I'm seeking advice on how to deal with MRS associates collection when threats have been made. Here my situation.

I divorced 1.5 years ago from my husband and was contacted via email from him with the question if I know of an account opened linked to one of my previous addresses because payments have been made from there (how do you proof something like this?) but opened with his SSN.

He also asked me to contact MRS Collection Agency (MRS associates collection), since an amount of about $1,700 was very delinquent. So I did - and was immediately accused of identity theft and fraud. The representative accused me or my former room-mate of stealing my ex-husbands SSN and either I did it, or I'm covering for another person. I have stated that this is absurd and asked for an acct #, asked when the account was opened, closed, what charges were made and tried to find out if this is maybe one of the accounts he had opened and I am on there as the other card-holder. No information was given to me, just the advice to respond by monday and give them information of who did it, otherwise they'll order the records (shouldn't they do this before they asked to be contacted, also - aren't they supposed to send a letter first?) and someone will go to jail, and they also said it'll be me.

I'm confused and am trying to find out what is going on. They replied that this has nothing to do with anything we have once shared or opened together and I should come forward. Then they quickly said that they don't want to waste their time any longer and hung up on me. Any advise? This is absurd - I've emailed w/ my ex-husband and he stated that he has no idea of what's going on, he's as bummed as I am but doesn't want his credit to be ruined. I would appreciate any feedback, since I fear that the nightmare has only begun.

thanks, H.

[roxette]

Hi Novellie30

Welcome to the forums. Your situations is made complex by MRS Associates as it should not be like this. To see the link between the payments made from the previous address and the account, you should contact your creditors and get the details of the form when either of you applied for credit.

Legally speaking, you should get the complete details of your accounts from MRS Associates, the collection agency that is trying to recover the debt from you. This is known as the debt validation process as per the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and through this, you can force them to provide you the following details:

• The details of the account.
  
• All the calculation should be shown of the amount that is owed.
  
• Any copies of the papers to be furnished that shows the payment agreement.
  
• Provide a verification or copy of any judgment if applicable
  
• The original creditor needs to be identified.
  
• The Statute of Limitation needs to be proven for the collection of the debt.
  
• The license of the collection agency applicable in the state is to be furnished along with the license numbers and Registered Agent
  
• Proof of the agreement that the debt collector has purchased the debt or has been hired by the creditor to collect the debt from the debtor as this is the basic contract law.
  
• Complete payment history showing the details of the creditors, payment history, amount of the debt, break up of fees/interest should be provided in paper.
  
• A copy of the original signed loan agreement between the debtor and the original creditor establishing the debt between both the parties also has to be produced.

Before you start making payment arrangements, the MRS Associates collection agency is bound to serve the following details of your debt. If it is not given to you, you don't have to bother paying it. You just can't start paying on something that is not proven.

Do ensure that you send this debt validation letter through certified mail with return receipt requested. This will help you to record the date on which they received your letter and your effort to know the details of your past debt. You can also inform in the letter that as per the fdcpa, you don't want to be called at your place of work or at home and all the necessary communications should be done via email.

Not validating the debt and still continuing to recover the debt is a violation of the FDCPA law under Section 809 ( 8 ). If they break the law, you can consult your attorney.

Regards
Roxette

..for answering my posting. The thing is, all accounts that we had together were either split or closed out as I know off, I only made payments towards dell and a officer's club membership, as those were 2 accounts I have used. My ex-husband says he knows of nothing, and so they accuse me of identity theft and said I must have opened this with his SSN because nobody but me or someone affiliated with me could have made payments from one of my previous addresses - I have never received any statements, nor was I contacted via phone. I don't know anything about the agency, only the person's first name, and I have a phone # an partial account #, I also have this person's email address. I pulled up my credit report online last night and the score is good, nothing was reported late from any previous accounts, nothing seemed to be wrong - the agency which inquired the report was called "MRS Associates", as it was displayed on my credit report. I'm planning on getting an attorney to handle this for me first thing Monday, but am afraid that the threats are for real. How do I find out about an address to where I can send a letter to? I haven't been given ANYTHING. Thx, h.

