Consumer complaint received 2026-07-14 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Other debt
Issue: Written notification about debt — Didn't receive notice of right to dispute
Company: Express Recovery Services, Inc.
State: UT

Complaint narrative:
This complaint concerns Express Recovery Services XXXX XXXX. of XXXX XXXX XXXX, Utah, XXXX its handling of a XXXX XXXX XXXX utility account placed for collection on XX/XX/XXXX. The balance arose from final bills after I moved residences in XXXX ; the bills went to my prior address XXXX I did not receive them. In XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX contacted me by telephone. This was my XXXX knowledge of the debt. On that call, I stated I was unaware of the account, requested a written validation notice, XXXX provided my current mailing address. I never received a validation notice or any other written communication from this company at any time. On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX reported the account to XXXX as a major derogatory collection with a balance of {$220.00}. A credit monitoring alert was my XXXX indication the account had been reported. I attempted XXXX contact the company on XX/XX/XXXX, but was told it was closed for a company event. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called and spoke with a representative named XXXX. I offered XXXX pay in full in exchange for a written deletion commitment. XXXX confirmed on a recorded line that the company could perform a deletion upon payment, stating they " can do a deletion '' but " can't send that in writing before you make the payment. '' When I asked how the commitment could be confirmed, she said their calls are recorded XXXX the company could not send anything in writing, including email. On that call the balance was stated as {$240.00}, higher than the amount reported XXXX XXXX. That same day I obtained an itemized payoff : {$180.00} principal, {$40.00} collection fee, and {$17.00} interest accrued since XX/XX/XXXX, totaling {$240.00}. I paid {$180.00} directly XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX through its Paymentus system XXXX paid the remaining {$57.00} plus a {$5.00} card fee XXXX Express Recovery by credit card, processed by representative XXXX. The account is paid in full. Immediately after payment, I requested deletion of the tradeline. XXXX stated the account was " not eligible for credit deletion '' under a policy requiring payment within XXXX days of XXXX contact. On the same call, when I asked her XXXX confirm the mailing address on file, she read back an incorrect unit number ( XXXX digit off from my correct unit ). She acknowledged the error XXXX corrected it at my request. I then escalated XXXX a XXXX named XXXX. She stated a validation letter was mailed on XX/XX/XXXX XXXX " the address I provided. '' That claim is contradicted by her own XXXX reading the incorrect unit number from the company 's file approximately XXXX hour earlier the same day. When I asked XXXX directly whether the XXXX day rule was law or internal policy, she confirmed on a recorded line : " That is our policy, sir, '' XXXX separately stated, " It doesn't matter if it's a law. It is our policy. '' In summary : ( XXXX ) the company failed XXXX deliver the validation notice required by XXXX XXXX. XXXX ( a ) after its initial XX/XX/XXXX communication, despite my explicit request, XXXX its file contained an incorrect address as recently as XX/XX/XXXX ; ( XXXX ) it reported a major derogatory XXXX XXXX without my ever receiving written communication about the debt ; ( XXXX ) it represented before payment that deletion was available, then denied deletion after payment under an internal XXXX day policy whose window expired before the debt ever appeared on my credit report XXXX while the required notice remained undelivered ; ( XXXX ) amounts demanded by phone ( {$240.00} ) differed from the amount reported XXXX XXXX ( {$220.00} ) ; XXXX ( XXXX ) representatives stated on multiple recorded calls that the company was unable XXXX provide any communication in writing prior XXXX payment. I paid in full within XXXX days of the XXXX date I could reasonably have known the account was in collections. I request preservation of all call recordings.

Company public response: Company believes complaint is the result of an isolated error
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation