Portfolio Recovery Associates’s earns a 3.1-star rating from 107 reviews, showing that the majority of debtors are somewhat satisfied with debt collection experience.
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Alledged Hospital bill
My husband recieved an optional method to pay letter from Portfoilio Recovery Associates today, after calling the company to find out what the alledged hospital bill was for the service rep told me that it was for services rendered in 2001! It is now 9 yrs later and they are trying to collect money for a debt my husband has already told them he had no knowledge of, it is addressed to the wrong person and the re[ was very insistant that I was getting rude do to the fact that she would not let me finish asking what the bill was for to begin with, I immediately contacted a family member who is in the debt collection field and was informed that the Satute of Limitations is 7 yrs in Illinois which is where we live, I was also informed to immediately write CEASE AND DESIST on the letter and return it. I know this will not stop them from sending further notices but it's a start to a very long process. This company is nothing but bunch of rude indignant poor excuses for human beings. I know alot of debt collectors personally and they never heard of anything like this, just plain ignorant.
Thank-you for giving me the chance to voice my complaint and concerns
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
scam
I checked my credit report to find PRA listed with a bill of 18, 538.00, I called them and explained I have no knowledge of this account, they stated I lived in the Bronx and this was my property. I asked for proof of this account they directed me to FTC to dispute this claim because they already sent forms to me 3 times, I told them where did you send these forms because I never received anything... well to make a long story short I'm stll trying to get to the bottom of this. Any suggestions as how to resolve this?
this company is nothing more than a bully that tries to scare people into paying old or non exisitent debts becasue they bought your account or someones account and trying to scare you to pay this. and it works for them a good bit of time. But remember they cannot provide proof. They never seem to be able to, thats your first clue. they say they send out forms for you to sign, Don't, you could be signing something you dont want too. which in some cases can reset your debt time and put it back on your credit report. so dont sign anything. ever unless an attorney tells you too. also dont panic, play with them on the phone. Have a little fun. they ask you personal questions so I ask them personal questions back lol. I tell them I will play their game, but only if they answer my off the wall questions lol. These debt collectors are flunky overpaid workers that couldnt find another job, *who the heck would take a job where you get cussed out constantly lol* Portfolio cannot do anything to you without a court order so make them take you to court and lets see what the judge says when they cannot provide proof. Even if they made it that far you can always tell the judge that they never provided you with any type of paperwork or proof. to seal the deal put it in writing and send them a certified letter stating you never recieved proof of the debt.
scam collections letter
Received today a letter addressed to my spouse offering payment options on a debt that was ostensibly owed to Capital One Bank. The main problem with the collections activity is that my spouse has NEVER had an account of any kind with this bank or its predecessors. Indeed, he hasn't had a bank account in any bank for almost 5 years and has had no credit cards or other credit accounts in at least 12 years, a product of having been burned by his ex-wife when she cleaned out their joint account and ran up debts on their credit cards prior to kicking him out (he settled those debts years ago). This is the second time he has been targeted by a scam of this nature. Luckily, the phone is in my name so they don't call, but we're sending out a cease-and-desist letter and will be contacting the Atty General of Maine if they don't.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Just a question Mica, if you already have the SSN on file why do you need the person to give it to you? Surely just the last four would be enough?
Although to be honest I would never give even that much out via phone as their are too many scammers like PRA out there already.
Of course the other honest posters here are so obviously correct when they say you are either deluded or paid by PRA and probably both as you don't even have the slightest idea of legal process with regards to verification of debt or the statute of limitation.
Please remove or block posts from Mica1755. This person obviously doesn't work for a law firm given the language used in the body of the posts. If this person indeed works for a law firm, it is probably for Portfolio Recovery Associates seeing that this is the type of language used when they make phone calls. Probably just a legal aide with a summer temp job.
Mica1755 - anyone can be anything on the interwebz...I highly doubt your claims. Plathamb is entitled to a Verification of Debt (at the very least) which should track the entire account from the original creditor - along with a signed contract from the original creditor and an accounting of all fee/interest that have been added onto the principle. If this is not provided w/ in 30 days, she is well within her legal rights to send a cease and desist letter (Certified Mail - return receipt requested). Should anything ELSE turn up (more calls, letters, etc) she can file suit. Should a 1099 arrive for her for 'discharged debt' (that can be counted as income for tax purposes), she is perfectly within her rights to contest it and file suit. Also, she should check the statute of limitations on debt in her state - sounds like it's expired - in that case, the debt (even if it was valid) is not collectable, should NOT appear on credit reports, and she should hire an attorney - not trust the word on some internet hack like yourself.
Portfolio recovery is B.S. Mica1775 is a damned fool;
or works for them theydo advertise on this web page.
Never give out your social security number just because its asked for.
All these crooks need is a social to go with your name and address to screw you over.
You don't know who these people are or what they're up to until its too late and you have been robbed and bills have been run up in your name.
Keep yourself safe from fruad and verify the bill with the original creditor.
Call the original creditor and make sure its your bill.
For you that's Capital One.
If you are threatened with legal action speek with an attorney.
A good lawyer will defend you and if necessary sue the collector.
Don't worry about what some cheap bill collector says the law is.
Constant Calling
They started calling today (Saturday Jan 30 2010) at 7am. I'm already a well trained call screener and let it go. No message was left. The number rang 5 more times before noon. Unusual for the even the most aggressive solicitor. Went online to reverse lookup the number and it led to this site. THANK YOU ALL.
The reverse lookup site:
http://www.callwiki.com/phones/view/801-902-2429
had interesting comments including this:
This is NOT - Discover Card, it is a COLLECTION AGENCY that Discover Card has given your name and all the numbers you gave them when you applied for a Discover Card. The company is actually Portfolio Recovery Associates out of Norfolk, VA with a 'spoof' call center in Kearns, UT (typical numbers are 801.902.2976 and 801.902.2429). Best Bet - file a formal complaint against this VERY abusive organization with The US Justice Department, Attention Steven Curran, Deputy Chief, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, CRIMINAL DIVISION, PHB Division, Washington, DC 20503.
FILE A COMPLAINT PEOPLE !
Caller ID: Kearnes, UT
Caller Company: Not Discover, Really Portfolio Recovery Assoc
Caller Type: Collection Agency
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
I got legal on those bottom-feeding [censor]. I had my attorney send Portfolio Recovery a cease-and-desist letter -- on my attorney's letterhead -- warning them in no uncertain terms that their were calls were illegal under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act because a Cross-Country Bank credit card debt had been time-barred (The statute of limitations to collect had expired) for more than four years (and subsequently removed from my credit report).
Moreover, I had my attorney remind PRA that their company was sued by the attorneys general of at least five states for illegally attempting to collect on time-barred debts and that Cross-Country Bank itself was sued by 23 states for the same thing (A New York jury in 2006 ordered Cross-Country Bank to pay $9 million in restitution to former cardholders).
The letter concluded with a stern warning that failure to comply with this cease-and-desist demand "will result in legal action taken against your company for repeated violations of the FDCPA."
That was two months ago and I haven't heard a peep from Portfolio Recovery since. You really have to know what your rights are and not hesitate to assert them.
debt
I received a bill in the mail for the amount of $3369.66 that my daughter owes.She is only 3 years old.So how in the hell??? So, I called them and they said they did'nt care how old she was...they wanted there money. LOL >>This is a rip off ---SCAM--- I told the lady...I will soon contact a lawyer about this issue.
Read full review of Portfolio Recovery Associates and 5 commentsmultliple calls when advised not to call
I have been receiving calls from collection agencies at all hours of the day for almost two months. I have repeatedly told them not to call and that I am not the person they are looking for and that they do not live here. I have repeatedly told them I'd sue if they called again .. and they would REFUSE to tell me who they were or how to contact them. At approx 9am 11/28/09 PST I received another call, this time I said I was the person they were looking for ... solely for the purpose to find out who they were. I found out they were Portfolio Recovery Associates. At first the man calling appeared professional, but when I asked how I could call him back he refused to give me his phone number. I then advised him of my real identity and WHY I did it. He became angry and accused me of lyning and I became angry back at him and explained WHY I had to lie. I told him that I hoped it had been recorded because again I am telling them not to call and if they do I will sue them and subpoena the tape.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Yes, you do need to put it in writing. It's called a cease-and-desist letter. This should be sent via certified mail, return receipt. Either type or print your name, do not sign the letter. Attach your part of the receipt to a copy of the letter. When their part of the receipt comes back, attach it to the letter copy you kept. This is your legally-recognized proof that you asked them to stop all contact with you. Also, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. You can do that online. Good luck. They've been trying to contact me about a debt from the very early 1990s.
I am sick of the non stop phone calls from this company! I want to fight back. 2-3 times a week. They are rude an nasty. I want the phone calls to stop. They said I have to put that in writing. I never heard of that before. It has been my understanding that I have to only state for them to stop harrassing me and they would know better not to allow it to happen again.
They call my cell pone while I am at work. I use my phone at my job. Is that the same as calling me at work? Does anyone know? Any one else want to get a class action suit against the owner of this company? Michelle
I have been getting calls from Portfolio Recovery for months, showing different phone numbers on Caller ID every time. They always ask for "Damien" and I say there is no one here by that name. They ask me if I know how to reach him. I reply that I have had this phone # for 15 years and have never known anyone named Damien. So why do they keep calling at least 3 times a week?!
Same here! Now, we're getting calls from a Financial Services something. Same phone number. The first man was horrifically rude and tried scaring us with what we knew was false information. Now we're getting calls (different voice) who is jjust as bad, and eminently rude AND stupid. He said a couple of things that were a tip-off: The call is being federally recorded; he has our W-2's (impossible since we're on SSA Disability. And so on.
Buffalo is a hotbed of this crap...area code 716. I called Buffalo's AG office and am filing a complaint against them and the "law firm" they clain has our information.
I am just sick of being victimized and I am fighting back.
Payment Made
I, Benny L. Mingus, made all full payments directly to Capital One Bank. I owe nothing anymore. Portfolio Recovery Associates has been harassment for years now. I told Portfolio Recovery Associates to contact Capital One Bank to confirm that I owe nothing on the accounts they are trying to collect for. The account/reference number is [protected] for the account they are trying to collect for.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Harrassing Phone Calls about a debt over 10 yrs old
The calls from this company started out as an automated message to call this number which they gave very fast during the message. My husband called the number wanting to know what it was about. Almost a year goes by and they start calling again, this time a real person. About 2 weeks ago I got a phone call and didn't realize I owed this debt still and told them that the statute of limitations in Oklahoma is 5 yrs but they said I still have to pay it. I told them I couldn't because I was unemployed. We get a phone call last night from them and the woman was telling me I HAD to pay it. I told her the same thing as I told the other person that I was unemployed. Then she starts asking if my husband was employed. I couldn't get it into her head that I could not pay it no matter what. My husband then got on the phone and asked her what this was about. She proceeded to tell my husband that I owed this from the late 1990's and that between 1998 and 2000 I had put him on this account. Well, for one thing, I did not know my husband until mid 2000 and did no such thing as to put him on this account (it was for phone service). How could I have? Also, she said that when he called last year he said he would pay the bill. I know my husband and I KNOW he did not say any such thing. My husband asked her for written proof of all this and she just said it was in the system.
This company is lying about activity on this account big time.
We are going to contact the BBB and the local DA to see what can be done.
The woman said they will keep calling us (basically stating they're going to harrass us) until the bill is paid.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Fraudulent Debt Collection
Portfolio Recovery Associates contacted me in 2007 to collect a debt for a utility bill I don't owe (from apparent ID theft). The bill is from 2006 at an address I moved from back in 2004. In other words, I was not there to run up the utilities. I have been at my current residence since 2004. I cooperated initially, thinking this would be easily cleared...
Read full review of Portfolio Recovery Associates and 77 commentsHarassment late at night
I get a phone call on my CELL phone just a couple of minutes ago, on my cellphone, and it is 10:27 pm at night here. I answer it, and this woman begins asking for me, and I ask her where she is calling from. She told me the company name, and I ask her, do you know where I live? She said "yes, you live in _____". I wanted to be sure, since I HAD moved a couple of years ago, and maybe there was something that I forgot and left behind to pay. But yes, she had my right state, and yes, it was wayyyy past the legal time to call. I informed her of the time where I was, and that I KNEW the credit laws concerning times to call, and she began to tell me of how "well, it's not my fault, this is just an automated system and it told me to call you..." I reminded her that HER system told her to call me PAST the legal time, which was harassment, and said, "now where were you calling from?"... she told me Porfolio Recovery and I told her "Thank you very much, that is all I need" and hung up. Nope, I didn't even wait to find out WHY she called. Frankly, anybody that calls me at that time of night won't get any kind of "nice" conv:ersation from me because that is just plain harassment. Right now, I don't care if she was calling about a $10 doctor's bill, LET it go on my credit file, I don't care, because I refuse to be harassed. I have children. I have a husband that has to be up very very early for work. Companies that resort to harassment will NOT intimidate me. LET them put whatever they want on my credit file... given the way the economy is, mine probably won't look any worse than anybody elses out there. It definately hasn't stopped my buying a new car recently... So lady who calls me at 10:27 pm...BITE ME...
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
wow ... guess some folks just borrow money or take out loans and screw everyone huh.
Why don't you just pay the bill? Then you wouldn't have had to deal with it in the first place. Dont try to play victum either, pay the bill you owe and quit trying to get something for nothing.
Statute of Limitations has run out in Texas
This was a credit card from my husband from 7 years ago when he was laid off and we could not pay the bill. The bill has quadrupled in what they say we owe them now since the original payment default. They are rude, and will not let me speak when they call my home. I have tried to tell them that my husband is out of the country and we are separated and I can't get a divorce because he is out of the country. They keep harrassing me and my name was never on the card nor did I ever charge anything on this credit card. I didn't even know he had this credit card during our marriage.
What can I do to stop this harrassment. As I said it was 7 years ago that he defaulted on this card. Thanks for any help anyone can give me.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Call your attorney general to make a complaint so this company will have to follow the law. Find your state statutes here:
http://www.attorneysforconsumers.com/state-debt-collection-laws.html
Find your state attorney general here:
http://www.naag.org/attorneys_general.php
Your attorney general can make them stop illegally abusing not only YOU, but others like you: elderly people they like to intimidate, single mothers, veterans, anyone. Even when you owe a debt, there are laws they have to follow, and this company does not follow them. Report abuses to your attorney general! Just taking them to court means they may pay some small fine (with money the scammed from someone else), but your attorney general can put them out of business in your state.
Gail did you ever get this resolved? if not email me at klselfridge@yahoo.com would be able to get you info on ceasing the calls due to your seperation.
I used to work for a sister company of PRA called IGS, it's here in Nevada. If anyone would like a full disclosure of the practices they teach and encourage in THEIR training courses, please feel free to email me at marybertling@yahoo.com
Terrible company
I contacted Portfolio after harassing me at work a month or so ago. i sent a Cease and Desist letter. Today i get another call at work from them. Had there not been customers in the office, i would have let them have it but in a very low voice told them again to never call me at work. As soon as I was able I filed a written complaint with the FTC. I am fighting back. I am so tired of dishonesty and people trying to rip me off. In the last year I have had my credit limits lowered to my balance and interest raised. My credit score has dropped because of this.
