Debt collection agency saying I owe for a hospital bill but its not me!

[jluong2]

I live Austin Texas and recently received a letter from a collections agency stating I owed money for a hospital bill from oct of 2016. The bill they sent me had an incorrect address and my name was spelled incorrectly so I figured it was a scam. However, I also knew I did go to the doctor that year but I've paid all my bills pertaining to said doctors visit.

So I sent the collections agency a debt validation letter through certified mail with a receipt to dispute the debt. This is all within the 30 days period you have. Today I received a response through the mail with the information I requested showing what the debt was for and for whom. The information they sent me had someone else's name but spelled similar to mine. It had the other persons birthday and address as well. I even checked what hospital it was and its one I never attended. Plus the bill was for a medical emergency to the ER which when I went to the hospital it was for something else.

In their letter they state that in acknowledgement of my dispute , they have requested that consumer reporting agencies report the account as disputed. My question is what should I do next or should I just wait for their next move. I plan to call the original creditor/hospital this bill was allegedly owed. What are your suggestions?

 

[LdiJ]

I live Austin Texas and recently received a letter from a collections agency stating I owed money for a hospital bill from oct of 2016. The bill they sent me had an incorrect address and my name was spelled incorrectly so I figured it was a scam. However, I also knew I did go to the doctor that year but I've paid all my bills pertaining to said doctors visit.

So I sent the collections agency a debt validation letter through certified mail with a receipt to dispute the debt. This is all within the 30 days period you have. Today I received a response through the mail with the information I requested showing what the debt was for and for whom. The information they sent me had someone else's name but spelled similar to mine. It had the other persons birthday and address as well. I even checked what hospital it was and its one I never attended. Plus the bill was for a medical emergency to the ER which when I went to the hospital it was for something else.

In their letter they state that in acknowledgement of my dispute , they have requested that consumer reporting agencies report the account as disputed. My question is what should I do next or should I just wait for their next move. I plan to call the original creditor/hospital this bill was allegedly owed. What are your suggestions?

I suggest that you tell the collection agency that its not you and why its not you. Don't give them your actual birthday or anything like that, simply explain it the way that you explained it here.

There is no point contacting the original creditor/hospital as they have passed the debt on to the collection agency. They no longer have anything to do with it.

 

[jluong2]

I suggest that you tell the collection agency that its not you and why its not you. Don't give them your actual birthday or anything like that, simply explain it the way that you explained it here.

There is no point contacting the original creditor/hospital as they have passed the debt on to the collection agency. They no longer have anything to do with it.

Can I do this through email or better by certified mail?

 

[LdiJ]

Can I do this through email or better by certified mail?

I would do it by phone, and follow it up with certified mail.

 

[Zigner]

There is no point contacting the original creditor/hospital as they have passed the debt on to the collection agency. They no longer have anything to do with it.

I wholeheartedly disagree. He absolutely SHOULD contact the hospital (or other provider where the bill originated) and get THEM on board with correcting the mistake.

 

[LdiJ]

I wholeheartedly disagree. He absolutely SHOULD contact the hospital (or other provider where the bill originated) and get THEM on board with correcting the mistake.

Well, my experience with hospitals is that they completely transfer the debt to the collection agency and won't discuss it or accept payment on it at all. Therefore I do not believe that it will do him any good to call them. He can do so of course if he wants to.

 

[Zigner]

Well, my experience with hospitals is that they completely transfer the debt to the collection agency and won't discuss it or accept payment on it at all. Therefore I do not believe that it will do him any good to call them. He can do so of course if he wants to.

I understand where you're coming from, but in THIS case, they sent the wrong information to the collector and may be more inclined to fix this, since it was their screw-up.

 

[LdiJ]

I understand where you're coming from, but in THIS case, they sent the wrong information to the collector and may be more inclined to fix this, since it was their screw-up.

I am not sure that its their screw up at all. The verification that the OP received clearly showed a different spelling of the name and a different birth date. It appears to me that the collection agency is going after anyone that they can find that somewhat fills the info from the hospital. The wrong birth date is the biggest indicator.

 

[LdiJ]

The Hospital turned the correct information over to the collection agency. What power do you think that the Hospital has over mistakes made by the collection agency?

 

[Zigner]

The Hospital turned the correct information over to the collection agency. What power do you think that the Hospital has over mistakes made by the collection agency?

Oh, I don't know...maybe the power that any large client has over their vendor.

C'mon Ld - you're just arguing to argue now.


EDIT: Are you REALLY saying that if the OC contacted the collection agency and said "jluong2 ain't the guy/gal you're looking for", the collection agency would ignore it? SMH

 

[LdiJ]

Oh, I don't know...maybe the power that any large client has over their vendor.

C'mon Ld - you're just arguing to argue now.


EDIT: Are you REALLY saying that if the OC contacted the collection agency and said "jluong2 ain't the guy/gal you're looking for", the collection agency would ignore it? SMH

Yes, I really am. And a collection agency is not a vendor. If they buy debt they would be a customer not a vendor. Hospitals sell their debt. If one customer stops sending them debt there are always plenty of others to buy debt from.

 

[Zigner]

Yes, I really am. And a collection agency is not a vendor. If they buy debt they would be a customer not a vendor. Hospitals sell their debt. If one customer stops sending them debt there are always plenty of others to buy debt from.

Medical collections are often handled by an associated company, particularly those that originate from a hospital. In any case, you can go on believing what you wish, but you should not advise the OP to absolutely avoid a quick phone call that might yield a fast and painless resolution to the OP's problem. It's like you're trying to make it harder for the OP - not easier.