Consumer complaint received 2025-10-12 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: MA

Complaint narrative:
In addition to my XXXX previous claims on XX/XX/year> & XX/XX/year> please review all evidence and credit reports to review my findings. 
Portfolio Recovery updated my credit reports before completing validation, flagged account as " XXXX days past due '' during validation period, admitted in credit report they processed my XX/XX/year> dispute but treated FDCPA validation as FCRA credit dispute, provided inadequate validation, and reported inaccurate information ( " invalid date '' errors ). Multiple FDCPA and FCRA violations. SEVERE FDCPA & FCRA VIOLATIONS - CREDIT REPORT ADMISSION + PREMATURE REPORTING + SEVERE DEROGATORY DURING VALIDATION SUMMARY : Portfolio Recovery Associates violated federal law by : XXXX. Updating credit reports BEFORE completing alleged " investigation '' XXXX. Flagging account as " XXXX days past due '' during validation period XXXX. Admitting in credit report they processed my dispute but treating FDCPA validation as FCRA credit dispute XXXX. Providing inadequate validation ( form letters with no documentation ) XXXX. Reporting inaccurate information ( " invalid date '' errors ) SMOKING XXXX EVIDENCE - THEIR OWN ADMISSION : My XX/XX/year> credit report ( Account # XXXX ) contains Portfolio Recovery 's OWN ADMISSION : Status Comment : " Completed investigation of FCRA dispute - consumer disagrees '' Reinvestigation Info : " This item was updated from our processing of your dispute in XX/XX/year> '' Balance Updated : XX/XX/year> This proves they : Received and processed my XX/XX/year> dispute Treated my FDCPA debt validation demand as merely an FCRA credit dispute Continued collection ( XXXX XXXX ) during the validation period Never provided actual validation - just conducted " investigation '' DETAILED TIMELINE OF VIOLATIONS : XX/XX/year> : - I sent Portfolio Recovery a debt validation letter via certified mail disputing XXXX accounts : * XXXX XXXX Account # XXXX - {$480.00} ( Reference : XXXX ) * XXXX XXXX Account # XXXX - {$530.00} ( Reference : XXXX ) - They received this letter on XX/XX/year> ( certified mail receipt confirms )- Under 15 U.S.C. 1692g ( b ), they were required to CEASE all collection activities until providing proper validation VIOLATION # XXXX : PREMATURE CREDIT REPORTING - ACCOUNT # XXXX ( {$480.00} ) Timeline proving violation : XX/XX/year> : They receive my validation letter XX/XX/year> : They UPDATE Account # XXXX on my credit report ( only 3 days after receiving validation! ) XX/XX/year> : They mail response letter ( 17 days after receiving validation ) They updated my credit report 14 DAYS BEFORE sending their response letter. 

This is LOGICALLY IMPOSSIBLE - how can they complete an investigation AFTER taking action based on that investigation? 

This violates : - 15 U.S.C. 1692g ( b ) : Continuing collection before validation - 15 U.S.C. 1692e ( 8 ) : Reporting disputed debts as valid - 15 U.S.C. 1692e ( 2 ) ( A ) : False representation of debt status VIOLATION # XXXX : PREMATURE CREDIT REPORTING - ACCOUNT # XXXX ( {$530.00} ) Timeline proving violation : XX/XX/year> : They receive my validation letter XX/XX/year> : They UPDATE Account # XXXX on my credit report XX/XX/year> : They mail response letter ( 1 day AFTER updating credit ) They updated my credit report 1 DAY BEFORE sending their response letter. 

Even worse, their response letter dated XX/XX/year> claims they " completed our investigation. '' But they updated my credit on XX/XX/year> - BEFORE completing the investigation they claim to have done. 

VIOLATION # XXXX : SEVERE DEROGATORY REPORTING DURING VALIDATION THE SMOKING XXXX - XX/XX/year> : On XX/XX/year>, Portfolio Recovery took XXXX actions : XXXX. Sent me response letter claiming " investigation complete '' XXXX. Flagged Account # XXXX on Experian as " At least 120 days or more than XXXX payments past due '' I have an Experian alert dated XX/XX/year> confirming this SEVERE derogatory mark. 

WHY THIS IS CATASTROPHIC : A. They reported the MOST SEVERE past-due status ( XXXX days ) during the validation period B. This causes MAXIMUM XXXX XXXX damage XXXX Same day as XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Demonstrates intent to coerce payment by damaging my credit XXXX This is EXACTLY what 1692g ( b ) prohibits This violates : - 15 U.S.C . 1692g ( b ) : Collection during validation - 15 U.S.C. 1692e ( 8 ) : False credit information - 15 U.S.C. 1692e ( 10 ) : Deceptive means to collect - 15 U.S.C. 1692f : Unfair practices VIOLATION # XXXX : CONFUSED FDCPA WITH FCRA My XX/XX/year> credit report proves Portfolio Recovery treated my FDCPA debt validation demand as merely an FCRA credit dispute : Credit report states : - " Completed investigation of FCRA dispute '' - " processing of your dispute in XX/XX/year> '' - " consumer disagrees '' THESE ARE XXXX DIFFERENT LAWS : FCRA ( Credit Reporting ) : XXXX investigation Verify with own records Can mark " consumer disagrees '' if verified Can continue reporting FDCPA ( Debt Collection ) : MUST CEASE collection until validated MUST OBTAIN verification documents MUST SEND proof to consumer CAN NOT continue collection Portfolio Recovery 's error : Conducted " investigation '' ( FCRA process ) Marked " consumer disagrees '' ( FCRA outcome ) Continued credit reporting ( FCRA allows if verified ) What they SHOULD have done under FDCPA : CEASE all collection ( including credit reporting ) OBTAIN verification documents ( contracts, accounting, proof of ownership ) SEND these documents to me NOT resume collection until providing validation Their credit report notation ADMITS they received my dispute in XX/XX/year> but processed it incorrectly. 

