1/18/08 is the date on the 3 collection notices sent to be from United Collection Bureau. Immediately upon receipt I sent a letter dated 1/19/08 requesting validation of the debt as it was for a hospital bill from WVU Hospital which I thought was paid 9/07.in my letter I provided my ck amounts and total paid. It reflected a monthly payments from 5/07-9/07... 9/07 is when I thought all was paid in full at WVU Hospital.
2/19/08 is the date on the 2 collection notices from Alexandria Vaneck Co., LPA, 5660 Southwyck Blvd. #110, Toledo, OH 43614. I called WVU Hospital first thing to confirm if an amount was owed and if so, how much. I then called Vaneck's and paid so when I continued w/my questioning they'd know I wasn't trying to get out of paying it since I found it was a legit debt. BUT I WAS NEVER PROVIDED PROOF FROM THE COLLECTION AGENCY OF THE LEGIT DEBT BEFORE THEY REPORTED TO THE CREDIT BUREAU - EVEN THOUGHT I ASKED IN WRITING Vanack's two notices said they were for a WVU Hosptial Debt too, in fact Vaneck's reference sheets for each collection had the exact same information.
So... Why 2 different notices w/2 different amounts? None of this information match UCB information in which VanEck said they go the information. It made it seem like I would owe $866, rather than $433. When I called Vaneck's office, they said it was UCB who turned this over to them. I asked who they could do this w/out first responding to my letter proving the debt was legit. I was told a bunch of hogwash that made me wonder if they're truly an attorney's office, how can they be so openly proud of admitting "they know nothing...". I was directed to call UCB Back.
Last week (2/25/08) I called WVU Hospital where the debt originated. WVU said the last bill they sent me was in 11/07. Since they obvioulsy had my current information in Utah it wasn't because of mail address problems. When I mentioned that I didn't recall receiving any notices from them — especially since I called WVU before sending my payment on 9/30 I called to confirm everything was a final payment — I asked if the 11/07 bill had any warnings of collections. "no". I asked if they had any record of attempting to contact me in writing or by phone before turning over to collection. "NO".
Then I called UCB and asked did they report me to the Credit Bureaus and I was told "yes" and I asked how they were able to do this before PROVING the legitiamicy of the debt under the Federal Law. Their Supervisor Mario didn't know. I was also told by Alexandria Vaneck's office by Cheryl that a Jerry Stone from VanEcks Office is the only one that could get this removed from my credit report... But of cource Jerry was away from his desk. When I called back the same number, I was told Jerry had nothing to do with UCB. I was advised to call UCB back.
If as consumers we're doing our part in watching our credit report, etc. I find it infuriating that UCB was able to report this to a credit bureaus w/out proving the debt was legit. More infuriating that WVU Hospital has no record of attempting to warn me it was eve going to collections. It is like as a consumer I was powerless to take care of something that apparently was a problem, yet I never knnew it was a probelm since I thought it was paid and wasn't getting monthly bills.
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