I have worked so hard to build my credit up and now it is being destroyed by a bunch of selfish, greedy crooks. This company is calling me on an account that is at least 12 years old and is not on my credit reports so they must have really hunted for this one and if i felt like looking it up, I believe it was paid years ago. i have had it. Something has to be done with these illegal actions.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
About a year ago I received a collection letter from this company which I ignored and did not even open. I went through a divorce 15 years ago and lost everything. I have worked hard to pay my bills and repair my credit by paying ALL my bills on time for the past ten years even in spite of two major illnesses which caused me significant medical expense. I have gotten a free credit report every year for the past three years and nothing that they have claimed I owe shows up on any of my credit reports for the past three years.
About a month after the letter arrived they started calling up to three times a day. They claim that I owe $10, 000 to Capital One Credit. I never had a credit card with a balance over $2, 000, so this is patently false information on their part. I have asked them over and over to send an accounting of the debt. They have refused, saying they will not give an accounting of the debt until I pay!
The SOL in my state is 6 years.
The last time I took a call from them it was because my 10 year old answered the phone. Before they asked my child to put me on the phone, they asked them all kinds of personal information, like who her parent's were, etc..
I have recently filed a complaint with my State's Attorney General's office.
I know what they are doing is against the law. I recently found out that a good friend of mine who is over 80 years old and living on social security paid them on an old account and I am outraged by the tactics these ### use. They should be prosecuted.
Having received a 'bill' for $700+, in the mail, from Portfolio Recovery Associates, dated April 10, 2009, I called them to find out what it was all about. Upon contacting them, a woman explained it was a Verizon Wireless bill, going back to December 6, 1997! I really had to think to remember ever even having done business with Verizon.
It took me a few minutes and then it struck me...that 'bill', I assumed, was for a phone that had been stolen! I can remember immediately contacting Verizon and clearing all this up with them at the time...I thought!
I explained this to to woman and she kept insisting I owed the bill. My question to her was 'are you licensed to do business in State of Arizona'? 'Of course', she said, 'we're licensed to do business in all 50 States. The whole time she was talking, I was looking up licensing thru the Dept. of Financial Institutions for the State of Az., which monitors collection companies. Lo and behold...they were NOT licensed under the name of Portfolio Recovery Associates. They had 'forgotten' to update their information!
She then put a Manager on the phone, and I told him the same thing..you are not licensed to do business in the State of Az. With that, his retoric went more or less like this...'so, when are you paying your bill, you owe this bill and we're going to collect this bill'. I hung up on him!
I contacted the Dept. of Financial Institutions, and they were going to take care of contacting Portfolio to request updated info, as they were NOT licensed in Az.
I have received a call, every night since the 10th of April, and have chosen not to answer my phone...until this evening. Again, a very antagonistic young man called, and I requested any and all documentation that they had to substantiate this bill. He told me it had been sent back in 2004 to an address in Illinois. I informed him I hadn't lived in Illinois in 9 years and repeated my request. I was polite but firm! His response 'I don't like your attitude'! I told him 'if you don't like my attitude, then perhaps you'll like this'..and hung up!
I will take no further calls from Portfolio Recovery Associates!
Exie you need to learn the law! It's up to the collection agency to prove that the debt is owed not the person who you think owes it. That is why PRA must upon request provide a full verified accounting of when the debt was incurred, who it was with and when the last payment was made.
Also don't try to tar everyone with the same brush. PRA has a long history of changing names and trying to intimidate people into paying money they never owed in the first place so check before you come out with stupid statements like "pay you bills on time"
Call your attorney general to make a complaint so this company will have to follow the law. Find your state statutes here:
http://www.attorneysforconsumers.com/state-debt-collection-laws.html
Find your state attorney general here:
http://www.naag.org/attorneys_general.php
Your attorney general can make them stop illegally abusing not only YOU, but others like you: elderly people they like to intimidate, single mothers, veterans, anyone. Even when you owe a debt, there are laws they have to follow, and this company does not follow them. Report abuses to your attorney general! Just taking them to court means they may pay some small fine (with money the scammed from someone else), but your attorney general can put them out of business in your state.
They are already being investigated by the Missouri Attorney General:
http://ago.mo.gov/newsreleases/2009/Fradulent_debt_collectors_scam_gets_busted/
Get them investigated in your state, too--this illegal behavior can't be allowed to go on!
Call your attorney general to make a complaint so this company will have to follow the law.Find your state statutes here:
http://www.attorneysforconsumers.com/state-debt-collection-laws.html
Find your state attorney general here:
http://www.naag.org/attorneys_general.php
Your attorney general can make them stop illegally abusing not only YOU, but others like you: elderly people they like to intimidate, single mothers, veterans, anyone. Even when you owe a debt, there are laws they have to follow, and this company does not follow them. Report abuses to your attorney general!
I used to work for a sister company of theirs called IGS, out here in Vegas. If anyone would like a full disclosure of the practices they teach, and encourage, in their training, please feel free to email me. MaryBertling@yahoo.com
One, you make several claims about what you say you owe. If you have an oustanding balance it may or may not have a statute of limitations on it. Not sure of your state regs on that. but you claim your credit has suffered. No kidding? Pay your bill on time as you agreed to do.
Two, you claim you paid the bill. Now you must prove it. Not the agencies responsibility.
three, the do not call at work complaint, if valid, is highly illegal and violates FDCPA. I would hire an attorney to handle that directly with the agency. third party debt collectors are suable for damages, and even the agent who called you can be sued for up to 1k for each occurance!
Always, get names, first and last, note the time and date of the calls. you need proof of these violations.
bottom line is you put yourself in this position if indeed the bill is still owed. Dont cop out and blame everyone else for not paying it.
they are trying to collect 891$ from me they say it is a capital one bill i have proof that it was paid off in 2001 and this is no longer on my credit report it says account charged off
i agree
Portfolio Recovery has been harassing me for over 2 years!
They are trying to collect on a debt from 25 years ago that was settled in court! They make me so darn mad.
My attorney told me they can not collect it.
The last time they called, 2 days ago, my husband told them that we would sue them for harassment.
I hope they won't call again, BUT, i am sure they will.
Good luck to you. Ignore them.
They are banking on the less fortunate and hoping we will just give in to stop all the harassment. DO NOT SEND THEM ONE CENT.
Me, from indiana
Fraudulent practices
Portfolio Recovery have been contacting me on the job. They say I owe a debt to them, I checked my credit report and I did not see this debt, named on there. When I am not available they leave messages with co-workers. Is this even possible?
Well, the first time they called my work I researched it and found out I needed to take progressive measures and write them a letter and request they cease communication at my place of work. I did that, I even had the letter sent 2 to 3 day priority mail with delivery confirmation. It was sent out on a Monday and it was delivered on Wednesday morning that same week. I did not hear anything for a few days and I thought maybe it worked.
Yesterday they called my work again and left a message with a co-worker. I decided this is irritating me. I contacted my Attorney General by e-mail complaint (after I researched their site and noticed how many times their office has dealt with Portfolio Recovery), but I also mailed the Attorney General a written complaint and copies of th letter I sent PR, the USPS delivery confirmation, along with the phone number and extension the PR agent left with my co-worker.
They should not be allowed to continue to disrupt people in the workplace.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Same thing happened to me, a 10 year old credit card I myself closed and left in good standing came back to bite me by way of Portfolio Recovery Associates. After going through my credit and asking the credit card company to send me letters stating the last known status of my credit card account(s), it was as I had remembered it being, both accounts closed in good standing. So why are they buying our information, shouldn't we be protected. I understand the law allows financial institutions to share customer information for those accounts with bad debt, but why are accounts left in good standing being sold as well? Isn't this a Federal Offense? Why isn't anyone doing anything about this? So after all my evidence I had them remove the collection account from their systems, whatever that means, probably means they've moved my account information to a resell database. Now after having gone through all this on some non-sense fraudulent debt, they have the audacity to send me a letter to ask my permission and signature to have the credit bureaus remove any inquiries they've made into my credit report. I quickly called them back to let them know I wasn't going to give them permission to mess around with my credit report, then a few days later a letter in the mail states they were informing me of their intent to have the credit bureaus remove any inquiries they've made on my report. Isn't this illegal? Now I will send them a letter and fax and follow up with a phone call requesting they stop fiddling around with any of my information, my credit report, my life period no nothing. If I find anything in my credit report regarding these guys after my phone call is placed, its time to play ball. Who wants to join my team?
Call your attorney general to make a complaint so this company will have to follow the law.Find your state statutes here:
http://www.attorneysforconsumers.com/state-debt-collection-laws.html
Find your state attorney general here:
http://www.naag.org/attorneys_general.php
Your attorney general can make them stop illegally abusing not only YOU, but others like you: elderly people they like to intimidate, single mothers, veterans, anyone. Even when you owe a debt, there are laws they have to follow, and this company does not follow them. Report abuses to your attorney general!
I used to work for a sister company of theirs called IGS, out here in Vegas. If anyone would like a full disclosure of the practices they teach, and encourage, in their training, please feel free to email me. MaryBertling@yahoo.com
You should contact a consumer attorney immediately. Find one on the National Association of Consumer Advocates website.
harrassed me at home & at job - rude & liars - refused to answer questions - please join me in an effort to get this company investigated
If you are reading this, then you probably have had an encounter with someone from Portfolio Recovery and you are feeling angry, insulted, humiliated, demeaned and frustrated.
This company’s bad business practices must be stopped. If those of us who have been abused by this company fail to speak up then no one with the authority to stop this company is ever going to pay attention or seek to investigate because we sit by and are quiet.
I am writing to say to everyone that we MUST take the time to record statements against this company here on this site, and also on as many Internet sites or blogs or discussion groups as we can each find.
You don’t have to write a long statement when you post – but you need to at least document in several different places on the Internet that you had a negative experience.
Even if your encounter was several years ago, but you still carry the emotion inside yourself from how the encounter makes you feel years later – then you too need to take the time to record your complaint.
If enough of us will stand up and begin to document on this company, then eventually some responsible entity is going to realize that this company is out of control and needs to be stopped.
My hope is that some local or national television news program which is searching for an investigative piece will choose to expose this company – but that can only happen if we will each take the time to write our experiences down and post on the Internet so that the negative PR against this company can no longer be ignored.
If you are just beginning to enter a situation with this company then you should know that everything you read on this site and other complaint sites regarding this company is true. You cannot believe anything they tell you because they lie, lie, lie! And they will harass you at home and on your job, plus they will do all the things that we are told as consumers that collection agencies cannot do. They will ignore you when you ask them questions or refuse to listen when you notify them in writing to no longer call you on your job. They will disclose your personal business on voice mail messages where others can hear what is being said. They will literally yell at you on the telephone when they call. They will say horrible things to you and accuse of things when you cannot pay.
These are heartless people who will say anything and do anything they can to get money. They are rude and will not hesitate to attack you verbally when talking to you. They are giving collection agencies a very bad name. They will make arrangements and then change their mind without any notice.
Their so-called litigation department is a disgrace and if they really are lawyers (which I don’t believe most of them are) – then they should be disbarred for inappropriate and unprofessional actions. They will try to come after you about debt even after you consult a lawyer who says they are too late. They will report false debt to your credit reports. They will issue judgments against you with increased dollar amounts beyond the debt amount. I’ve not experienced all of these things personally but I know people who are dealing and coping just as I am with these crazy people.
This company needs to be shut down and their employees need to be hit hard by our national Internet campaign to warn others about them and to speak up about how they behave.
Most of us who have dealt with any other collection agencies know that this particular company is the very worst of the bad ones.
Please join me in an effort to get this company exposed for how they operate. EVERY time they call you and harass you, post a complaint somewhere on the Internet – EVERY time! Don’t let them continue to do this to you or to anyone else.
Writing to the Better Business Bureau does no good because they will just turn it all around in their rebuttal – so that’s a waste of time. Instead we need to publicly humiliate them in the same way they do us each time they make contact.
If you are willing, send a letter to the Attorney General for your state telling them about your bad experience with this company.
Stop the madness. Let’s all work together to put in writing enough documentation that will enable a state or national agency to finally put these guys out of business! Please share the link to this site so others can learn of my call to action against this company.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
For those who are constantly being harassed, send a cease and desist letter. If they continue after telling them and sending the letter, then contact a consumer attorney for the state that you live in. Other than that, try to make payment arrangements with them and honor it. Stick with the payment arrangements. If they do change the payment arrangements and try to sue, you hire a consumer attorney and countersue. This company has been ripping off consumers for years and it is worse since the economy is bad. If you do not stand up for your rights, then they will go away and these companies will continue to get away with their scams!
I have a tracfone that apparently belonged to another person that Portfolio has been trying to reach AT MY NUMBER FOR MONTHS! They call at all hours, disrupting my sleep, using various numbers so I never know who is calling me. I am on the DO NOT CALL LIST and reported several of their calls & numbers there, but I got woke up from a sound sleep again early this morning, so I called them back and yelled at them to stop calling me! They ask for some man's name I don't even know! (I'm a woman who definitely has a female voice!) I have to turn off my phone often because the calls are so frequent and disruptive, causing me to miss important calls! I have a lot of serious health issues, I really don't need this aggravation. I need my phone--but at this point I feel like throwing it in the damn river!
I too have experienced the wrath of Portfolio Recovery and I'm not going to put up with it. They are calling my place of business which they aren't allowed to do once you ask them not to call your business or your workplace according to the Fair Credit Act. This business has called several times a day according to my caller id. Now they are calling under a fake name "Sunrocket Did". I happened to be between clients and answered the phone. This man on the other line just started interrogating me without identifying himself. He then said he was calling my Capitol ONE card account. I told him I didn't have an account and he insisted that I did. I told him I had one over 10 years ago and it was paid off. He said it wasn't and just because it was 10 years ago didn't mean I didn't have to pay it. I went around and around with him and then told him again it was my place of business I don't have a Capitol One account and told him never to call my business again. He was angry and wanted my home number. I told him there was no reason to give him my home number as I didn't have any reason to. I ended by hanging up on him because he continued to insist I give him my home info. These people are relentless. I'm anticipating him calling back especially from the other complaints I've read. I'm going to report them to the attorney general. Good luck everyone.
They refuse to send me the debt they say I owe from 1995 through the mail. They call morning, noon, night, and weekends. They do not verify who they are. The only reason I know the company name is because I looked up the phone number that showed up on my caller ID. They threaten jail time and in order to fish for information, they lie and say my wife said things she absolutely did not. I sent them a letter to cease the phone calls, to the address on their website (because rep refused to give it to me over the phone) but they continue to constantly call anyway.
These guys are nothing but thugs and leaches. I contacted the FTC and now I'm contacting my state attorney general. I am also writing my senators a letter and calling the DC switch boards to leave a message regarding this harassment. I will get a lawyer next if nothing is resolved.
Yes, absolutely! Call your attorney general to make a complaint so this company will have to follow the law.Find your state statutes here:
http://www.attorneysforconsumers.com/state-debt-collection-laws.html
Find your state attorney general here:
http://www.naag.org/attorneys_general.php
Your attorney general can make them stop illegally abusing not only YOU, but others like you: elderly people they like to intimidate, single mothers, veterans, anyone. Even when you owe a debt, there are laws they have to follow, and this company does not follow them. Report abuses to your attorney general!
The company is currently being investuigated by the Minnesota Attorney General:
http://ago.mo.gov/newsreleases/2009/Fradulent_debt_collectors_scam_gets_busted/
Hopefully, my attorney general will be investigating them soon, too.
PRA is trying to collect a debt they have "associated" with my name and a partially correct SS#.This debt is from 1998 and I have no knowledge of it and it really looks like a scam or some form of identity theft- scarey! The account exec. I spoke with the 1rst time, agreed with me that this was fishy and said that it looked like they were contacting the wrong person(me), now another person is calling me and is rude, refuses to listen to my statements and is insinuating I am a liar and incurred this debt and am using two SS#'s!...I am furious and want to pursue this company with the FTC and the Attorney General. Also, I had a bankruptcy in 2001 that was discharged and all my outstanding debts were included. I'm totally going to report these people over and over as long as this goes on, and I'm wondering if this has been anyone elses experience?
I just got fired from IGS, a sister company of PRA, if anyone would like a full disclosure of the practices they encourage, please, feel free to email me. marybertling@yahoo.com
I got an automated call from them today, but I'm not calling them back because I don't have any debts to collect. There was another debt collection agency that tried to reach me, but I knew they were full of BS. Eventually they stopped calling, and so will this outfit.
I'm going to end my landline phone service very soon, largely so I don't have to take calls from these fraudsters anymore.
Their tactics are strong, but i was treated fairly. When you let a debt go, fees and charges build..interest, etc. Credit cards will continue to place over limit fees and late fees way long after you decide to stop paying. I paid mine off this month finally. people need to act like adults and not think they can walk away from incurred debt.
Unauthorized charges
Last year money was taken out of my bank account and it was frozen. I did not have any knowledge oif this going to happen! NOW I just got a letter in the mail saying if I don't pay them 10% of my wages every pay period they will send notice to my employer. I got this from my Sherri's department. I am a willow and I do not have that kind of money! Why did I not know any of this prior.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Unauthorized billing
This company says that I owe $186.00 for something I asked what for and have never received a response. I do not owe this money and want this off of my credit report as soon as possible.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Fraud and cheating
Portfolio Recovery Assoc. keeps calling about an alleged debt that my wife and I owed from 1994. Problem is that at that time she was my ex-wife so 'we' couldn't have opened that account together. I have checked my credit report and there is no mention of the company (a master card) that they say i owe an outstanding debt to. I have never even heard of Portfolio Recovery until about a week or so ago. They maintain that they have been trying to contact me numerous times by mail and by phone. Neither is correct. I tried to tell them there was some mistake, but to no avail. They keep calling. As I've seen mentioned in other testimonies, they won't give any specifics about the debt other than the name of the company the card was supposed to have been with.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
I have had the exact same experience. In fact the alleged year of the 'account' they say I had with some bank was 1994 as well. They claim that they "purchased" the account from that bank in 2004 and have been trying to reach me at my current address since 2004. I moved to my current address in 2006! Anyhow, like you, I checked my report from all 3 bureaus and there isn't even a HINT of an account with that bank at ANY time. When I specifically told them that that account has never appeared on my credit report, they had the nerve to say "...well, it won't appear on the report, the only thing that will appear is the inquiry made by us...". When I challenged them to send me documentation on the account, all they sent was the exact same information they were dictating over the phone. I am trying to figure out what to do about them. I obviously don't owe what they say I do, yet they will continue to call. Worse, they have already made 'inquiries' on my credit report and I'm worried that they will continue to do so in the future.
US CELLULAR 210**-8-9212
I have been receiving telephone calls that do not concern me or my family. I am 72 years old, a widow on limited social security income.
This bill they are trying to collect dates back to l996. I have never had a Cellular One phone. The first cell telephone that I had was an AT&T Cell phone,
I do not owe Cellular One any back telephone bill, I had checked my credit accounts regulary and a past due bill does not exist in my 3 credit bureau checks. So STOP Now.
Please stop harrasing me about this bill. I do not have the means to pay a bill that is atleast 12 or more years old. I do not work, so there is no income to pay anythng. Please stop all calling and writing me.
Peggy L. Dawes
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Rip Off/Fraud
Portfolio Recovery has been harassing me for over 2 years. They are trying to collect on a debt that is over 25 years old. This debt is not even mine!
It is my ex-husbands and he listed it in HIS bankruptcy.
I even sent the ### a copy of the bankruptcy.
Now, they are starting to harass me again. I got so darn mad, this is not even my debt, and it is over 25 years old. God himself doesn't even owe it.
I am going thru chemo and do not need all this crap. I am hoping everyone getting harassed by this company will e-mail me at:
[protected]@yahoo.com and let's get a legal suit against them. WE CAN WIN!
Relax, they can't harm us, BUT, we can harm them.
Log all your calls, matter of fact, You can record them without them knowing, check out Virginia's laws on that.
good luck, lets win, cabbie from indiana
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
False Debt Balance, Rudeness, harassment
Portfolio Recovery Associates has been sending me threatening letters of demand for payments of an account charged off over 5 years ago. The amount of the demand has gone up to almost $6, 000 from an original balance of $1, 800...claiming they are to be paid interest, fees and penalties. I called today to speak with Susan King who would not let me speak with a manager to explain there is no way I owed this money. furthermore she went on to say that unless I offered really close to what they were asking that I was insulting her company and not to bother calling back. I called back five minutes later to get a representative to give me a fax number only to be told they would accept no offers in writing only over the phone. Like someone is supposed to give a credit card authorization to a company who does not even have a mailing address and has potentially stolen account information from the original creditor Providian Financial. The second lady, Ladonna, yelled at me and told me she was not about to let me talk to a manager based on an offer than was not at least half of what they wanted. Sounds good to me...I'd like $3, 500, 000...I'll starting sending out mass mailers and hope for half from some suckers that buy into me collecting on behalf of xyz company 5 years later. Give me a break and put them out of business. They also leave messages with my assistant at the office...a violation?
Someone needs to shut these people down...
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
A family member of mine is seriously ill and in a facility. She is rather young. This low life ### of a company has been bothering her since this past summer. They call every day, and ask for her. We've told them repeatedly the situation with her, they asked for her social security number, which I refused. This went on all summer. They stopped for about a month and then started up again i September. The ladies there were NASTY, all except for one who suggested we send proof of her medical condition. she gave us the company's address and we sent in documentation from the facility and her docs confirming her diagnosis. We sent it certified mail and we got the green card back signed by someone named 'Gloria D'. So, we wait and the calls stopped for about two weeks. then the calls started up again. They called on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We just let it ring. Then, they called every day since then. Finally Id had enough and I picked up the phone and a man asked for the family member. I stated politely that we had mailed the medical info back in September and he needs to find it. He said "I dont have to look and find anything ma'am!'. I said "well, why did the lady ask for them then?" He said "She must have been new, we cannot get medical info without power of attorney--its against the law" Whattttt? I replied "Well, I suggest Gloria broke the law then, because she signed for it on behalf of your company. He said "we dont have anyone here by that name!" He pretty much called me a liar and started yelling at me on the phone. I was nothing but polite. So now Im calling the attorney general's office on Monday and Im PRESSING CHARGES against this company for illegally obtaining medical information without power of attorney. they signed for and accepted it so someone there has the info and I can prove it. SHAME SHAME SHAME on you PRA. Your ### is grass!
Hi all I just got a letter also on a debt I know was paid 2 years ago. Let all get together and do a class action suit for trying to collect debts thats not owed and also for damaging credit files and harassing people email me brihaff@yahoo.com lets do someting about places like this. there address
120 Corporate Boulevard
Norfolk, VA 23502
We are located at the intersection of Military Hwy. and I-264.
i just got a letter, from them i wander if they were on the up and up. Well, i guess not.I thing these people never put on the bill, was who i owe the money too.Right there was a warning... I wasn't born yesterday.And i will put this Company thru the shredder where they belong..The Name isn't even right..
BUt if they say I owe something to someone, The name of that Company should be somewhere on the bill..
sal
Call your attorney general to make a complaint so this company will have to follow the law.Find your state statutes here:
http://www.attorneysforconsumers.com/state-debt-collection-laws.html
Find your state attorney general here:
http://www.naag.org/attorneys_general.php
Your attorney general can make them stop illegally abusing not only YOU, but others like you: elderly people they like to intimidate, single mothers, veterans, anyone. Even when you owe a debt, there are laws they have to follow, and this company does not follow them. Report abuses to your attorney general!
The company is currently being investigated by the Minnesota Attorney General:
http://ago.mo.gov/newsreleases/2009/Fradulent_debt_collectors_scam_gets_busted/
Hopefully, my attorney general will be investigating them soon, too.
I used to work for a sister company of theirs called IGS, out here in Vegas. If anyone would like a full disclosure of the practices they teach, and encourage, in their training, please feel free to email me. MaryBertling@yahoo.com
### 'em. Ignore make no contact. File FTC compliant
THEY NEED TO GO ### THEMSELFS JUST GOT A LETTER MY SELF
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Portfolio Recovery Associates phone numbers+1 (800) 772-1413+1 (800) 772-1413Click up if you have successfully reached Portfolio Recovery Associates by calling +1 (800) 772-1413 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached Portfolio Recovery Associates by calling +1 (800) 772-1413 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Portfolio Recovery Associates by calling +1 (800) 772-1413 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Portfolio Recovery Associates by calling +1 (800) 772-1413 phone numberCustomer Service
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Portfolio Recovery Associates emailspracustomercare@portfoliorecovery.com100%Confidence score: 100%Support
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Portfolio Recovery Associates address120 Corporate Blvd., Ste. 1, Norfolk, Virginia, 23502, United States
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Checked and verified by Jenny This contact information is personally checked and verified by the ComplaintsBoard representative. Learn moreJul 16, 2024
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