Asset Recovery Associates

Dear Revdex.com,   The account in question was an [redacted] Auto Finance account that Ms. [redacted] opened and kept active for quite some time until several months of non-payment prompted the original creditor to render it closed in March of 1997. Following this default, the original creditor placed the...

account with several outside collection agencies for recovery of the full balance, at the time totaling $5,639.88. Of the four agencies to do so, it was noted that all efforts were exhausted and none were able to obtain any form of payment from Ms. [redacted]. Eventually, the original creditor was forced to sell the account in a last-ditch effort to recoup a small portion of the losses they sustained. ARA Inc. purchased the file as part of a larger portfolio of defaulted accounts.   I thoroughly reviewed Ms. [redacted]’s file as well as interviewed Mr. [redacted] the representative with whom he spoke. Mr. [redacted] states that on August 04, 2016 he contacted Ms. [redacted] to seek resolution on her outstanding balance. Mr. [redacted] states that Ms. [redacted]’s daughter answered the phone to speak on her mothers behalf. Mr. [redacted] states that he relayed the pertinent details of Ms. [redacted]’s account to her daughter (Ms. [redacted]. Mr. [redacted] states that Ms[redacted] expressed that her mother was could not afford to pay as she was on disability. Mr. [redacted] states that he offered a highly reduced settlement to suit her financial needs. Mr. [redacted] states that Ms[redacted] stated that she could afford $50.00 per month. He states they agreed on a total settlement of $2,500.00; $50.00 per month until the full settlement amount was satisfied. Mr. [redacted] states that Ms[redacted] agreed to this settlement and proceeded to provide payment information. Mr. [redacted] states that the first payment of $50.00 was to be processed on September 01, 2016. Mr. [redacted] states they ended the call amicably and on those terms. On August 11, 2016, Mr. [redacted] received contact from Ms[redacted] stating she wished to cancel the arrangements and erase payment information due to lack of funds.   It should be stated that due to the nature of this complaint, my administrators have instructed me to render Ms. [redacted]’s file closed. All associated payment and contact information shall be purged and it shall not be subject to transfer or sale.   Thank you very much for your assistance in this matter.   Sincerely,     [redacted] Compliance Manager

Dear Revdex.com,   The account in question was a [redacted] Bank account that Mr. [redacted] opened and kept active for over a year until several months of non-payment prompted the original creditor to render it closed in November of 2000. Following this default, the original creditor placed the account...

with several outside collection agencies for recovery of the full balance, at the time totaling $1,585.26. Of the four agencies to do so, it was noted that all efforts were exhausted and none were able to obtain any form of payment from Mr. [redacted]. Eventually, the original creditor was forced to sell the account in a last-ditch effort to recoup a small portion of the losses they sustained. ARA Inc. purchased the file as part of a larger portfolio of defaulted accounts.   I thoroughly reviewed Mr. [redacted]’s file as well as interviewed Ms. Washington and Ms. Massey, the representatives with whom he spoke. Ms. Washington states that on June 07, 2016, she contacted Mr. [redacted] to seek resolution on his outstanding balance. She states that following identity verification, she relayed the pertinent details of Mr. [redacted]’s account. Ms. Washington states Mr. [redacted] inquired after further details of his debt so relayed that she would escalate the call to Mr. Massey. Mr. Massey states that he received the call and answered Mr. [redacted]’s questions regarding his outstanding balance. He states that he relayed that notices had been sent to Mr. [redacted] via mail. Mr. [redacted] stated he did not receive correspondence in the mail and asked what address they had been sent to. Mr. Massey states he provided an address in which the letters were sent and Ms. [redacted] denied that was his current address. Mr. Massey states that he asked Mr. [redacted] for his current address so a letter could be sent, but Mr. [redacted] became agitated and ended the call.   To address the alleged behavior of our representatives, I must state it would be highly unlikely from them. Regardless, I have placed both Ms. Washington and Mr. Massey on a supervisory period lasting no less than 30 days as a precautionary measure. This includes random monitoring and weekly administrative reviews to ensure no incident similar in nature does occur in the future.   Although I cannot speak to Mr. [redacted]’s recollection of his debt, I can speak to its validity. It should be noted that before a creditor can sell an account, it must first be validated within the strict regulations of the FDCPA. Simply put, this means that the original creditor must evidence the originator of the account by verifying the name and social security number it was opened in. Additionally, the original creditor must prove that matter was reported to the consumer’s credit report, show payment history and ensure it was not included in a Bankruptcy or cited as fraudulent. The account was deemed valid within these regulations and an Affidavit of Assignment was issued as verification of this information. That being stated, we must assume Mr. [redacted]’s account was just and due at the time of contact.   I have appealed to my administrators regarding this matter. Due to the involvement of your office, they have instructed me to render Mr. [redacted]’s file closed. All associated contact information has been purged and it shall not be subject to transfer or sale.   Thank you very much for your assistance in this matter.   Sincerely,   [redacted] Compliance Manager

Dear Revdex.com, The account in question was a Chase Bank account that Mr. [redacted] opened and kept active for quite some time until several months of non-payment prompted the original creditor to render it closed in January of 1990. Following this default, the original creditor placed the account with...

numerous outside collection agencies for recovery of the full balance, at the time totaling $7,907.00. Of the four agencies to do so, it was noted that all efforts were exhausted and none were able to obtain any form of payment from Mr. [redacted] Eventually, the original creditor was forced to sell the account in a last-ditch effort to recoup a small portion of the losses they sustained. ARA Inc. purchased the file as part of a larger portfolio of defaulted accounts. I reviewed Mr. [redacted] file as well as interviewed Ms. [redacted] the representative with whom Ms. [redacted] spoke. Ms. [redacted] states that on March 21, 2016 at around 9:35 A.M CST, Ms. [redacted] contacted her to inquire about a letter that was sent to Mr. [redacted]. Ms. [redacted] states Ms. [redacted] explained that she was Mr. [redacted] caretaker. Ms. [redacted] states that she relayed the pertinent details of Mr. [redacted] account and stated that a letter was sent to Mr. [redacted] to notify him of his outstanding balance as well as attempt to seek resolution. Ms. [redacted] states that Ms. [redacted] stated that Mr. [redacted] relayed that he could not afford any form of payment for the account, as he had medical bills to pay. Ms. [redacted] stated she explained to Ms. [redacted] that if Mr. [redacted] decided he wished to settle his account later on, he could contact her and they ended the call. As for the Mr. [redacted] assertion that this debt does not belong to him, I must state that we find him to be mistaken. It should be stated that in order for a creditor to sell an account, it must be validated within the strict regulations of the FDCPA. This means that the creditor must evidence the originator of the account (Mr. [redacted]) as well as report the matter to the consumers credit report, show payment history and ensure that it has not been included in a Bankruptcy or cited as fraudulent. Since the account was deemed valid within these regulations, we must assume it remains just and due. However, I have appealed to my administrators regarding this matter. Due to the involvement of your office, they have instructed me to render Mr. [redacted] account closed. All associated contact information has been purged and it shall not be subject to transfer or sale. Thank you very much for your assistance in this matter. Sincerely, [redacted] Compliance Manager

Dear Revdex.com,The account in question was a HSBC Card Services credit card that Ms. [redacted] opened and kept active for over seven years until several months of non-payment prompted the original creditor to render it closed in August of 2003. Shortly following this default, the original creditor placed the...

account with several outside collection agencies for recovery of the full balance, at the time totaling $3,658.84. Of the four agencies to do so, it was noted that all efforts were exhausted and none were able to obtain any form of payment from Ms. Keran. Eventually, the original creditor was forced to sell the account in a last-ditch effort to recoup a small portion of the losses they sustained. ARA Inc. purchased the file as part of a larger portfolio of defaulted accounts.To address Ms. [redacted] assertion that this debt does not belong to her, I must state we beilieve that to be a false impression. It should be noted that in order for a creditor to sell an account, it must first be validated within the strict regulations of the FDCPA. This means that they must evidence the originator of the account by verifying the name and social security number attached when it was opened. Additionally, they must report the matter to the consumers credit report as well as show payment history and ensure that it was not included in a Bankruptcy or cited as fraudulent. Since the account was deemed valid within these regulations, we must assume it remained just and due when Ms. [redacted] recieved said letter.Regardless, I have conferred with my administrators regarding this matter. It is with the involvement of your office that they have instructed me to render Ms. [redacted] file closed. All associated contact information has been purged and it shall not be subject to transfer or sale.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Dear Revdex.com, The account in question was a [redacted] Bank credit card that Ms[redacted] opened and kept active for nearly three years until several months of non-payment prompted the original creditor to render it closed in July of 2005. Shortly following this default, the original creditor placed the...

account with numerous outside collection agencies for recovery of the full balance, at the time totaling $10,228.22. Of the six agencies to do so, it was noted that all efforts were exhausted and none were able to obtain any form of payment from Ms. [redacted]. Eventually, the original creditor was forced to sell the account in a last-ditch effort to recoup a small portion of the losses they sustained. ARA Inc. purchased the file as part of a larger portfolio of defaulted accounts. I thoroughly reviewed Ms. [redacted]’s file as well as interviewed Ms. [redacted], the representative with whom she spoke. Ms. [redacted] states that on January 16, 2017 she contacted Ms[redacted] to seek resolution on her outstanding balance. Following identity verification, Ms. [redacted] states that she relayed the pertinent details of her account. Ms [redacted] states that Ms[redacted] stated that she did not recall the account. Ms. [redacted] states she attempted to explain that there were no records of disputes on the account and it was indeed opened in her name. Ms. [redacted] states Ms[redacted] became irate and demanded that she receive something in writing. Ms. [redacted] states she indicated she would send a letter out and Ms[redacted] ended the call. To address the alleged behavior of the representative, I must state that I could find no instances similar in nature having had occurred on her personnel file. Regardless, I have placed her on a supervisory period lasting no less than 30 days. This includes random monitoring and weekly administrative reviews. As for the debt itself, it seems as though Ms[redacted] takes two positions on the matter. Although she states she does not recall this debt, in the same complaint she claims that the debt has collected too much time to be satisfied. It stands to reason that if Ms[redacted] did not recall this debt at all, she would make would not feel the need to make any effort to explain why the debt is invalid due to significant age. We understand that Ms. [redacted]’s debt has been neglected for an extended amount of time. However, a debt shall be due until it is either paid, the debtor is deceased, or it has been included in a Bankruptcy or cited as fraudulent. The age of the debt does not alter the moment in time that it was generated. I have conferred with my administrators regarding this matter. It is with the involvement of your office that I have been instructed to render Ms. [redacted]’s file closed. All associated contact information has been purged and it shall not be subject to transfer or sale. Thank you very much for your assistance in this matter.   Sincerely,     [redacted] Compliance Manager

Dear Ms. Garcia, The account in question was a [redacted] account that Mr. [redacted] opened and kept active for quite some time until several months of non-payment prompted the original creditor to render it closed in June of 2000. Shortly following this default, the original...

creditor placed the account with many outside collection agencies for recovery of the full balance, at the time totaling $486.36. Of the three agencies to do so, it was noted that all efforts were exhausted and none were able to obtain any form of payment from Mr. [redacted]. Eventually, the original creditor was forced to sell the account in a last-ditch effort to recoup a small portion of the losses they sustained. ARA Inc. purchased the file as part of a larger portfolio of defaulted accounts.   I thoroughly reviewed Mr. [redacted]’s account as well as spoke to the Mr. [redacted], the representative with whom he spoke. Mr. [redacted] states that on December 28, 2015 he contacted Mr. [redacted] to seek resolution on his defaulted account. He states that following identity verification, he relayed pertinent details of said account to Mr. [redacted]. Mr. [redacted] states that Mr. [redacted] became irate and claimed that he had paid this account in June of 2000. Mr. [redacted] states that he attempted to explain that we are not in possession of debts that have been settled. Mr. [redacted] states Mr. [redacted] then became increasing argumentative in his remarks and ended the call. I also spoke to our manager, Mr. Craig [redacted], who spoke to Mr. [redacted] when he called back later that day. Mr. [redacted] states that Mr. [redacted] claimed he had paid this debt off but wanted documentation of the validity of the debt. Mr. [redacted] states that he expressed his confusion at this request if Mr. [redacted]’s assertion was indeed that he had already paid his debt. Mr. [redacted] states that Mr. [redacted] became agitated and ended the call.   I must state that Mr. [redacted]’s complaint leaves me at somewhat of a loss. If Mr. [redacted] asserts that he has already resolved this account for which we have received no proof or confirmation of, it stands to reason the mention that said account is past the statute of limitations would seem unnecessary. We have made a request for an inquiry to find if in Mr. [redacted] had, in fact, settled his debt prior to our acquisition. It should be noted that there is no record by any prior holder regarding satisfaction at any point in the past.   However, I have presented this matter to my administrators for their consideration. Although they believe Mr. [redacted]’s account to be nothing other than just and due, it is due to the involvement of your office that they have instructed me to render his file closed. All associated contact information has been erased and it shall not be subject to transfer or sale.   Thank you very much for your assistance in this matter.   Sincerely,   Ben [redacted] Compliance Manager

Complaint: 11116640
I am rejecting this response because: This was NEVER MY ACCOUNT. I never in my life had an account with HOUSEHOLD BANK. Even though they say that they are closing it for further collections,  I would like the evidence that I personally had this account. Just for the record I was not living in California during that time!!!! 
Sincerely,
Iva [redacted]

Dear Revdex.com,   The account in question was a [redacted] electronics & appliances account that Ms. [redacted] opened and kept active for quite some time until several months of non-payment prompted the original creditor to render it closed in July of 1996. Shortly following this default, the...

original creditor placed the account with an outside collection agency for recovery of the full balance, at the time totaling $445.75. The agency to seek resolution noted that all efforts were exhausted and they were not able to obtain any form of payment from Ms. [redacted]. Eventually, the original creditor was forced to sell the account in a last-ditch effort to recoup a small portion of the losses they sustained. ARA Inc. purchased the file as part of larger portfolio of defaulted accounts.   I thoroughly reviewed Ms. [redacted]’s file as well as interviewed Ms. [redacted] the representative with whom she spoke. Ms. [redacted] states that on April 21, 2016 she contacted Ms. [redacted] to seek resolution on her outstanding balance. Ms. [redacted] states that following identity verification, she relayed to Ms. [redacted] the pertinent details of her account. Ms. [redacted] states that Ms. [redacted] requested additional information regarding her debt be sent to her through email. Ms. [redacted] states that she relayed that she would be sending said information that day. Ms. [redacted] states they then ended the call. Ms. [redacted] states that Ms. [redacted] did not contact her back after the information was sent via email. She states that she attempted to contact Ms. [redacted] again on June 08, 2016 to see if the debt could be resolved. She states that Ms. [redacted] immediately became irate at the mention of a resolution and ended the call.   To address the alleged behavior of our representative, I must state it would be highly unlikely from her. Regardless, I have placed her on a supervisory period lasting no less than 30 days as a precautionary measure. This includes random monitoring and weekly administrative reviews to ensure no incident similar in nature does occur in the future.   It should be noted that our intention in contacting Ms. [redacted] was merely to notify her of her outstanding balance and attempt to seek resolution. As for the debt itself, Ms. [redacted] has not denied its existence or its validity.   However, due to the involvement of your office, my administrators have instructed me to render it closed. All associated contact information has been purged and it shall not be subject to transfer or sale.   Thank you very much for your assistance in this matter.   Sincerely,  [redacted] Compliance Manager

Dear Revdex.com, We were unable to locate the file in question. Upon further review of Ms[redacted] complaint, she cites the phone number of the company that contacted her as ([redacted] Our company phone number is [redacted]. This leads me to believe that she has mistaken us with another...

company. We regret the confusion. Thank you very much for your assistance in this matter. Sincerely, [redacted] Compliance Manager

Dear Revdex.com,The account in question was a Union Acceptance Auto Loan that Mr. [redacted] took out in September of 1998 and paid on for nearly three years until several months of non-payment prompted the original creditor to render it closed in October of 2001. Shortly following this default, the original...

creditor placed the account with an external collection agency for recovery of the full balance, then totaling $11,077.52. The agency, along with others to follow, noted that all efforts were exhausted and none were able to obtain any form of payment from Mr. [redacted]. Eventually, the original creditor was forced do sell the account in a last-ditch effort to recoup a small portion of the losses they sustained. ARA Inc. purchased the file as part of a larger portfolio of defaulted accounts.I thoroughly reviewed Mr. [redacted]’s account to better address the situation and interviewed Ms. [redacted], the representative with whom he spoke. Ms. [redacted] states that on October 27, 2016 she contacted Mr. [redacted] in order to seek resolution on his defaulted account. Ms. [redacted] states that following identity verification, she relayed the pertinent details of his account. Ms. [redacted] states that Mr. [redacted] did recall the account. Ms. [redacted] states she then offered him a highly reduced settlement of $4,108.62 to satisfy his overdue obligation. She states that Mr. [redacted] stated he would consider the offer and call back at a later time. Ms. [redacted] states when she did not receive a call back from Mr. [redacted], she attempted to contact him once more as a follow up call, but he could not be reached.We understand that Mr. [redacted]’s debt has accumulated significant age. However, that fact alone does not render his debt invalid. When Mr. [redacted] signed the contract to receive his loan, he agreed to pay all incurred debt on said loan. The age of a debt alone does not alter the moment in time in which it was created.Nonetheless, due to the involvement of your office, I have rendered Mr. [redacted]’s account fully closed. All associated contact information has been purged and it shall not be subject to transfer or sale. Thank you very much for your assistance in this matter. Sincerely, [redacted]Compliance ManagerTell us why here...

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. I understand I will receive no further contact from this entity and that this matter is permanently closed.  Thank you!
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Dear Revdex.com, The account in question was a [redacted] Bank credit card that Mr. [redacted] opened and kept active for over four years until several months of non-payment prompted the original creditor to render it closed in October of 1997. Shortly following this default, the original creditor placed the...

account with several outside collection agencies for recovery of the full balance, at the time totaling $2,455.20. Of the four agencies to do so, it was noted that all efforts were exhausted and none were able to obtain any form of payment from Mr. [redacted]. Eventually, the original creditor was forced to sell the account in a last-ditch effort to recoup a small portion of the losses they sustained. ARA Inc. purchased the file as part of a larger portfolio of defaulted accounts. It is clear that Mr. [redacted] is reacting very strongly to information he has “researched” on the internet. I must state that as a business that operates in an industry whose main objective is recovering long-past due debts, it is not uncommon for us to find ourselves under the scrutiny of people who choose to vent their frustrations behind the shield of anonymity that is the internet. We cannot be held responsible for the critics who choose to condemn our business as less than legitimate simply because they say it is so. It should also be stressed that often consumers do not recall or do not believe they are still liable for a debt that has been neglected for so many years. However, this debt has been listed to Mr. [redacted]’s credit report seven years following default and that alone does not render it non-existent. However, due to the involvement of your office, I have been instructed to render Mr. [redacted]’s file closed. All associated contact information has been purged and it shall not be subject to transfer or sale. Thank you very much for your assistance in this matter. Sincerely,   [redacted] Compliance Manager

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: The ARA, Inc. didn't have all the info that they told to Teri on the phone call with Ms. [redacted].  Some of their reply was incorrect to what Ms. [redacted] said in her phone message.  Plus Ms. [redacted] who talked to [redacted] the caretaker, without permission from [redacted]   We would like to have written proof that the debt was canceled and has no balance.  Plus we would like to know all the info on their file is purged and can't be used in any matter.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
Sincerely,
[redacted] I do not accept this response. The phone number of [redacted] clearly states that they are ARA. This is the number that has contacted me on more than one occasion . This needs to be investigated further.

Dear Revdex.com,   The account in question was a [redacted] account that Mr. [redacted] opened and kept active until several months of non-payment prompted the original creditor to render it closed in March of 1992. Shortly following this default, the original creditor placed the account with numerous...

outside collection agencies for recovery of the full balance, at the time totaling $1,903.62. Of the four agencies to do so, it was noted that all efforts were exhausted and none were able to obtain any form of payment from Mr. [redacted] Eventually, the original creditor was forced to sell the account in a last-ditch effort to recoup a small portion of the losses they sustained. ARA Inc. purchased the file as part of a larger portfolio of defaulted accounts.   Our intention in contacting Mr. [redacted] was merely to notify him of his neglected outstanding balance and attempt to offer a highly reduced settlement to close out the account. Although I cannot speak to Mr. [redacted] recollection of his debt, I must state that we find it to be her than just and due. It should be stressed that before a creditor can sell an account, it must first be validated within the strict regulations of the FDCPA. This means that they must evidence the originator of the account by verifying the name and social security number in which it was opened. Additionally, the original creditor must report the matter to the consumer’s credit report as well as show payment history and ensure it wasn’t included in a Bankruptcy or cited as fraudulent. The account in question was deemed valid within these regulations.   To address the alleged behavior of our representatives, I must state it would be highly unlikely from any of them. However, I have thoroughly reviewed Mr. [redacted] file and have located the representative with whom he spoke and have placed him on a supervisory period lasting no less than 30 days as a precautionary measure. This includes random monitoring and weekly administrative reviews to ensure no incident similar in nature does occur in the future.   I have appealed to my administrators regarding this matter. Due to the involvement of your office, they have instructed me to render Mr. [redacted] file fully closed. All associated contact information has been erased and it shall not be subject to transfer or sale.   Thank you very much for your assistance in this matter.   Sincerely,   [redacted] Compliance Manager

Dear Revdex.com, The account in question was a [redacted] Card that Ms. [redacted] opened and kept active until several months of non-payment prompted the original creditor to render it closed in March of 2002. Shortly following this default, the original creditor placed the account with many outside...

collection agencies for recovery f the full balance, at the time totaling $5,437.17. Of the five agencies to do so, it was noted that all efforts were exhausted and none were able to obtain any form of payment from Ms. Thompson. Eventually, the original creditor was forced to sell the account in a last-ditch effort to recoup a small portion of the losses they sustained. ARA Inc. purchased the file as part of a larger portfolio of defaulted accounts.  I thoroughly reviewed Ms. [redacted] account as well as interviewed Mr. [redacted], the representative with whom she spoke. Mr. [redacted] states that on October 19, 2016 he contacted Ms. [redacted] to seek resolution on her outstanding balance. He states that following identity verification, he relayed the pertinent details of her account. Mr. [redacted] states that Ms. [redacted] did not recall the account, and requested more information. Mr. [redacted] states that he told Ms. [redacted] he would transfer the call to another representative to go over the account in more detail, but Ms. [redacted] had ended the call while it was being transferred. To address the alleged behavior of our representative, I must state that it would be highly unlikely from him. However, we do not take these allegations lightly. Mr. [redacted] has been placed on a supervisory period lasting no less than 30 days. This includes random monitoring, weekly administrative reviews as well as being subject to re-orientation to ensure no incident similar in nature does occur in the future. As for Ms. [redacted] assertion that the age of a debt nullifies its validity, I must state she is laboring under false beliefs. Although it can no longer be legally enforced, a debt shall remain due until it is either paid, the debtor is deceased, was cited as fraudulent or included in a Bankruptcy. Since Ms. [redacted] account meets none of the requirements for a discharged debt, we must assume it remains just and due. It should be stressed, however, that our intention when contacting consumers is merely to establish what position they take on resolving their outstanding balance. Regardless, due to the involvement of your office, Ms. [redacted] file has been rendered closed. All associated contact information has been purged and it shall not be subject to transfer or sale.   Thank you very much for your assistance in this matter.   Sincerely, [redacted] Compliance Manager

Dear Revdex.com, The account in question was an Associates Bank account that Ms. [redacted] opened and kept active for quite some time until several months of non-payment prompted the original creditor to render it closed in September of 2001. Shortly following this default, the original creditor placed the...

account with many outside collection agencies for recovery of the full balance, at the time totaling $1,304.84. Of the four agencies to do so, it was noted that all efforts were exhausted and none were able to obtain any form of payment from Ms. [redacted]. Eventually, the original creditor was forced to sell the account in a last-ditch effort to recoup a small portion of the losses they sustained. ARA Inc. purchased the file as part of larger portfolio of defaulted accounts. I thoroughly reviewed Ms. [redacted] account as well as interviewed Mr. [redacted] and Ms. [redacted] the representatives with whom she spoke. Ms. [redacted] states that on May 05, 2016 she received a call from someone inquiring information about a letter that had been sent to her. As in our policy, Ms. [redacted] states that she asked the consumer to verify her name so she could proceed with pertinent information. Ms. [redacted] states that the consumer became irate and refused to verify her information. Ms. [redacted] states she relayed to her that we cannot proceed any further if the consumer does not verify her information. Ms. [redacted] says the consumer then became very agitated and ended the call. Later that day, Mr. [redacted] states he received a call from the same consumer and stated she also refused to verify that it was the name on the account in question. He states he attempted to explain that such verification was necessary before discussing the account. Mr. [redacted] states the consumer vehemently refused to do so and ended the call. To address the alleged behavior of our representatives, I must state that it would be highly unlikely for either of them. However, I have placed both Ms. [redacted] and Mr. [redacted] on a supervisory period lasting no less than 30 days as a precautionary measure. This includes random monitoring and weekly reviews to ensure no incident similar in nature does occur in the future. It should be noted that often consumers do not easily recall debts that have been neglected for a long period of time. Although I cannot speak to Ms. [redacted]’ memory of her debt, I can state that it does belong to her. Before a creditor can sell an account, it must first be validated within the strict regulations of the FDCPA. This means that the creditor must evidence the originator of the account (Ms. [redacted]) by verifying the name and social security number it was originally opened in. Additionally, they must report the matter to the consumers credit report, show payment history and ensure the account was not included in a Bankruptcy or cited as fraudulent. Since the account was deemed valid within these regulations, we must assume it was just and due at the time of contact. It should be stressed that in the seven years this was listed to her credit report, there have been no documented disputes from Ms. [redacted] regarding this account. However, I have appealed to my administrators regarding this matter. Due to the involvement of your office, they have instructed me to render Ms. [redacted]’ account fully closed. All associated contact information has been erased and it shall not be subject to transfer or sale. Thank you very much for your assistance in this matter. Sincerely, [redacted] Compliance Manager

Revdex.com:
As I said in my original complaint, ARA Inc. is a junk debt collector with a reputation for using harassment techniques to attempt collecting debts that either do not exist or have long since passed any statute of limitations for legal collection practices. They insinuated that my research on them and their reputation came from untrustworthy sources, however, I would like to point out that your own organization, the Revdex.com, gives ARA Inc. a 95% unacceptable rating and a grade of 'F'. I think of all the sources available, the Revdex.com is just about as trustworthy a source as anyone can get. I believe that their records are erroneous, as I have no recollection of this account and do not believe it to be a legitimate debt. If however, the account in question was truly closed for collection in 1997, then it would CLEARLY be well beyond any statute of limitations in ANY state in the US. This just proves my point that they are not only willing to collect on debts that never existed, they are also willing to attempt collecting debts that are not legally enforceable. I'm happy that they have agreed to drop the matter without further incident, as I would not hesitate to sue them in court if they caused any damage to myself or my reputation by continuing their illegal collection activities. I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] and although I still contend that their business practices are suspect at best, I find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Dear Revdex.com,     The account in question was a Household Bank account that Ms. [redacted] opened and kept active for quite some time until several months of non-payment prompted the original creditor to render it closed in March of 2001. Following this default, the original creditor placed the...

account with many outside collection agencies for recovery of the full balance, at the time totaling $1,139.41. Of the three agencies to do so, it was noted that all efforts were exhausted and none were able to obtain any form of payment from Ms. [redacted]. Eventually, the original creditor was forced to sell the account in a last-ditch effort to recoup a small portion of the losses they sustained. ARA Inc. purchased the file as part of a larger portfolio of defaulted accounts.   Our records show that one letter was sent out to Ms. [redacted] notifying her of her outstanding balance as well as indicating a highly reduced settlement offer would be available to her to close out her account. Although I cannot speak to Ms. [redacted]’s recollection of her account, I can state that we believe it to be nothing other than just and due. It should be stressed that when a creditor sells an account, it must first be validated within the strict regulations of the FDCPA. Simply put, they must evidence the name and social security number of the originator of the account as well as show payment history and prove that it wasn’t included in a Bankruptcy or cited as fraudulent. The account was deemed valid within these regulations.   It is not uncommon for consumers to not easily remember a long-neglected debt and to become irritated by the mere mention of said, debt whether it a letter or a call. Our intention in sending Ms. [redacted] correspondence was to inform her that we would be willing to accept a settlement of her account to in accordance to her finances.   It is with the involvement of your office that my administrators have instructed me to render Ms. [redacted]’s account closed. All associated contact information has been erased and it shall not be subject to transfer or sale.   Thank you very much for your assistance in this matter.   Sincerely,   Ben [redacted] Compliance Manager