Consumer complaint received 2026-04-27 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Credit card debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action — Sued you without properly notifying you of lawsuit
Company: ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC.
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
I am filing this complaint regarding XXXX alleged XXXX credit card accounts being reported and collected by Midland Credit Management XXXX Inc. ( MCM ) : account ending XXXX ( alleged {$3200.00} ) and account ending XXXX ( alleged {$3300.00} ). Both accounts were formally disputed via XXXX Certified Mail and confirmed delivered on XX/XX/XXXX. MCM responded by placing a generic consumer disputes remark on all credit bureaus and issuing a boilerplate response that failed to provide sufficient validation. Instead, MCM mischaracterized my dispute as Account balance is incorrect and improperly shifted the burden onto me, requesting that I provide contracts or statements to prove the debt. Between XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX, I received repeated calls and voicemails from an agent identifying himself as XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I spoke with this agent ( call recorded with mutual consent ). During the call, he stated that legal action could be taken if I did not resolve the matter, despite the accounts being disputed. When I challenged this, a second individual, XXXX, joined the call without my prior knowledge. I ended the call and instructed that further communication be by mail. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received XXXX letters ( via XXXX Informed Delivery records ) dated XX/XX/XXXX, from MCMs XXXX XXXX Department. These letters demanded full payment by XX/XX/XXXX and stated that legal action would be initiated if payment was not made. The deadline coincided with the date of receipt, providing no meaningful opportunity to respond. On XX/XX/XXXX, MCM received my renewed dispute, including a detailed debt validation request, Notice of Documented Violations, and a written Cease-and-Desist ( confirmed by XXXX XXXX Form XXXX XXXX. On or about XX/XX/XXXX, I submitted disputes to Equifax and Experian. Both credit reporting agencies responded that MCM certified and verified the accounts as accurate. However, MCM never provided validation, nor did it update the original XX/XX/XXXX dispute remark. Notably, Equifax removed the original dispute date without explanation. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received attorney advertisement letters referencing a lawsuit filed by MCM. I confirmed through the XXXX XXXX Clerk that MCM initiated litigation on XX/XX/XXXX ( Case No. XXXX ), after receiving my XX/XX/XXXX dispute and without providing sufficient validation. This sequence demonstrates a pattern of continued collection activity, credit reporting, and litigation based on disputed and unverified information. These practices mirror prior enforcement actions involving MCMs parent company, XXXX XXXX XXXX, including a XXXX CFPB order addressing similar conduct involving insufficient documentation and improper collection practices. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called MCM to provide clear directions on how to enter my community to serve me, and the agent told me I had to coordinate that with the XXXX XXXX Clerk. I immediately called XXXX XXXX clerk, and they stated that MCM is supposed to coordinate the serving, and XXXX XXXX clerk was perplexed as to why MCM would tell me otherwise. I request that the CFPB review MCMs conduct, including its failure to properly validate disputed debts, continued reporting and verification without investigation, and initiation of litigation under these circumstances.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation