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

Two years ago my daughter purchased an AT&T cell phone from a marketing company at a local mall. She told them she had bad credit, and would not qualify. The person told her she could use a reference with good credit and could obtain a phone. She used me (without my permission; the person needed my social security number for the reference. She signed the contract with her full name, address & a copy of her driver's license. The first bill came to her house with my name on it. She tried to call AT&T to change it, but they said since she was not me (my ss), they could not help her, nor would they put the phone in her name. She called me to tell me what happened, and we did a conference call with AT&T. They refused to put it in her name, and told me it was my problem, and they did not have to have a contract with my name on it. I told them to close the account with my name ($974). They said I would have to pay it first. They were charging her $600 for the two phones she had gotten and cancelation fees. They also stated it was between me and my daughter. I have the contract she signed, which also has a line "Guarantor Name" which is blank. They have been sending the bills to her for two years. (she has moved three times). Now it is on my CRA's. I have requested validation from AT&T, and Palisades sent certified...no response. I have also sent dispute letters and a letter for my files to the CRAs also certified. All I got back from CRAs is they verified the debt is mine. My daughter is on disablity because she has a mental condition, and sometimes does not understand the implications of her actions. I am going to see an attorney for advise, but don't know what sort of attorney....please help.

Palisades Collections, LLC /Asta Funding
210 Sylvan Ave.,
Englewood, NJ 076320

Arthur Stern - Chairman
Gary Stern - President & CEO
Mitchell Herman, CPA - EVP, CFO, Secretary
astafunding.com

Could any of you tell me if you were actually scheduled for a hearing in civil court?

yes i was wondering what it is and how can dispute mine i never even heard of them until i received this letter on 9/2/06 , and im clueless of the amount they say i owe .

Roxanne, if you are unaware of the item and request verification, Palisades will provide you the information after you have disputed it. Send your dispute letter through certified mail so that you can prove out your part of the story and that you didn't want to pay something you were unaware about. Try contacting the original creditor for this debt if that sounds easier. They will work with you if the account is not sold off.

I am feeling a little better knowing that I am not the only one confused by Palisades Collections. I recently obtained a copy of my credit report and low and behold there is a credit collection from Palisades listing AT&T as the original creditor. I still to this day have not heard fro Palisades themselves. The only contact I have had with them is the phone call I made trying to find out what why I have never heard of this issue before. I have made several calls to 'Cingular' who has taken over the accounts for 'AT&T' and I have still gotten nowhere. The account in collections was opened in August of 2005. I have had the same service since 9/2004. I have been told by the creditor that they are unable to verify any outstanding balances under my name. AR was supposed to have sent an email to Palisades informing them of the error. However, it seems that nothing has taken place. Every time I contact the creditor I go through the same procedures and nothing can be verified. I have just spent another 45 minutes on the phone to 'Cingular' to request a letter stating that the debt is invalid. However, I am referred back to Palisades to get additional information. I am so frustrated by this situation, which is why I began looking up Palisades and found this forum. I have not heard from the collections agency through any correspondence stating that there is a debt. I have had to contact them and they refer me back to the original creditor. I have disputed through the credit reporting agency and they come back as saying it is a validated debt. I feel like I am not getting anywhere with this issue. Tomorrow I hope that I will be making my last phone calls to all three of the agencies involved. I will then send certified verification letters to them and wait for a response. If I still do not get anywhere I guess my only other recourse is to obtain legal counsel to fight the matter. I don't really have the money to do this, but I think that this whole situation is wrong. If anyone has any other suggestions please let me know.

The credit bureaus is actually collecting the info what Palisades is providing. Have you sent validation letters to Palisades? Show the copies to your credit bureau mentioning that if the information put in your credit copy is correct, why Palisades is not validating the debt? Federal laws don't allow creditors, CAs or even the credit bureaus to report incorrect information. If you are disputing the item, you have the legal right to ask for the result of the investigation done by them in case you are not satisfied with the info given. You are showing them proof, let them also show you the same about their part of the investigations. The FTC link will help you understanding about your credit reporting.

http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/031224fcra.pdf

Thank you all so much. I have learned to google any and ever company name for updates and status of that company. Recently, Palisades showed up on my report as well. Thank you so much for the details given on how to followup and get this issue taken care of.

I want to thank you all for you input and information about this comapany. My story is simular, but I blamed the creditor and not the collection companies, which was totally wrong.

I just looked at my credit report online and notice that a AT&T account that I paid in June of 2003 was on the collection page as past due. What was strange to me was that I not only paid this the first time and did not have a record of it (Dumb me), so I had to pay, or settle, it again to get it off my report. So when I saw this company I notice that it did not have an address nor a contact number. When I did a search, i came to this page first and am I so grateful that I was lead here and not to them. I am praying that God may lead us all with power, love, and a sound mind to get our situations taken care of quickly and correctly. Be blessed!

I just read a post on Statue of limitations. I have a questions on this. Palisades opened a case against me for a 3 or 4 year old AT & T bill that I incurred in New York...but then I moved and they just found me in my new state. Would the Statue of limitations be for the state that I incurred the debt or the state that they filed the case?

Shelly

The Statute of limitation of that state will be counted where the debt account originally occurred. The date of last activity will determine whether your account is still within legal collection period. Do you know when the last payment was done on the account?

I think my last payment was either 2002 or 2003. Not quite sure. Palisades has just tripled the amount I originally owed.

Try to contact the original company for knowing the last payment date. They might pick the info from their system and tell it to you. Palisades must also confirm you with the necessary information relating to the debt before you decide sending your money to them.

I am new to this discussion, but not new to being harassed by Palisades for Cingular/AT&T. I am currently attempting to clean up my credit on my own. Can anyone tell me what the ruling is for how long things can stay on your CR? I was under the impression that it was 7 years fromt he last activity - anyone able to verify?
Thank you.
Heidi

The negative item stays in the credit report for seven years in the credit report, not from the date of last activity but from the date when your account first went delinquent.



http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/031224fcra.pdf

Dear Ma'am or sir;
I've been thinking about paying up an original creditor named At&T wireless which was referred to Palisades collection LLC; and I wan wondering that I don't ever remember this account ; which must be getting to be almost seven years old (If I can't even remember it'')so, How would I find out what the original date on this account would have Been,, thanks Henry E.