Palisade Collections Inc (creditor ATT) Ripoff! Collections Scam. Negative Item on Credit Report. I am having Experian dispute this. Duluth Georgia
This company is VERY suspicious. When a negative item, $36 charge from Palisade (creditor ATT), showed up on my report, I knew I did not owe ATT any money - I never even had service with them. The credit bureau (Experian) was unable to provide any phone number for Palisade, so I looked them up here on the reports.
When I contact the first 1-800 #, I received an anonymous answering system and an anonymous rep with a strong foreign accent. She claimed I needed to contact a different phone number for "my account".
When I contacted the alternative number (listed in my report here), I spoke with another man, who at first seemed friendly but was NOT able to provide me any assistance. I have worked with collections agencies closely before, for our own company's use, and I know how they work.
This rep was NOT acting like a typical collections firm. He claimed I needed to send documents TO THEM to prove that I did not owe the money. I told him the account never existed, I didn't owe anyone anything - how was I supposed to send documents for something like that? Isn't that THEIR job - to send me proof of invoices, collections letters, etc.?
He claimed that they sent me a collections notice *1* time only to an old apartment address from 6 or so years ago and that is their only obligation. What? If you have access to my credit history, how can you only have one address on file for me?
He then changed his story a couple of times, in an effort to confuse me. He tried to say I could, for example, contact ATT and provide proof that there was no such account. I told him fine if that was necessary I would contact ATT - then he suddenly said no I couldn't contact them because they sold the account to them and ATT would not help me directly. I told him that none of this made sense and he hung up on me!
I am having Experian dispute this for me (by law, they must verify or delete it within 30 days). I am also planning to write the Attorney General or Congressman regarding this issue, or any other party that might handle these types of cases. I have had wonderful credit history except for this one fraud that has recently affected my relationship with another creditor!
J
Austin, Texas
U.S.A.