..they never asked me to PAY anything. It's not about how much I owe, it's about identity theft or covering up for someone, in short they accused me right away of committing fraud. I am also from a foreign country and everything always was obtained through my ex-husband. I just recently (June) was able to apply for my own credit card w/ a $500 limit. Again, thanks for your reply, this was a huge help. Heike

[roxette]

Heike

For instance, if the company feels that you have stolen your ex's identity, then your husband should have the details of the credit in his statement. If it is not appearing in his report, and he is not aware of it also, how can it be termed as an ID theft? Put that straight to the agency and ask them to validate the debt. You will not pay anything or will not feel convicted until it comes out proven.

MRS Associates debt collection address

MRS ASSOCIATES, INC.
2222 W. Rose Garden Lane #100
Phoenix, AZ 85027
Phone Number: 623-266-3526
Fax Number: 623-266-3518
This company is not a BBB member


MRS Associates Collection
3 Executive Campus, Suite 400
Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
(877) 774-7994
This company is also not a member of the BBB and has unsatisfactory business record with the bureau.

MRS Associates
6530 W. Campus Oval Suite 300
New Albany, OH 43054
Telephone: (614) 289-5086
BBB contact this company requesting for basic information and they have not responded so far. They are also not their member.

This makes me feel that you should be very tactful and alert while dealing with them. Keep everything documented so that you can track it later. Send your correspondence through certified mail with return receipt requested. This is very important as the CMRRR serial number will prove that you made your effort to contact them and request information.

Regards
Roxette

[LCW]

A collection agency cannot have you arrested. If there were any possibilty of being arrested, it would have to be persued by your ex-husband. (after all, it is apparently his ID that was stolen) and he would have to be able to prove you did it.

In order for the Original Creditor (again, not the agency) to be able to have you arested for fraud, they would need to be able to prove you did it, ans had intent to defraud when you opened the accounts. Either way the Collection Agency cannot have you arrested in onnection with this account. Call the FTC and your State Attorney General. They are violating the fdcpa.

It sounds to me like someone got a hold of his information and was able to connect him to you. Then using your credit report or other personal history information began opeing accounts.

I would watch your credit report very carefully as you may start seeing your information is also being used. ALso look for collections for accounts you have no knowledge.

For anyone who has Allstate insurance, they now have and ID Theft policy that rides on your homeowenrs policy. Costs about $30 a year and covers your expences to clear up the id theft up to $25,000. they also refer you to a service which will assist you in getting things cleared up.

I moved and did not leave a forwarding address as I did not have any bills. ( Or so I thought.......... obviously @ some point I had been assessed a late fee that I was unaware of..........) To make a long story short, I was contacted by MRS Associates, Inc. in February and told to pay "x" amount, which I paid in full. Last week I was contacted by another agengy who purchased my account from, I assume, MRS Associates. When I told them that this account had already been settled they denied it. I paid them their amount,(as I had no "proof" of having paid MRS )again for late fees and interest. Then after researching to see WHOM I had paid the first time I came up with my cancelled check from MRS. Can you help?

Sincerely,

Josh Pyle

[LCW]

Contact the agency you paid last week, and explain you have already paid the debt to MRS Associates, and you have the canceled check to prove it. State you demand a full refund . If they decline it contact the Attorney General of your state seeking for them to intervine. However, once you produce proof the debt was paid they should issue you a refund with out much further hassle. You may have to consider further legal measure to recover the overpayment from the new agency.

I was also contacted my MRS Collection Agency with a threatening phone call. The Company did not identify themselves when they left a message on my personal phone. When called back to identify who they were, I was rushed to answer specific questions. I read the advice Roxette gave Novellie30 and wrote this letter in which I am going to send it certified mail with returned receipt requested. Did I do the right thing?

October 15, 2005

Dear MRS Associates Collection


I have been advised that I need get the complete details of my accounts from MRS Collection Agency. This is known as the debt validation process as per the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. I was also advised that I need you to provide me with the following details:

• The details of the account.
• All the calculation should be shown of the amount that is owed.
• Any copies of the papers to be furnished that shows the payment agreement.
• Provide a verification or copy of any judgment if applicable
• The original creditor needs to be identified.
• The Statute of Limitation needs to be proven for the collection of the debt.
• The license of the collection agency applicable in the state is to be furnished along with the license numbers and Registered Agent
• Proof of the agreement that the debt collector has purchased the debt or has been hired by the creditor to collect the debt from the debtor as this is the basic contract law.
• Complete payment history showing the details of the creditors, payment history, amount of the debt, break up of fees/interest should be provided in paper.
• A copy of the original signed loan agreement between the debtor and the original creditor establishing the debt between both the parties also has to be produced.

I was advised that before I start making payment arrangements, MRS Associates, the collection agency, is bound to serve the following details of your debt. I was advised that if it is not given to me, I don't have to bother paying it. I just can't start paying on something that is not proven.

I am making sure that I send this debt validation letter through certified mail with return receipt requested. I was advised that this will help me to record the date on which MRS Associates, you, received my letter and my effort to know the details of my past debt. Per the fdcpa, I don't want to be called at my place of work or at home and all the necessary communications should be done via email.

Finally, I was advised that not validating the debt and still continuing to recover the debt is a violation of the FDCPA law under Section 809 ( 8 ). If MRS Associates break the law, I can consult my attorney.

Regards
Aaron

[roxette]

Yes Aaron

I read your letter and it was put in true legal shape as per the fdcpa law. Please keep the receipt of the CMRRR serial number in safe place as this is a very important proof of your letter sent to them. The date specified on it will help you to know that they have received your letter and they have to submit the required details properly.

Regards
Roxette

[LCW]

Just out of curiosity, if a collection agency refuses to sign for a letter that is sent CMRRR, is that then considered the same as them beingunable to validate the debt, or refusing to validate the debt?

[roxette]

Hi Clay

If the matter reaches to the court, you will be able to prove that you asked for validation of the debt, but it was not done by the said collection agency. It will put them under pressure.

If you are trying to repair your bad credit and the collection agency is not validating it, you have the federal rights to get the negative remarks removed from your credit file with the help of your lawyer.

In any case, the CMRRR serial number is the most important factor that proves your part of the story.

Regards
Roxette

Just a comment on general form, mainly for those that mention asking about registered agent, etc. My style is to look at the online records with the Secretary of State and find the agent, then send a demand letter. No asking. If they ignore it copies go to the attorney general and if they ignore that they get investigated. Ask Sentry Credit in Washington. I have an A+ credit rating and when one of these low lifes calls for a previous owner of the phone number, I send a very nice letter saying, basically, "no such person here". Then, if they continue, they get the full treatment. MRS Collection Agency is next up.

I urge all of you with problems wiht them to contact the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce. They actually gave a jobs creation grant to these scumbags for their Phoneix office. They often call from Ohio. They are based in Cherry Hill NJ, like the mafia Gambinos. OK, I shouldn't make insinuations. Saul and Jeff Freedman, you are criminals and bottom feeders. Please do not breed.

MRS Collection Agency has been steadily calling me for months. I have already proven that I am not the same person the are seeking, even though I share the same first and last name. I have checked my credit report to ensure that they are not reporting false info to it. They are not, but continue to call. According to local law enforcement, I can block their phone #, but that is about it. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you! JKV

The MRS Associates debt collection address mentioned on their website is
MRS Associates Inc., 1930 Olney Ave. Cherry Hill, NJ 08003.

The MRS Associates debt collection telephone number mentioned in their website is (888) 334-5677.

JK Vahle,
First, register on the National Do Not Call Registry, it elevates your complaint to federal status. Next, send a registered letter to MRS with the address listed above requesting they stop electronically contacting you for any reason; also send a courtesy copy of the letter to the Federal Communications Commision complaint department. FCC.com has a complaint form for you to fill out and send with the copy of the letter, it is printer friendly. By federal law, they must stop calling you or the FCC can pull their license and they will be subject to fines and damages. You MUST send the letter and you MUST have definitive proof you sent it. I am not a lawyer, I am just a guy that had a collection agency shut down.