JBC Legal Group ripoff Bloomfield New Jersey

HI, about 2 months ago I got a letter in the mail from JBC stating I owed money on a check from 5 1/2 years ago to a company that no longer exists. I funny thing is I remember bouncing this check, and paying it at the customer services counter at the merchant! I remember because it was shortly before I gave birth to my child prematurely.

JBC is sating that it was never paid, they have added 35$ to the $7 dollar amount that bounced and was paid, they offered me a change to write and request proof that this check was not paid, so I did using the addressed envelope they provided. Well instead of sending back the proof they sent me a bill with another 50$ added to it saying that because I choose to ignore this debt they were adding more to it! Now I have never heard anything more about this debt until this company sends this letter, I even continued to have good credit and write checks at the said merchant, I have several bank accounts and just bought a new car! I do not have bad credit and I never leave this unpaid. So regardless I am upset by this and am wondering how this company got my info in the first place, do they buy old records from merchants that go out of business?

Does this company have the power to attack one's credit? They cannot even prove I got the letter they sent it first class not certified or anything.

Let me know if anyone has any answers, I'm thinking of contacting my consumer protection agency.

J
concord, Vermont
U.S.A.