Consumer complaint received 2024-03-25 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Telecommunications debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: LJ Ross Associates
State: NY

Complaint narrative:
I recently received a notification from my bank that my credit had dropped significantly by XXXX points. I freaked out and checked my credit report. I saw that L J ROSS ASSOCIATES had placed a collection notice on my profile for the amount of {$260.00}. 

I called them to find out the details of the amount. The associate on the phone asked for my name, birthday, address, phone number, social security number, AND THEN he asked for my credit card number " in order to verify my identity. '' They assured me it would only cost {$1.00} from the company XXXX XXXX and it was solely to confirm that I am indeed the owner of the debt. 

My husband was sitting next to me, and he nodded yes, so I provided the information. 

Long story short, the associate told me that I owe XXXX XXXX {$260.00}, which is untrue because I have had my account set up for automatic withdrawal since 2021!!!! He said not to worry because companies mistake identities all the time. He sounded very hurried and told me not to wait as having a bad credit score can affect me a lot. He proposed a solution to immediately address the charge to clean my record for a total of {$350.00}!!!! 

I said no. 

I told him I would have to confirm with XXXX XXXX. He told me that would not be possible because once the debt had been sold, the company that sold it wouldn't be able to track it. 

XXXX! That is not how things work. 

First of all, any collection company is required to contact me if I were to owe something. The contact must be either by mail or phone call or both! 

SECONDLY, if I indeed owed {$260.00} to XXXX XXXX and they sold the debt to L J Ross, XXXX would have it written in my record that I owe the money! 

I contacted XXXX XXXX, and they agreed with my statements. XXXX told me : XXXX ) I have paid all my bills, and I don't owe them any balance. 

XXXX ) If they sold my debt to a collection company, they would have made a note in my record. 

I asked L J Ross to provide me with an email or letter indicating the debt. They specifically told me that they can not and they won't do it. 

After I threatened to contact the FTC, I checked my credit report, and the debt was marked " Closed. '' So they closed a debt that doesn't belong to me, and now it's on my report, dragging down my score. 

What XXXX XXXX XXXX did was absolutely cunning and illegal. They wanted to scam me by promoting their " credit cleaning '' service FOR A DEBT THAT DOESN'T BELONG TO ME! 

So I'm making this report to the FTC and after this, I'm contacting the FBI. 

XXXX : I received an email from this company called XXXX XXXX, the one that L J Ross signed me up for using my credit card to " verify my identity '' for {$1.00}. The email said my XXXX trial began and will be renewed for {$24.00}. 

I AM CONTACTING THE FBI ABOUT THIS CASE

Company public response: Company believes complaint caused principally by actions of third party outside the control or direction of the company
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation