Portfolio Recovery Associates Called me, but I have no debt? help Internet
I had never heard of this company before and they called me today. Connection was bad or something and they asked for me, I said "this is him", I asked who was calling and they said it was portfolio recovery. The connection went bad and call disconnected.
i just looked up this company and have found horrible things that have me worried. I have good credit, make payments on time. i ran my free annual credit report and there are no collections. Portfolio recovery only shows up on Transunion under
account review inquery, two times in 2010 and just last Dec.
I moved to another state last June, both states show SoL to be 4 and 6 years. I know I dont have any delinquent accounts in the last 7+ years.
Should I just do nothing and wait to be contacted again? if so, what would i tell them on the phone? If I ask them to send me something via mail, should i have to give my new address or dont even give them that if they dont have it?
If they call back, should I ask for all information they have on the debt so i can have info to send them a VoD letter?
Basically, I know its very early in the game but i know who they are and they asked for me so it cant be good and I have to assume they want to pay a debt that either isnt mine or way out of SoL.
I just dont want to trip up and cost me money I dont have.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Tagurit
USAPlan ahead, dispute, admit nothing to them
#4Consumer Comment
Mon, April 30, 2012
You're being smart to think ahead on this. If Portfolio Recovery shows up on one of your credit bureaus they have somehow managed to get a judgement against you. This could be a mistake and it could be they did it illegally. First, write the credit bureau reflecting Portfolio Recovery and dispute it. Secondly, if they call again ask them to provide all the information on the debt including the date the debt was incurred and proof you are the debtor. Do not under any circumstances admit it is your debt and do not make any payments no matter how small. Homework first. If the debt is past the SoL for your state for that type of debt send them a letter stating this and informing them you are aware of your rights and if they pursue or report it you will sue them. These guys are junk debt buyers and almost everything they collect on is past the SoL. They have also been known to pursue debts with people who are not the actual debt owner. Ignoring their calls and communications could be a mistake if they try to obtain another judgement against you to report it on your credit files. You need to respond and dispute.
If someone by the name Southern Chemical posts a response - listen to him - he is an expert in this area.
Lyn
Aberdeen,Maryland,
United States of America
This happened to me as well...
#4Consumer Comment
Fri, April 27, 2012
After 4 years of supposedly owing this debt, they contact my parent's house, of which I haven't lived for years, claiming I owed money to an electric company. The bill was apparently from when I moved out of my apartment in 2008. I had paid off the bill and they were claiming that I still owed a balance of over $230. I know that I paid the bill, so I checked my credit reports and it didn't show anything pertaining to it at all. I called into the Portfolio recovery customer service and I was transferred to a dispute dept. I told them I know that I had paid this bill years ago, I had asked for proof of the original debt (of which they talked around and finally refused to give me) and my credit reports showed no debt write offs or collection actions from this company I supposedly owed. I also said that if my information was not removed from their database and if they didn't cease contact with me, I was going to contact my attorney. Immediately, the lady closed my case and said I would receive proof of this in the mail in a couple weeks. I'm still waiting on this letter, but at least I know that I stood my ground and they don't have a legal foot to stand on.
Golfer
United States of AmericaDON'T ANSWER THE PHONE WHEN THEY CALL
#4Consumer Comment
Wed, February 22, 2012
Presuming you have caller ID