[cajunbulldog]

Isaac,
That sux! Go here and find yourself a good consumer attorney. naca.net Give lawyer all that proof you have been collecting and sue them fools since they seem to love breaking the law so much.[/i]

I left the collection agency business last year after 30 years. As a senior executive of AMO Recoveries, I can tell you that not only AMO, but most all agencies use the tactic that the money must always be sent to them for proper credit. Call the original hospital that you owed as ask for the patient accounts manager. tell them exactly what happened and they will recall the account from amo. if that doesn't work, contact the Federal Trade Commission in Washington, D.C. They will assist you and at the very least, make AMO stop. Good luck.

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has referred my defaulted Perkins student loan to AMO Recoveries for collection. The original amount of my bill was $2200.00. AMO Recoveries added nearly double that amount onto the original bill via fees, etc. I contacted UWM to arrange payment of the original $2200.00 in full, instead of paying nearly double that to AMO Recoveries. UWM declined, stating that since the debt was 29 months overdue and that I cannot deal with the University and must go through AMO Recoveries exclusively.
The debt is so overdue because I have had serious prolonged financial trouble and have been unemployed or working temporary jobs for many years. I have resolved that now and can pay the original Perkins student loan in full.
Is there a way that I can persuade, even force, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to accept payment in full of the original $2200.00 Perkins student loan and bypass AMO Recoveries, along with their exorbiant additions, entirely?

-Decency is not Dead-
I am having almost the same problem as you, with University of WI-Platteville. In 2001, I had to drop out of classes after 4 weeks after I found out my financial aid wasnt going to go through. They told me too bad, It was 1 week after the drop date and I would still owe for the full semester at $1400! Right after I dropped it took me awhile to get back on my feet, but once I did I contacted UWP to make payment arrangements. I UNDERSTOOD that I would have some interest charges that I would have to pay. But when I called them to set up the payments, they had already sold my account to a collection agency that was now telling me I owed them $4500! I asked UWP if I could just pay them directly, and they said NO.

But, imagine my surprise when 6 YEARS LATER (this past Feb.), that agency gives up & GIVES my acct back to UWP! I found out because they actually garnished my state refund check, but I was ecstatic anyways because UWP sent me a letter saying I owed $2450 (which I thought was reasonable) and I was just so happy the account was back with Platteville.... or so I thought. Not even a week later I got a letter from a new collector (AMO recoveries) stating I owed them the $2450! I was mad but since it was the same amount I figured hey I'll just pay it & get it over with... so I call my "assigned collection" lady who I tell I can only pay $1900 right now & would like to pay $100 a month after that. She states she needs me to fax the written letter stating this, & she would forward to Platteville to see if they would accept. Ok so I did that. But in the meantime, they sent me a NEW letter (1 week after the 1st letter) stating I now owed $3700! I was furious and called the lady & said I have one letter dated the 4th stating I owe $2450 from AMO & 6 DAYS LATER another letter from AMO stating I owe $3700! She tells me "oh UWP called & told us we forgot to add the collection fees on, theres no way around paying those!". Why would UWP call to make sure AMO collected $1250 in fees? The lady states I need to call her back by Thurs to let her know how I plan to proceed, but now I dont know what too do....

Maybe everyone should get a fresh start every 5 years. Everyone has bills, even debt collectors someone is collecting from them to. Its like we all chase each other for the dollar. Sort of like a d :d og who chases his tail. "dont worry be happy"

[Leah]

kt-if I am reading that correctly, did you already pay it once??

Well the amount of my state refund check was only $550, so after they garnished that I still owed $2450. Which is still a lot more than what I originally owed, but I was willing to pay it. Now it's w/ AMO and obviously a lot higher.

I just dont think it should be legal for collection agencies to tack such huge fees on a debt w/ no apparent justification for the amounts.... Why doesnt the government regulate what amount of fees a collection agency can add to a debt? It doesnt make sense to me.

Does anyone know if theres any statute of limitations or end of reporting period for tuition debt? Because maybe Platteville would take my debt back if they knew they were getting to the end of that???

[justify:c4abfca545] :twisted: I can definately sympathize with your predicament. I was employed at an area hospital. Not long after I was contacted by the local constable with a court summons. AMO was suing me for the hospitals bills for my family that had been sent to my (now X) husband, or not sent at all. My insurance at the time had payed and I had not seen any bills. I was put on a joint account with him and we both were assigned parts of the grand total. I have been the only one trying to pay it and he has been getting off scott-free, but yet I get the greife from the agents because I am a "single" mother that falls behind every few months or so. Hey at least I am trying to pay them for bills I didn't know about and support the "now two" children that he doesn't help me with. In the grand scheem of things they are lucky that they get $10 a month, and they wanted over $1oo. :lol: Sometimes some people make me sick. :cry: [/justify:c4abfca545]

I had a truck in a divorce that went to my ex-husband. He hasn't paid a dime and now AMO is trying to recover the funds. The lady is trying to tell me that they will garnish my wages and not even take me to court for it. I have also asked repeatedly if the vehicle was repossessed but she would avoid the question until today when she told me it was. I don't know if she's just lying or what. Any advice?

[ramj70]

They cannot garnish wages without a court order, she is lying and in violation of the fdcpa. Next time she calls tell her that, and if your state allows it tell her you are recording the conversation.

Do you have documents from the divorce showing the title being turned over to him and that he is responsible for it? If so they can do nothing to you as far as I know.

I do have the divorce paperwork that says he's responsible. I called the bank when I was divorced and they basically said, "yeah good for you, you're still responsible if he doesn't pay"

Thanks for the advice about that garnishment.

I have defaulted on 38,000.00 on my private educational loans through Key Bank which has been sold to AMO Recoveries for collection. They are willing to settle the account fo 26,0000.00 however I can't get a co-signer for a loan, as the defaulted status has affected my credit. My major concern is that they are offering me two choices, down payment of 5,000.00 an than to estabhlish monthly payments or settle payment of 26,000.00. Which one should I do? Are thier more option for repayment that AMO is choosing not to share with me?

Here is another AMO nightmare; Got a notice for a past due $400 Discover acct. Problem is I have never had any sort of discover acct nor has Discover ever contacted me about any acct. I don't even have credit cards or loans or anything. Not in years. This is the second time AMO has done this. Last time it was for a auto loan that I never had. Looks like it's time to get the ole credit report and try to fix this mess. AGAIN.

i work for amo recoveries as a debt collector and i am also a single mother going through hard times, the rules are very simple, if you don't want to be called at a certain phone number send a cease and desist letter. i can't speak for any other collection agencies but amo is almost always willing to work with anyone. as long as you talk to us like an adult and as long as you are willing to try to work with us we will work with you. we are all PEOPLE too and we all go through hard times but as responsible adults we need to take care of our problems. i am so tired of people talking down on collectors when we werent the ones who put you there and aren't the ones telling our kids to answer the phone and screen calls and hanging up on us, real mature!!!!!

[cajunbulldog]

You know I thought I had found a mature professional collector until that last sentence gave you away.Why is it collectors look down on someone who owes money? Everybody owes money to somebody and I won't slam you unless I have a reason.

i was niether trying to be immature nor unprofessional i am at work right now and have litterally been dealing with debtors doing exactly what i stated all day now, unless you have work in collection you have NO IDEA what collectors go through try living in someone elses shoes, we are normal people and have to live in debtors shoes try being on the other side...