I got my first call from CFC, over a debt from 2000. Statue of limitations in my state is 6 years. There isn't any way I was going pay for something that I wasn't even sure I owed anymore. Especially when I get my credit monitored monthly and I didn't show what they were talking about. I have educated my self on credit laws and know what creditors can and can't do. I verbally told them I didn't owe the money and told them not to call me back. I knew they wouldn't listen. Even though they are REQUIRED by law to stop calling you. So I waited until they called me again and I asked for their address. They are LEGALLY obligated to give you this information. But the man on the phone got rude and told me he didn't have to give me anything. He got an attitude with me telling me I was being rude, even though I wasn't even speaking. I told him to transfer me to a supervisor and the supervisor refused to give me information until i gave him information (which i am not LEGALLY obligated to do). I of course refused and he hung up (again they can't do this). I had to call back three more times asking for the address.in order to finally get it I proceded to tell the guy i was recording the phone conversation and that it is showing that he is refusing to give me his company's information. He got quiet and then hung up. Finally after calling for a fourth time they told me the information with no hassle.
My advice to you. NEVER pay a collection agency, if you can handle it with the orignal debtor. If the original debtor refuses payment you can state that on your credit report, dispute it, and have it taken off.
Another thing is know the statue of limitations of your state. If its passed NEVER acknowledge the debt. Chances are the debt has devalued to pennies on the doller and what they say you owe ISN'T what you owe regardless. If you paid them 5 dollers it is still hundereds of percentages higher then they bought your debt for. And worse it will reset the statue of limitations on the debt. Don't let them rip you off.
Lastly, due to the credit crises these companies are HURTING. So they are buying and trying anything they can to get money. They have bundled your debt with MILLIONS of others and sold it. Some of the debt isn't real because there is no longer a paper trail to prove if it isn't or is. You could have paid off the old debt, it could have been charged off on backruptcy, you could have paid down the debt, and guess what they or you wouldn't know. Don't risk paying TWICE for something you may not even owe. Don't let these people fool you into thinking you are a dead beat that refuses to pay his bills. You have other piorities FEEDING your family, PAYING your rent, etc. They are the ones CHEATING you by adding on penetlies and fees (things you are not REQUIRED by law to pay) inflating your debt just to take more money from you. I am not advocating not paying your old debts, i'm just advising to be realistic. Don't pay on an old bill that can't be verified. Your credit score will probably NOT go up if you pay it and in 7 years it'll fall off. If they call you, FIRE OFF A CEASE AND DESIST LETTER, know your laws, and take care!
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