Portfolio Recovery Associates
Debt Bought From Closed Computer School Hurts Credit Report

I attended computer learning center (CLC - NOT New Horizons Computer Learning Centers!) during 1999, and graduated in late 2000. Shortly thereafter, the school closed their doors and were unable to provide job placement assistance as promised (breach of contract).

In addition, they sold their accounts to Portfolio Recovery Associates (PRA), while most of the entry level jobs promised me were shipped overseas after the dot com bubble burst.

CLC has been in trouble with the US Department Of Education many times, and was finally ordered to pay back $137 million in grant money for misuse of the funds. This is when the school closed their doors under chapter 7 bankruptcy.

I moved in September and started checking my credit report, and PRA has an alleged balance for $3,254. Many websites prove that this type of debt (charged off and highly uncollectable) is sold for 1 to 3 cents on the dollar. The entry expires in 4.

A class action lawsuit was filed by CLC shareholders prior to my entering the school which charged the school with the following, among other things:
-running a "certification mill"
-students sent in by the US Department Of Education who deliberately bombed the admissions test were encouraged to apply for loans
-records sought in a federal probe were found in a dumpster outside one of the campuses
-the school provided substandard education using outdated computer equipment

CLC was a fraud, and they were paid approximately $12,500 of the $15,000 tuition by the time I stopped paying. CLC breached their contract which invalidates the debt.

PRA thinks they can hold my good credit for ransom (extortion) so they can get $3,254 which they paid 1 to 3 cents on the dollar for from a school known for fraud. I have so much dirt on them I could fill the grand canyon with it! That includes PRA and CLC.

As far as I'm concerned, PRA is a school bully who beats up on little kids to take their lunch money so he can feed his fat stomach (metaphorically speaking!).

I see there are at least 9 other people angry with this crime family, I mean collection agency. Does anybody want to start a class action? Any lawyers willing to take the case on contingency?

What about the statute of limitations here in California? I looked it up and it seems it may have expired (according to PRA, my last payment was $100 in 2003). They say it has not expired. Who is correct, and if the SoL has indeed expired, does that make me SOL in terms of suing them for credit fraud, extortion, defamation of credit, etc?

Please help! I cannot get approved for a $10,000 car with $6,000 down (a $4,000 loan) or anything else creditwise for that matter because of PRA and I need to replace my car, which is my job. Can use debt validation and require the contract with my signature as proof of the debt? Is there anything else I can do to be rid of these guys. Thanks in advance!

Company: Portfolio Recovery Associates
Country: USA
State: Virginia
City: Norfolk
Address: 120 Corporate Blvd

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