VIOLATION # XXXX : INADEQUATE VALIDATION Portfolio Recovery 's " validation '' letters for BOTH accounts are legally insufficient. 

What they sent : Generic form letters Statement that they " verified '' the debts Claim they " reviewed attached documentation '' ( but NO documents were actually attached ) XXXX actual proof of debt validity What proper validation requires : Original signed XXXX  XXXX credit card agreements Complete itemized accounting ( charges, payments, interest, fees ) Bill of sale showing XXXX XXXXXXXX sold these debts to them Assignment agreement proving they own these debts Chain of custody documentation Proof of license to collect in Massachusetts Their form letters do NOT satisfy 1692g ( a ). Internal verification of their own records is not validation. 

ADDITIONAL DEFICIENCY : They claimed to review " attached documentation '' but NO documents were attached. This is a false statement violating 1692e ( 1XXXX ). 

VIOLATION # XXXX : INACCURATE CREDIT REPORTING My XX/XX/year> credit report shows : " Invalid date, Invalid date, Invalid date '' This appears XXXX TIMES in Account # XXXX information. 

This violates 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2 ( a ) - furnishers must provide accurate information. " Invalid date '' entries demonstrate : - Data accuracy problems - System failures- Unreliable records - Inaccurate reporting If their dates are " invalid, '' how can their debt information be accurate? 

EVIDENCE I HAVE : Certified mail receipt showing XX/XX/year> delivery of validation request My original validation letter clearly disputing BOTH accounts Credit report showing Account # XXXX updated XX/XX/year> ( 3 days after dispute ) Credit report showing Account # XXXX updated XX/XX/year> ( 17 days after dispute ) Experian alert dated XX/XX/year> showing " XXXX days past due '' flag XX/XX/year> credit report with their ADMISSION : " processing of your dispute in XX/XX/year> '' XX/XX/year> credit report showing " Invalid date, Invalid date, Invalid date '' Portfolio Recovery response letters dated October 2-3, 2025 ( no actual documentation ) Timeline proving they updated credit BEFORE sending responses PROOF OF WILLFUL VIOLATIONS : XXXX. Updated Account # XXXX only 3 days after receiving validation- proves immediate disregard for law XXXX Credit report ADMITS they processed my XX/XX/year> dispute- they can't claim they didn't know XXXX. Updated credit reports BEFORE sending response letters- logically impossible if investigation was legitimate XXXX. Flagged account as " XXXX days past due '' on SAME DAY as response letter- proves coordinated attack XXXX. Marked " consumer disagrees '' without providing proof - false representation XXXX. As major debt collector, they know FDCPA requirements - these are not innocent mistakes AGGRAVATING FACTORS : The XX/XX/year> actions are particularly egregious : Mailed inadequate validation letter ( no documents ) Flagged account with most severe derogatory status Same day = coordinated action during validation period Demonstrates bad faith and intent to maximize credit damage Attempt to coerce payment on disputed, unvalidated debts WHAT I WANT : XXXX. IMMEDIATE deletion of BOTH accounts from all three credit bureaus XXXX. REMOVAL of " XXXX days past due '' flag XXXX. CORRECTION of " invalid date '' errors XXXX. CEASE all collection activities XXXX. Investigation and penalties for multiple FDCPA and FCRA violations XXXX. Compensation for statutory damages, actual damages ( severe XXXX XXXX impact from " XXXX days '' mark ), and emotional distress XXXX XXXX : Both accounts remain on my credit report as of XX/XX/year>, with Account # XXXX still flagged as " XXXX days past due. '' Portfolio Recovery continues to report them despite : - Never providing actual validation - Violating federal law multiple times - Admitting in credit report they processed my dispute - Reporting inaccurate information ( " invalid date '' errors ) This is systematic violation of both FDCPA ( debt collection law ) and FCRA ( credit reporting law ). 

Their XX/XX/year> credit report contains their OWN ADMISSION that they : Processed my XX/XX/year> dispute Treated FDCPA validation as FCRA XXXX Continued updating credit during dispute period Never provided actual validation documents I request CFPB investigate Portfolio Recovery Associates , LLC for these serious violations and take appropriate enforcement action. 

ACCOUNT DETAILS : XXXX  XXXX Account # XXXX : Balance {$480.00}, Reference XXXX XXXX  XXXX Account # XXXX : Balance {$530.00}, Reference XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, CA XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief