account. I am prepared to provide any additional documentation or information necessary to support this complaint. Thank you for your attention to this serious matter. Respectfully submitted, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief