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Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2006 10:07 pm Subject: My update on Dell accounts

Hello everyone...just letting you know that I'm still here and to give you an update on my dell accounts. As many of you know, that have followed this from the beginning, I have been through ALOT with Dell and the many different collection agencies these accounts have passed through, since the original charge off. It all started because my husband had got laid off and was out of work for a little while, then when he found something, it was making less money than what we were used to making. I'm sorry, but things were bad and given a choice between paying my Dell accounts or putting food on the table, I did what I had to do. I wrote Dell several letters telling them of the situation (still have all the letters), asking and begging them to please work with me on this. they refused. Then I had no choice but to go into a debt management program. Most of my debtors accepted me on it and were happy that I was 'trying' to take care of my responsibilities to them. Not Dell, they refused to accept me on the program. I continued to make payments to them through the program but only to find that my balance was actually getting higher rather than lower and I was being charged late charges and fees. At this point, I took care of the 'wheels that squeaked the loudest'.....Dell charged me off...then sent me off to collections. All the while, I am still writing Dell and the collection agencies, explaining my situation--hoping to find someone who cared. didn't happen.
Many of my debts went into charge off mode and to collection agencies. One even sued me. I have now cleaned up most of the mess and have most everything paid off. except Dell. Early this year, Dell sent my accounts to Oxford management services. I went on the 'freedom point' consolidation program and added my accounts with Oxford. Every month they accepted the checks and cashed them. They never denied the programs proposals or responded that more money was needed. They continued to accept the money, month after month. The problem that I did have with them though was that, they continued to call my home six, seven, eight times a day...even after SEVERAL certified return receipt letters telling them TO STOP CALLING.I have made payments to oxford for SEVEN months straight.
Here is the update on this Dell headache. TODAY, the secretary at my husbands job said he had a message. A collection agency had called his work. He gave me the message and I called them right away. this is a big NO NO...First thing I let them know NOT TO CALL HIS WORK EVER AGAIN. they claimed that they didn't have a home phone number so thats why they called his work. I went through two people...the second person I talked to, I told them the same thing, to take my husbands work number off...they said they didn't have his work number, only his home number. wait a minute? they just said they didn't have home number only work number...and I said you had to have had his work number, YOU called him. duh!
anyways...apparently, my dell accounts have been moved again! Oxford no longer has them and now a "Associated Recovery services' has them. They said call them ARS for short.
There are four accounts and these people couldn't even give me the full account numbers. They were trying to get me to tell them...which I did not. The smallest one was $500 when it first went to Oxford, now it is $800. I said WHAT??? they said interest still keeps going. Oxford never accepted me on the debt management program. you know, ususally when you put an account on debt management, after making three payments in a row, the interest, late fees and so forth are Stopped. not with dell and their collection agencies... so everything I have been paying on over the past seven months, has been like flushing money down the toliet. all of my balances are extremely HIGHER!!!!
I do not have the money to accept a pay off deal---which is what they want to offer. But I will never get this paid off at this rate. also, in the beginning, I begged dell to consolidate the accounts into one account, which they also refused to do. Dell is very hard to work with. I know they can legally continue to charge interest...but it doesn't seem right to me. they keep taking my money and instead of the balances going down, they are still climbing. I think once an account goes into 'charge off' mode, they shouldn't be allowed to keep charging interest, and especially not at 28%!!! I asked ARS today if dell still owned these accounts, they said yes.
does anyone know if ARS is dells 'in house' collection agency? can I get some guidence in whats the next move to make? If I hadn't of paid on these accounts for those seven months, they would be close to running out of the SOL...but I was trying to be honest because I do owe these debts. but man, I am getting rail roaded at this rate! should I ask them for validation on all accounts? The guy on the phone was professional and wasn't rude or pushy. He said he was going to draw up some paper work with all the balances...and try to work out a payment plan that would be satisfactory and I should get them over the next few days and he will call me back again in seven days.
I guess I need to wait and see what he has the payments as showing, and then go from there. maybe go back and forth negotiating if they are too high. I flat out told him on the phone, there was no way that I could pay all of this off. and pointed out that I am on a debt management program.
I don't want to get sued, but at this rate, I don't want to pay another penny towards this. I am getting screwed over big time and just throwing hard earned money out the window.
oh yeah, and did I mention that after all of this, come January, my husband may be out of work again. He just got the news yesterday so we have to wait and see what happens. I didn't want to say this to the CA because they may try to speed things up to get all that they can. any advice would be very appreciated!! thanks. shirley

Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 5:53 am Subject:

That really stinks, Shirley. I've been following this for close to one year, since I've been here you've been dealing with them. I hope you can break through them soon. There's got to be SOMETHING. Sad

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:05 pm Subject:

thanks Jessi....

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:13 pm Subject: dell

Shirley I hate to even say this but maybe debt settlement. They say its alot less on the dollar. Just a thought. KYSIDE38

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 2:46 am Subject:

She is in settlement program I guess! Aren't you Shirley?

Guest · Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 8:25 am Subject:

Shirley have to ever talked to an attorney that specializes in debt? This might be an option.

Shirley Bragg

Please give us an address to return the printer we need to send it off. Please

Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 8:58 pm Subject:

I am sorry ya'll but please please tell me people are not this dumb when it comes to the internet?

Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 6:37 pm Subject:

Wow, Shirley, I am very to sorry that your hubby maybe out of work again next month. Have you talked to your debt managment company to see what they say about all of this? I don't understand how the balances keep getting higher when you've been paying on them? I know you have spent a mini-fortune on sending certified letters to Dell and their CA's over this matter as well. I know you must be very frustrated. Have you contacted your states AG's office to see what the collection laws are in your state and if a CA needs to be licensed there to collect? I know in Ohio they don't need to be but it doesn't hurt to ask.

Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 7:20 pm Subject:

Why call someone dumb because they misunderstood what the link was about?

Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 7:25 pm Subject:

I thought the same thing Mishele when I read that Evil or Very Mad

Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 9:33 pm Subject:

Just my personal opinion because if they have a printer then most likely they bought it online which they should have a return slip/bol or a receipt from the store where they bought it, dumb was not the first word I came up with

Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:03 pm Subject: dell

Shirlet I hope you get this resolved fast. I am sorry to hear your husband may be out of work that just makes it tougher. Ashley when someone ask a legimate question its not dumb. At least it was not a guest cussing all of out. KYSIDE38

Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:25 pm Subject:

thanks everyone for the time you took to reply =)
since it is starting all over with a new collection agency...I am having to send out new validation request....not sure what direction this will go after that. I have begged Dell to take the accounts back but they aren't very helpful and haven't been since day one. I asked for their help from the very beginning when my husband first lost his job and I knew we were headed for financial disaster. Then went on a debt management program, which they refused to accept me on.
just for information purposes, Dell financial charges 28% interest. The payments that I had set up with my debt management program--freedom point--were the same payments that I was making to Dell in the beginning when the accounts were set up and I was paying on them through Dell Financial....now collection agency said I wasn't sending enough so the interest rate was eating me alive and making my balances go higher. To me, just my opinion, this is highway robbery. For the past two years, I have begged and pleaded with Dell and all the collection agencies that these accounts have been sent to--with no success. I have sent money only to have it basically--flushed down the toliet and my balances are higher now than they were six years ago. To me, when an account goes into the charge off mode, I think the balance should freeze. just my opinion. In my situation, with the interest rate like it is...I'll never get this paid off...and I'm one of the honest ones. sure I went into charge off mode but I have been trying to be a responsible person in taking care of this debt and not running. I have been thinking of hiring a lawyer..I wish I had the money to do a settlement---but as I explained, looks like husband may be switching jobs again---which is what put us in this boat to start with.
but thanks everyone for your time and input on this...I will keep you posted on what I hear after I send out the validation letters. hugs, shirley