I would also send a letter to PG&E since they sold a collection agency an account that was already settled.

I would state similar things as the letter to the CA about seeking damages if your credit is harmed in any way based on their negligence. I would send a copy of the letter from the CA as well. Ask them to contact the CA as well on your behalf (their contact will hold more weight to the CA than yours)

Also don't forget to send everything certified with signature / return receipt.

Thanks for responding, Skins Fan. I did send a letter to PG&E as well asking that they contact the CA to try to straighten it out from their end. Both letters were sent ceritified mail/return receipt requested.

We had a similar situation once. We moved out of an area and canceled the cell phone service we had since they couldn't provide us with coverage where we were moving. We paid everything off, closed all accounts and moved. A year later the cell phone company sends the collection agency bulldogs after us.

We had to drive back to the main office (taking time off work) and explain to them we had settled this the year before. They found their mistake and apologized. Boneheads...

It may be an oversite by PG&E as well. Sometimes papers don't get entered, personnel quit, who knows. Hopefully your letter will allow them to see their error.

Yeah, I figured it was probably a clerical error of some kind. I hope it is resolved with the proof of payment I provided to both parties involved. I learned a couple of years ago (the hard way) to save every shread of paper I get from any company involving $$$$$.

I just seem to have really bad luck when it comes to companies and paper work. I just received a letter from the IRS today, asking for money back from my 2004 tax return. 2004!!! Apparently they over paid me by $150 that year. Off to write another nasty letter.....

You're kidding?!? $150? <sigh>

Looks like they are barely making it in under the cutoff limit.

Looks like you are on top of it, let us know how it works out

I am pretty sure that the client to the ca (in this case pg&e) should update the ca that owns the debt. in most cases, faxing them a proof of payment is all you need to do. i don't blame you for not wanting to pay a ca, but sometimes if you pay their client, or your provider, it delays the process. and also, threatening them with lawyers dosen't really do much, atleast not with the agencies i've heard of. i know their not the most pleasant people to deal with, but i like it that way. that's what keeps me out of collections.

I would definitely send letters via certified mail rather than fax. Of course doing both would be the best!~

The thing is I paid the original creditor (PG&E) BEFORE it even went into collection, almost a year ago, and I have written proof. That is the only reason I mentioned legal council in my letter to the CA.

If I legitamently owed this money (still), I would not have mentioned calling my attorney; that would be asking for them to come after me hard. In this situation, I am holding all the cards. They are violating my rights according to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act by attempting to collect on a debt that has been settled and I let them know I know my rights.

I did it to get my point across that both parties messed up and get them to fix it immediately.

I sent letters to both PG&E and the collection agency, certified mail, with copies of the payment receipt I received from PG&E back in January. If they don't respond and/or place a trade line on my credit reports, I can sue both the CA and all three credit bureaus for violations of the FCRA and the FDCPA. I don't want it to come to that, but it is nice to know I have the option, if I have to. I really just want them to fix it....now.