Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/02/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On November 1, 2023, my credit score went down by 43 points. My research found that two different companies were reporting brand-new collection/charge-off accounts to the bureaus around the dates of October 15, 2023, to November 1, 2023. The companies are ARGENTAL REVENUE SERVICE and AVANTE USA. They both claim the debt originates from the same medical entity but all other information from there does not match. ARGENTAL REVENUE SERVICE reported a debt of $981.00, with an opening date of September 12, 2019. AVANTE USA reported a debt of $862.00, with an opening date of August 30, 2023. When I attempted to verify this information directly through the medical entity, they were unable to match my information to anything in their system. On August 25, 2023, I was granted financial assistance for my medical bills. Any medical debt that I owed was settled or was incorporated into a payment plan, to which I have been paying per my schedule. This in and of itself proves the debt from AVANTE USA is false, as they are alleging the account became delinquent after I was granted assistance. I have not received any form of written communication from AVANTE USA or ARGENTAL REVENUE SERVICE informing me of this alleged debt and the details. Likewise, I was not given any notification that anything was going to be reported to my credit as collections or charge off. I cannot help but feel that being granted financial assistance is being used as a leverage point against me. This is causing me extreme stress and upset as my credit score has gone down so severely. I am requesting that the debt and all collections and/or charge off status from AVANTE USA and ARGENTAL REVENUE SERVICE be removed entirely from my credit reporting.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/02/2023

  The patient applying the complaint has made no effort to contact our company with her financial assistance information for their bill with the ER Physician at St. Francis.  She is accurate that financial assistance does cover her expenses however it is patients responsibility to contact each entity under the financial assistance umbrella and provide the policy number and effective dates. It is at that time that our company receives the information and is then able to either write off or remove the negative remark.  The information provided in this complaint is not enough for our company to verify if there is correct or incorrect contact information and to work to take the necessary steps required to work with the patient. 

   

  If the patient will contact our company and provide the required information, we will be more than willing to work with the patient and get this issue resolved however there has been no mail received nor phone calls from this patient to address the situation. If the patient would like to contact us in order to get this complaint resolved, they are welcome to contact us at 803-490-7411.
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/02/2023

  I am rejecting this response because as the debt collector, it is their responsibility to reach out to the debtor when there is a new claim, not the other way around. That is the crux of my complaint, that I received zero communication from this company before the alleged collections showed up on my report. Per the FDCPA, a debtor must receive written notification of debt that is to be reported to the credit bureaus. 

  I have no account number or information to provide because I was not given any at any point in time. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Shannon G********

  Business Response

  Date: 11/02/2023

  Do to FDCPA rules, I am not allowed to give out any information regarding this account. Therefore we can not properly assess who we are speaking with and if we have the correct debtor or if we have indeed spoken with the debtor.  If the debtor would like to contact our company to get this resolved, the phone number to reach Argental Revenue Service is 803-490-7411.  Otherwise, I am unable to identity the debtor or the debt to resolve the complaint.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/02/2023

  I have never received any form of contact from this company. They appeared for the first time on my credit only two days ago, and I have never heard of them before, so there is no way I could have reached out to them. I don't have an account or claim number from them, and I am certainly not going to call them and provide my SSN. 

  When I attempt to make an account to verify with St. Francis Eastside/MyChart regarding this alleged debt, it tells me that my information is not in their system. So I am unable to verify where this debt allegedly came from! Please see attached form. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/06/2023

  I am rejecting this response because I attempted to call the number provided, and was sent to a voicemail, stating it was "PFS". I don't know who PFS is, as the alleged debt is with ARS. On November 3, 2023, I left a message with my name and number at 11 am and have not yet heard back. 

  If the company can say with certainty that prior to that date I have never reached out, or had any communication with the term, surely they can verify what debt I allegedly have. The company can reach out to me at shadg********@gmail.com, or via USPS mail, at *** **** *****, ******, SC, 29****

  I am disputing this debt pursuant to 15 US 1692g(b). 

  I am requesting a validation of debt, pursuant to 15 US 1692g(a)(1-5). If the debt cannot be validated, ARS is required by law to remove the debt. 

   

  Sincerely,
  Shannon G********

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/06/2023

  I would like to offer the last four of my social security number as I neglected to add it in my last response. 

  xxx-xx-****

  DOB: **/**/****