I got a weird call from Portfolio Recovery about BofA

[susanhannah]

Today I received a call, out of the blue, from a company called Portfolio Recovery. They claimed that I had an account with Bank of American when it was MBNA, that was charged off in February 2000 and they, Portfolio Recovery, were calling to collect.

I have only had one account with MBNA, since I started college in 1985, and that is the one I have now.  It has been in perfect standing since I opened it. The account number the person rattled off is no where close to my number.  She also claimed that they spoke to me in 2000, but I refused to talk to them.  I have no recollection of any such a call and she recited a phone number that is not familiar to me.  I have had my current number for 16 years and this was not it, or even close!!!  I told her that they have me confused with someone else.  She said she had my credit report in front of her and started telling me the names of my creditors --- all of them were correct.  The she proceeded to tell me that they are sure they talked to me at that number (again the number I never heard of) and told me that I am a liar like everyone else.  I told her the debt was NOT mine.  She then said she could ruin my credit (which is impossible since the alleged charge off was in 2000) and that they will call me every day and harass me until I pay the debt.  Yes, she used the word harass.  Then she proceeded to tell me that they will do anything to collect this debt, including making  credit report inquiries every day to lower my FICO score until I have no choice to pay the debt. 

Since I have been pulling my credit reports and saving them since college, I referred back to 1999, 2000 and 2001 and the account number she gave me is no where on my report (which I already knew).  I have never had a charge-off so if I did I would know it.   Since that initial call this morning, I have received three other calls today. One call started of with "Hey deadbeat, we can ruin your good credit standing."  I hung up.

What is my recorse?

This is an outrage.

Thanks,

Susanhannah

[samantha1178]

Wow. If that was a call I received I would probably tell them to please take me to court. I would send them a C&D letter as well as a DV. If they continue to call see if you can legally record their calls in your state, and turn the tables on them.

[haulingthescoreup]

Here is a handy resource to find whether it is legal in your state to tape phone calls. If it's not legal, don't do it!!! Huge legal penalties:

Can We Tape? --State-by-State Summaries

[fishbjc]

have you pulled your full report and gone over it line by line? I What is the sol in your state, btw?

About six years ago we tried to buy a home and was denied the mtg.  After looking over the reports, there was a couple of bills on there not belonging to my husband nor my son with the same name.

Apparently, someone with a very close social or very close name was the owner of these debts (both bad), dragging dh's score to 530.  There was also a Nationwide Insurance Collection.   We lost the home and took months to get this straight.

Pull your reports, go over them and make sure this hasn't happened to you. 

[IrishPM]

Just so I understand, this account is or is not showing up on your credit report?

Have they sent any correspondence to you via US Mail with the pertinent account information and what is owed? Ask them to send you the account information and respond to them in writing along with another letter demanding that they no longer contact you on the phone.

As an fyi, these jokers tried pulling this stunt on me too over 4 years ago on a lousy $28 dollar "medical collection" that was from 1996 and was paid in full (in 1996). The "medical collection" they alleged had been deleted from my credit reports in 1996 so whatever information they claimed to have was bogus.