Hi. I was contacted by a "debt collector" from the Boyajian Law Office in Rutherford, NJ around 8:15 P.M. Last Thursday night. I don't remember her name, but she had a Jamaican accent. She said that I owed a debt to Casey's General Store for $37.37 from 2001. I was very suspicious of her and kept asking if they would send documented proof, and she said they already had, but I never received it. I asked her to send it again, but she said that since she had already verified my address no documentation would be sent. I thought that was kind of odd. She knew the last four digits of my social security number, what bank I was with at the time, and she said that it was money long overdue. I asked why it took 6 years for them to contact me, and she claimed that the debt was passed down from other collection agencies that could not collect from me.
I had a vague memory of seeing something about Casey's General Store on my credit report from a few years ago, and I was unaware of the Kansas statute on debt by check, so I thought maybe it was true. She kept asking if I would pay it, and I unfortunately said "yes".
I had the money order made out the next day, but I still had a bad feeling about this agency and their claim that I owed money. It just didn't feel right, so I checked into them online and I found several negative things about them, including the things said on this website. I learned that Boyajian Law Offices had a long history of trying to collect on debts that were either nonexistant, or had expired their statute of limitation. I immediately returned the money order back to my bank and had it redeposited, then I talked to one of the guys who working in the credit department and gave a link to get my free annual credit report online. There was nothing on my credit report referring to a debt owed to Casey's General Store. I did some research on the statute of limitation in Kansas for any debts owed and found out that it was five years. If this debt existed, it had already expired.
Despite the fact that I told the debt collector that I would pay it, this is not enforceable by Kansas law, and if I'm correct in my interpretation of the Kansas law and statute regarding the alleged debt, the statute can not be renewed unless I pay it, or unless I receive sufficient documentation (such as a copy of the check) stating that I owe this amount. I immediately wrote them a "Cease and Desist" letter, and I hope it works.
These guys are assholes, and they almost had me. I think that's what ticks me off the most, that they deceived me into thinking that the debt was owed when it really wasn't, and I ALMOST sent them a payment. You live and learn, I guess.: (
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