I agree.
They are almost assuredly relying on permissible pull authority based on FCRA 604(a)(3)(A), which relates to obaining credit reports for the purpose of collection on a debt. It is their status as one collecting on the debt that is at issue, and not whether they have reporting their collection activities to a CRA.
When a CRA receives a self-certifying statement of permissible purpose from an inquiree, they grant the request. To show that it was an impermissible purpose will require you to establish that the purpose proffered to the CRA was inaccurate. To get that information as basis for showing that their stated purpose was in fact an impermissibe purpose will require you to get a copy of their certification of permissible purpose submitted to the CRA. You can use FRCA 609(a)(1) to get a copy of that documentation from the CRA,
Be ready for a long, hard fight if you plan to assert that debt collectors dont have permissible pull authorization under the FCRA, as it is their long-standing practice.
