I received a call from a debt collector asking for hospital bills. They said they sent a bill, which they could not tell me what for, the date of service, or when they sent it. Someone is always home (me or my adult child) and all mail is gotten by me and I have a camera which alerts when it comes so I know no one else takes it.
They called harassingly daily for 2+ years, on average 5-8 times per day between 6 am past 8pm. No company I know calls people that early or late. After months of asking for the above info, they gave a date of service and I informed them it was not possible it was my debt because I was not in that neighboring state for months before or after that time and I could prove it. They said they would send a copy of the bill to my email but the link they sent did not work. I requested to receive it in writing by email, fax, and many times by postal mail, anything to validate the debts, and have gotten nothing.
3 years later, the debt is still killing my credit! I have reported to the credit bureaus my issue, that the bills are not mine and could not possibly be because I was not in the state or at that hospital and they remain still. I have never gotten any itemized bill, document with my signature on it for the services they say are what the debt is from, or any evidence it is my debt. They don't call all the time anymore but they still regularly call. I have spoken to "supervisors" and they just tell me this debt is yours and you need to pay it. I have told them that according to the law they need to produce the bill and validate the debt but several times they threatened me with a lawsuit if I don't pay and hung up when I ask for this. I have told them I have submitted evidence that proves I could not be the debt owner and asked for it removed from credit reporting and they refuse. They claim they have sent bills but I have only gotten 3 make a payment statements. They won't show validation of the debt. I called the actual hospital and they say I was a patient and they forward it to the collector but I was not there or in the state. I was in appointments that day performing procedure services which require me to log every client's ID and complete state required reporting paperwork we both sign. This should be enough to exhonorate me that I was spending all day in another state but the collector doesn't accept that. Again, I was not in the neighboring state 30 days before or after this and not at this hospital. I submitted proof with the DL and name of the clients blocked out for their privacy to prove it was not possible it is my debt. They are doing nothing but still asking for money and report of unpaid bills is dragging my credit down. I want it fixed. What should I do? I did a free consult with an attorney and they said to take me on they wanted 5k retainer which I can't afford just to remove this from credit reports.