Palisades collection-Consumer complaints and tips to deal with the CA

yeah posted on March 29th (bottom of page 3) Just that I had first received a letter from pressler and pressler. No that same account went through different collectors before Pallisades got Pressler involved. Pallisades is on my report. Before that it was NCO, I disputed they came off, Everything quiet down for a while then I noticed Pallisades. All claiming same debt. When I make a fuse with CR's they can't validate and it gets removed. Now CR stating Pallisaded verified this debt belongs to me. So I answered to PRessler with a Request for Val (seeing the CRA's gets something, where's my copy?) Anyways, now to step 2. I'm working on it.

palisades are terrible to deal with. does anyone know more about the statute of limitations in Maryland?

I would like all of those individuals that would like to file a class action suit against Palisades Collection Agency for fraudulent claims effecting consumer credit. please contact Tom Messer at email address removed as per forum rules - Mike

justice1872

Statute of limitations in Maryland is 3 years from the date of last payment activity. Lots of complaints against Palisades are filed with the BBB as well the local AG's office.

Check your credit report and confirm when you last paid this account. If you have not made any payment within the 3 years period, the debt is out of the SOL period and you can't be forced to pay it. Send a letter in writing explaining the situation for valid proof.

Great thread. Thanks to all who have contributed thusfar.

I just got my credit reports for the first time in years as a result of major error at one of my Fidelity retirement accounts where a notebook PC got stolen and they bought everyone (1000s of people I'm sure) a free online account at Equifax.

I've got a Palisades amount too for $200 way back in 4/2000, and it has the mysterious "AT T" account number. I have no idea where it came from and I believe it must be false.

If I write them the above letter (thanks Roxette), and file disputes with all three credit agencies, is there anything else I have to do? Has anyone done this with success yet? Roughly how long should I give the process?

Thanks.
Matteo

Hi Matteo

You must write the letter to Palisades asking for the details of the accounts. Also, you can get the item verified by the credit bureau. If this is a legitimate debt, you will get the complete info from either of them or the credit bureau will remove the account from your file.

You have to give at least 30 days to see the effect in your file. Hopefully, you will get positive results after the investigation is done. Also, determine the SOL period after the account comes verified to you. Since the debt took place way back in the year 2000, you might not have made any payment from that period and as a result, the debt might have got out of the SOL period. If this happens, you won't be under any legal requirement to pay the account. You just need to send a letter to the company mentioning the expiry of the SOL period and you will be out of this mess. Let us know how things shape up.

Thanks for the response, John. Ironically, I got a letter in the mail in the afternoon on the day I wrote my first reply above. It was from TransUnion, and they had completed their dispute investigation that I requested. Sadly, they upheld it and stated that Palisades verified that it was my debt item. Two days later (today), I got a similar letter from Equifax basically stating the same thing. So, as far as the credit bureaus go, I think that none of us may get any help from them on this. The only good news is I think I am past the SOL period as you mentioned, and Transunion put a note on the Palisades item that the "estimated date that this item will be removed" will be 3/2007.

I'm beyond the rage point on this now, but I still think this is a huge scam. I'm going to just wait it out since I don't have any plans to buy a house or car in the near future that would require any sort of credit checks anyway. Given all the trouble this has caused, I'd almost pay the monehy to just be rid of it, but I'm not going to because I don't owe that money to anyone! It's wrong and I won't support their scam.

I did some more investigating on the internet and I found several other sites and people who seem to have been affected by a false AT&T Wireless company collection amount thrown at then in the 4/2000 timeframe. I'd post the link to a blogspot here, but I don't want the moderators to get mad at me.

Anyhow, the author of this blog has a pretty good theory. He said that when AT&T wireless was going under and being purchased in early 2000, they needed to divvy up their debt somewhere and they decided to pull the old customer records from years gone by and slap a small amount onto everyone to spread the debt around. This blogspot author owed the same amount I did and it was posted on the same date, 4/2000! I tend to believe his theory, because this would be a good way for AT&T to avoid bankruptcy and to hide all of their debt. If they had sent a letter to me at the time, I probably would have paid, but of course that was not their intent. Otherwise, their scam may have been noticed. I'm trying to remember, but I believe I was a customer of AT&T Wireless from 1992-1994 - most certainly not after 1995 though.

I'm very disappointed that the credit bureaus haven't seen this scam yet since it seems there are a lot of people affected. However, I think this is just one of thousands of similar scams that I think the credit world is fraught with. I do not want to write to Palisades since I've seen too many people write that they got no help from them, and I do not want to invite further scams and possible identity theft. So, so I may let sleeping dogs lie.

I wish I could succeed and share that so others may benefit, but I'm going to wave the white flag on this one. The evil out there is just too strong to overcome.

Hi Matteo

It's just one more year for the Palisades account to be off from your file if it doesn't cost you much. When the bureaus responded to your dispute, did they send the general statement saying that the item has been verified by the company and proves to be correct? If you request, you can always ask them to give the explanation. There are federal laws to support your claim and a credit bureau can also be filed a lawsuit for keep incorrect information in the report without legitimate proof. Though, you will have to take legal help in doing this.

The stay of this Palisades account in your credit report cannot get longer unless you show any kind of payment in between. It will be helpful if you can knock the company or the bureau instead of hurting your file for a year

I got a copy of my credit report and saw this collections, the first I'd ever seen or heard of it. I've written many times and they have never responded. The credit agancies say they have investegated and left the collections on. It is with AT&T for 2005 and I haven't been with AT&T since 2002, I have copies of all my final bills, my last one for $49 which shows paid on their own paperwork. I don't know about this $400 collections and no one will even tell me what it is. cgreenstone @ msn . com

Hi cgreenstone

Have you read the post of Matteo above. You will get some useful information in it. As per the FCRA laws, the credit bureau is required to keep the accurate information in your credit file. If they have conducted the investigation, they should be able to give the results also.

Send a letter again requesting for the results of the investigation done. If required, you can send your copies of proof to them. If nothing works as per expectations, you can add a 100 word statement in your credit file. This statement will explain the facts to your future creditors and you won't see your credit being hurt.

To my surprice my credit report was hit by this company claiming I owed an old AT&T wireless bill.(dropped my score by 60 points)

This bill was paid in Aug 2004 when it was with another agency CBCS. I Called CBCS and asked for a letter stating the account was paid which they sent(they also told me they are getting a lot of similar phone calls). I faxed it to Palisades and now they are claiming the account # dosen't match.

CBCS's letter uses their own account # and does not reference the AT&T #. They are telling me they can't generate a letter referencing the AT&T #. (can you beleive that?)

When I call cingular and ask for help they tell me it is out of their hands.

It is amazing the attitudes I am running into and I can't believe this is all legal.

Well we will find out because the letters will be going out the the FTC, BBB and Consumer affairs.

I will also look into sending a letter the state attourny generals office.


TC

I had an AT&T account for wireless internet, I bought the unlimited surfing for $75 and then the bill came for $475 and when I reached nowhere with AT&T and closed the account in January 2004! I had no problem paying the $75, but that was not the deal! I checked my CR a month ago and found that Palisade has placed a negative (Collection) on all 3 reporting bureaus and that the account was started as of December 2005 (alsmost 2 years after I closed the account), not to mention I never heard of them during these 2 years! I am also travelling overseas and can't find Palisades anywhere on the net or directories. Any advise is appreicated. Cheers..AK

Hi AK

It seems that Palisades is now largely reporting incorrect entries in the consumers' files. Call Palisades at 201-567-5648 and ask them to remove this incorrect item in your file. If it is legitimate, they should give you the details of it in writing.

If you don't hear from them within a short time, write a letter to the bureau disputing the item. Show proof that you requested Palisades for verification but they were unable to provide it. Send your letters through certified mail with return receipt requested. Document everything for records.

hey i just notice this company on my credit report and sad 2 say i am a vicitm of identify theft and im only 24. so im getting ev

Angela,

Have you placed a fraud alert in your file with the credit bureaus? If not, you must do it so that no other suspicious accounts show up in your file.

Meanwhile, you should dispute this account with the CRA. They must investigate the item and remove it from your file or mark it as disputed.

Received letter from Palisades re. validation of debt. They mentioned a debt from AT&T Wireless from 2000. I never had any contract nor service from AT&T. Will the validation include a paper where I supposedly signed or was charged? How do I stop getting a series of statements saying that I owe but no proof?