Consumer complaint received 2025-08-11 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Credit card debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was result of identity theft
Company: Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
Portfolio Recovery associates LLC apparently purchased a debt from an account with XXXX XXXX for the amount of {$500.00}. I was the victim of identity theft I didnt realize at the time that I was disputing stuff. I thought it shouldnt be on my credit report because I filed bankruptcy back in XXXX prior to that in XXXX I did have an account with XXXX XXXX but it was included in my bankruptcy so when it started showing up on my credit report, I disputed it not realizing that someone had taken out a fraudulent account Anyway Portfolio Recovery it Recovery associates XXXX has contacted me numerous times since they purchased this debt two times via the mail I have sent them the CFPB report the identity theft report from identity theft.org and the FTC and a correspondence letter that I received from XXXX XXXX that the only account that they had proof of ownership was the one that was opened in XXXX and was discharged in a bankruptcy in XXXX, which was prior to this fraudulent account being opened now this company keeps asking me for the city and state I was born in. They want a copy of my drivers License. They want a copy of my Social Security card. They want to know where it was issued on what date and when it expires, they want to know all kinds of stuff about where I lived how long all that I kinda understand the address part but a company that purchased a debt from a credit card company that I never authorized to have my information to begin with this company who bought the debt wants the exact items that could be used for identity, theft, i.e. a copy of my drivers license. They want to know the city and state I was born in. They want a copy of my Social Security card why in the world would I give those documents to a company that I never authorized to have them in the first place they purchased a debt from a company that opened an account fraudulently in my name yet this third-party company who bought a debt from XXXX XXXX expects me to give them my drivers license a copy of that a copy of my Social Security card . Tell them the city and state I was born in when my drivers license expires, etc. etc. do they not realize that I was just the victim of identity theft and these are the exact documents that are needed to steal someones identity Im not going to give them that and every month I send them a copy of the FTC report and of the report from identity theftXXXX  they also Ive gotten a copy through email three different times and through the mail twice and they just sent me another letter with the same XXXX  saying this is a communication responding to your Dispute. They keep demanding to have a copy of my Social Security card and drivers license and city and state were important. Im not giving that to them Im not giving that to anyone so that anyone can have a copy of my drivers license and my Social Security card. Do they think Im stupid why would I send them that Im not sending them that so they keep sending this and every month I give them everything but Im not giving them a copy of my drivers license or my Social Security card so that thats floating around out there for another person to steal my identity. Im assuming that they keep doing this so that they can continue to harass me and send me documents and have me jump through hoops to email them and send them snail mail documentation through the FTC and the identity theft.org website that I have already filed for identity theft through XXXX, XXXX  and XXXX  and done it through identity theft.org and through the FTC Ive also made complaints previously on the same company and they continue to send me demands to have all of this sent to them. Im sure you can understand why I do not feel comfortable and I refuse and I will never send them a copy of my drivers license or my Social Security card. My identity was already stolen. Im not sending it to some company who Ive never dealt with and did not authorize for one the original credit or XXXX XXXX to open a new account in my name after my original account was discharged in XXXX and now this company who bought a debt from them on a fraudulent account wants me to send them the exact documents that could be used to open another fraudulent account in my name and when I contacted this company at one XXXX a very unprofessional ghetto sounding person answer. The phone didnt even say Portfolio Recovery and associates they said hello yeah what do you need and I said is this a company and then she was like oh yeah Portfolio Recovery sounded very sketchy to me so I have five times now two times through the mail and three times through email sent them all of the documentation that they have that they need that I filed for identity theft through the FTC . I have a copy of it through identity theft.org. They have copies of it. Theyve been sent that they also have the report that I wrote on your website about them and then they have a copy of the letter sent to me by XXXX XXXX who is who they bought the debt from and even XXXX XXXX states in the letter. The only record we know of an account that you actually did open was in XXXX and it was discharge in XXXX we have no record of an account owed in your name other than that and I have that letter if you would like a copy of it tell me where I can send that they have a copy of it. Portfolio Recovery has all of that, but I am not now in nor will I ever send them a photocopy of my drivers license and of my Social Security card. Im not doing that. Im not sending that to anybody. Especially not a third-party company that bought a debt on a fraudulent account so Im sending this to you because I am tired of being constantly harassed by this company. This is the fifth time theyve asked for the same documentation that Ive sent them every month either via email or through the regular mail everything they wanted and they keep asking for a copy of my drivers license and my Social Security card after being the victim of identity theft I am not sending that information to a third-party company that I have never dealt with do not want to deal with didnt authorize them didnt tell them to go buy a fraudulent debt thats on them. They just keep harassing me thinking that Ill get tired of it and eventually Ill pay them and Im not going to because I did not authorize That original account that was opened and I XXXX sure didnt authorize them to go and buy a fraudulent debt I want this published on their website. It is a scam. The person who answered the phone was not professional did not answer Portfolio Recovery they sounded like it was a personal home very sketchy very ghetto. Slang language was used when they answered the number XXXX did not sound professional or like a legitimate company and they keep demanding for me to send them documentation that could be used in an identity theft scam.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief