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International debt collector - how to deal with him  

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I live outside US, went to a US hospital for emergency
treatment, when discharged I noticed lots of problems with my bill, and told the hospital. I continued treatment in another hospital. when came back to home a non US debt collector contacted me to get the remaining amount of the debt charging $4000 USD collection fee and about $150 USD interest in the first notice.

I have been contacting this debt collector by fax explaining that my bill had ridiculous charges and that I asked the hospital to audit the bill and send it to me but never did so. they told me that I could not get my bill audited and I had to do business with them. After 6 times I contacted them they are telling me that I owe to them $6000 USD Interest and the collection fee.

Please, What are my options, fdcpa protects me? they never sent me any validation documentation but I do not know if they are required to do so as they are non US company.

Thanks for any comment.
 

asked Aug 30, 2005 10:15 AM

Anonymous
Best Answer
7
best answer

Hi

Since they are doing business, they will try to recover money from you in every possible way, but whatever will be done will not be done in legal grounds. They will not be able to take you to the court or take any legal actions against you.

Secondly, external auditing is not possible because the debt has been sold to the collection agency after the hospital has audited it. Thus, the collection agency has paid to the hospital before they contacted you and that is the reason they are trying to recover the money plus profit that they have spent while purchasing your debt.

You would have been able to dispute with the hospital during the time when it was with them. But now, since it is with the collection agency, there is nothing much that can be done except for some settlement which suits you.

Regards
Roxette

answered Sep 8, 2005 04:05 PM

12 Answers

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No trial can be brought against you as you are outside US and the debt occurred there. Thus, there is no chance of any judgments against you also because it all requires proceedings through the court.

answered Oct 5, 2005 01:35 PM

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hello roxette, there is an unanswered query, you say that no legal action is possible, by that you mean:

1) That no trial could be brought against me as I am not in the US.

or

2) Judgment can not be enforced outside of the US.

At this time the debt collector has tired many things but just wont validate, so what would be your advice.

Thanks again.

answered Oct 5, 2005 09:25 AM

Anonymous
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"every possible way" means harassment that they are involved into.

Legal means is something like taking the matter to the court or issuing a wage garnishment, judgment, which cannot be done without court orders. These actions can only be taken if it is within the country.

If you have any unanswered query, just let me know.

Regards
Roxette

answered Sep 13, 2005 11:36 AM

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roxette, the debt collector hasn't even bothered to send validation documentation, when you state that they will try to recover money in "every possible way" but not by legal means? Please, what means?

They have failed to send validation documentation after I told them that the debt was being disputed, then they continued to contact about the debt. Now you suggest that they may be lying about who owns the debt. Should I do something about it?

thank you roxette.

mikeyindetroit, it is the debt collector who is denying me the right to have the bill audited not the hospital.

answered Sep 13, 2005 01:04 AM

Anonymous
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HelpNeeded


Quote:

Originally Posted by HelpNeeded
I have been contacting this debt collector by fax explaining that my bill had ridiculous charges and that I asked the hospital to audit the bill and send it to me but never did so. they told me that I could not get my bill audited


I was just going based on what you stated about the hospital saying that you could not get the bill audited.

With the accounts that I deal with, we don't add interest rates. Basically the $1000 bill someone racks up, will be $1000 come 6 months down the road. When requested to audit the bill or have it explained Patient Accounts will either call or write you. If further explaination is needed, and appointment is made for the patient to come in and they'll go over detail by detail.

I've worked for 3 different hospitals, 2 from a diffrent state, and it has been this way with all of them.

I may still be confused by what you mean "audit". But technically that is my title...and we audit all the time even before the request of the patient.

answered Sep 8, 2005 04:09 PM

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Replying to your first query, if you have been staying in the US during this time, you could have faced legal action. But the debt collector cannot take any action against you outside the US. Though they will force you to pay it, but there is less weight in it.

Replying to your second query, the debt collector has done all the calculations of your total debt amount since they are holding it. You cannot ask any external agency for auditing but they will have to break down each and every calculation for your better understanding. If they fail to do so, you can fight back as per the fdcpa law proving it to be disputed.

Please let me know if you need more light in it.

Regards
Roxette

answered Sep 5, 2005 03:53 PM

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HA...I work in hospital billing, and actually I am the one that does the auditing of patient/insurance payments.

We do audit several times. I think it's weird they refused to audit. And I haven't seen interest on anyones account, although not really paying attention.

Hospitals/Insurance companies will, and do, audit patient accounts at their request. Especially if there is a discripency (sp?).

answered Sep 7, 2005 06:33 AM

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roxette, when you state: "Though they will force you to pay it, but there is less weight in it." you mean that they will just still seek payment without legal means to enforce it? - is this realistic? I really do not understand your point.

Secondly you say: "You cannot ask any external agency for auditing". My question is: on what basis is not possible to seek external auditing. Who is, then entitled to request this services?

thanks again for your time.

mikeyindetroit, please read again, I have never stated that they refused to audit, They agreed to send me the audited account when ready, they never did despite I sent them a letter requesting to comply to what was agreed and send it.

answered Sep 8, 2005 03:47 PM

Anonymous
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roxette, thanks for offering futher help. However at this point I am just considering options, it would be most helpful if you could comment on the questions in my second post:

1)Despite the debt collector and myself are outside US fdcpa still applies since agreement was made in US with US company. Please confirm if I have understood this right.

2)If I can ask for external auditing at this point. Remember that the debt collector is denying me that right.

Please note that I just want to settle the debt in fair terms.

Thanks.

answered Sep 5, 2005 03:43 PM

Anonymous
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