I got a collection letter from this agency in Washington.. And they are threatening me, yadda yadda yadda.. I am waiting for them to sue..

Because guess what!! According to the laws in MY state, you have to be a licensed collection agency to even contact any one and a surety bond of $25,000 is required!!

In fact, I checked out the court rules in my county, found out a lot of neat stuff that I can easily get the collection agencies on.

Why do so many of them act like jackasses? I mean, I have a legit debt, but they act so stupid, why do they risk owing US!!

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If they are not legit, they can't collect. I would doubt that they would go as far as suing you. They would continue with their harassing calling in a hope to get some money out of you and eventually may sell the account off to another JDB.

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Does anyone know if collection agencies have to be licensed in New Jersey?

I'm wrangling with Smith/Watson/Haynes who collect for Eastside Lenders.

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neither place is licensed period.if you haven't filed AG,and FTC complaints do so against both parties.

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giving hope to the hopeless,help to the helpless,and hap to the hapless.

So, does that mean that they cannot collect anything from me? I'd rather pay what I owe directly to Eastside, but it's been turned over to collection, and Eastside won't provide me with address.

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I found a wealth of information by learning the court rules in the county I reside. And yes, the venue has to be where I live.

Its like the plaintiff would have to jump through so many hoops, I am beginning to think that those that do sue, do so hoping for just a default judgement. Especially with my accounts being sold to different banks, (due to acquisitions) the original contract I signed has been changed so many times, the burden of proof is on THEM!

So I kind of want to go court, and hope for a dismissal. It changes my debt from something that is real, into something that can be construed as not real.

The credit cards are business in nature, but essentially that are personal credit cards. My only fear is that the summons will be sent to my office, where someone there will drop the ball, and I will not know that I was summoned.

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of course they won't.both are illegal,and they don't want you sending them anything.like a DV or C&D letter.again what if anything do you owe to eastside?

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giving hope to the hopeless,help to the helpless,and hap to the hapless.

I owe $350 which I offered to pay in 3 installments but they wouldn't provide me with an address. Sent it to collection with this Watson firm. They contacted me and I made the same offer, but I wanted their acceptance in writing, either by fax or mail. Then I get letters stating I owe $1000+ on the loan plus another $280+ on another loan that was paid off. So I sent certified letter asking for documentation with copies of my proposal and asking for clarification of loan balance. etc.

Received call at work yesterday from Watson firm. Told him I couldn't accept phone calls, then I received call on cell which I let go to voice mail. Message said I had until today at 5:PM to accept a generous offer (no mention of that generous offer). So I called back early this a.m. and left message that I was waiting for the information I requested.

Then I came on here to check new posts and saw the one about collection agency being licensed. So I wondered if Watson etc. could even collect in New Jersey.

I have a lot of family issues going on right now and I was hoping to get this resolved. As it is, if it's not soon, I won't have the money to send them as I'm settling with my credit cards too.

DEBT FREE in 2010 is my goal!!

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as soonas I sent this company a dv letter ( i am in NY) they stopped all calls

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Did you ever get your certified receipt card back? I'm waiting to see if they call again since they gave me a deadline of 5 p.m. - then what??? I've been trying for over 3 months to pay them, and I have proof if they come after me.

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5 pm today?i suspect they will harrass with a new set of verbage.get the letter out as the guest did.

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giving hope to the hopeless,help to the helpless,and hap to the hapless.

I sent it last week; have had no response nor did I receive the certified card back. So I requested that they respond to me in writing. I'm not getting on this telephone merry-go-round. I have bigger fish to fry than Eastside. They could have had their money 3 months ago if they had given me a freakin address that was legitimate.

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do you check with the post office to see if it was received?

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giving hope to the hopeless,help to the helpless,and hap to the hapless.

Yes, every day. I have a post office box so I don't have "collectors" showing up at my home. No return receipt yet. Perhaps they just ignore them?

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maybe,or they didn't pick it up yet.if they refused it you would know.give it another week.

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giving hope to the hopeless,help to the helpless,and hap to the hapless.