This involves a collection action on behalf of MBNA bank.in fact, this is not truly a collection, as it involved an account where regular payments were being made to MBNA, and being cashed. I had this account from 1991 through 2004 when things went awry. I had a high debt of $11,980, and had it paid down to a balance of $5,979 at the time MBNA stopped cashing my checks.
In May of I had discovered, when checking my monthly bank statement, that MBNA had failed to cash my last two payments. I contacted MBNA immediately, and was directed to a woman who told me I was in default, and I was not to call them, and hung up. I should mention that I have not, to this day, received anything from MBNA to suggest I was ever in default, or even in danger of being in default. I made a few more attempts to contact MBNA by phone and by mail, unsuccessfully.in the following months, I received calls from a variety of collection agents claiming to own the account, but refusing to provide me with any proof that they indeed owned this debt. They simply demanded I make a payment in full over the phone "right now."
Enter Columbia Collection Services.in August of I received a massive stack of legal papers from CCS, demanding I make arrangements to pay the debt. No previous correspondence or phone calls had been received from Columbia. However, they had added many thousand dollars in "legal costs" to the initial debt. Then the phone calls began. The first couple from Ms. Wood were civil, but unbudging regarding the inflated debt. Then they became hostile. I wrote them to only contact me in writing, and not to call me. They continued to call and became more inflammatory and insulting. One call from a Mr. Pliny Jones, a fake name, I suspect, in which he told me CCS has no interest in settling this matter at all. He said it was their intention to get as much money from me as they can, and there is nothing I can do about it. He went on to say, noting my brother's recent death, that as the sole heir, and my mother being "old and about to die" means they will get anything and everything I might inherit. He added that "we are eagerly awaiting your mother's death so we can take her house."
There were several hearings on this matter. Sadly, I could not find any lawyer to take this case and had to represent myself. I won a couple of rounds, but had those overturned in later hearings. I currently have a debt of over $30k, but they insist that is the tip of the iceberg. This is from a debt of $5979, falsely claimed as a default.
During this time, I have made repeated efforts, in writing, to resolve this matter, and have offered to pay the initial debt (I agreed to their number of $6183, not to pick over a hundred plus dollars) without luck. I have not had a single response to a single letter I have sent them, including eight registered letters.
The sad fact is, I do owe the balance of the debt. I was paying this debt as scheduled, every month. I feel an obligation to pay the initial debt.in fact, the debt would have long since been paid off, in full, if they had done nothing whatever, but sit back and cash my checks that were coming in each month. I still wish to make good on this portion of the debt. I do not, however, feel morally obligated to pay one penny more, as all additional costs have been fabricated by Columbia Collection Services.
It is my personal opinion, choosing my words carefully, that Columbia Collection Services is in the business of generating false debts, and/or inflating legitimate debts to exorbitant obligations.
I suggest this would be an opportunity for a lawyer to make a killing in a class-action law suit. I realize, the beneficiaries of such suits only receive a couple dollars at best. Doesn't matter. I am sure they are using this same tactic on tens of thousands of people, ruining lives of productive and hard-working people. Columbia Credit Services needs to be stopped from these practices. I completely understand the need for people to pay their debts, and will defend a legitimate collection. I do not support a scam that is intended to inflate small debts, falsely claim defaults, damage credit ratings, in order to rake in money using tactics of which Bernie Madoff would be proud.
If you have had similar dealings, please post here, and anywhere you think it may do some good.
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