West asset management collection agency - are they collecting student loans?

Out of the blue yesterday, we receive a notice from this West Assets Collection Agency. Claims that he owes $3k plus ~$825 in interest on a $3k student loan he took out nearly 10 years ago for the University of Houston. Husband vaguely remembers the loan, but no details as all old records of his were destroyed in flooding of a storage building, plus they've never contacted him about the debt, plus he has so very many other loans since then.

Today, he calls them and they claim that the actual figure is $4800 with all their various fees and such. When he asks them to drop the fees, they refuse. When he mentions moving the loan to Sallie Mae with all the other consolidated loans, they claim it isn't possible. So he calls the DOE and they say he must deal with West Assets. Univerity of Houston, same thing.

We've never received a single notice about this debt until yesterday, and we've had a mortgage for the last 2 years, on our credit report - anyone who does a peoplefinders.org can easily find out. I almost think they have purposely been sitting on the notices and/or sending them to old addresses just to rack up a bunch of fees and penalties.

I read him your note about sending a 'cease communications' letter to them. How do you get DOE to respond and deal with you though?

- DH

Collector #1, Guest, whoever you call yourself, just shut up you clown! Just trying to decipher your awful spelling and grammar gives me a headache. You are living proof that an education is not necessary in the junk debt collections business. Go back to school! You will also never convince me that you own and cottage and a condo on a West salary, especially with that uneducated sludge coming out of your mouth. I used to work at West and I hated every second of it. I hold a BBA and can do better that West, you my friend have met your final destination. West pays meagerly and the place is a corporate dinosaur. So don't brag because you have nothing to brag about.

On a lighter note, I had the nicest conversation last night with a couple, of which the husband has an old student loan in the hands of West. West did not take the time to make him aware of his rights and his options. I gladly did so when this couple contacted me for information. Now, this fine gentleman knows what he needs to do to repay his loan and is no longer leary of the crapfest that is West.

Um,, Mistress, I am not a collector. I dont work at west. Collector# 1 and I are two different people.

Would you like to see pictures of my condo?

I can assume that "FINDIN YOU GUYS HILLARIOU" is also COLLECTOR#1.
Regardless, those posts are not mine, nor is the one telling him to shut up.

If those were all my posts, Id be arguing with myself, and my credit wouldnt be an issue - my insanity would LOL!

No I don't need to see pictures of your condo, sorry for the mixup.

The force is like duct tape: It has a light side and a dark side, and It holds the universe together!

I like that comparison!

eh, a peace offering you can relate too...

Absolutely!

hi do anyone know how too fix or get rid of it in when you already paid for it im trying to fix my credit because im trying to buy a house but because thats in my credit report im having problems if anyone got anything please feel free to email me Email removed as per forum rules-Mike or respond here thank you

HI Ari..If that was who I think, I'm glad you were able to help them. They e-mailed me last week, but really don't know much about student loans. I remembered you were a former student loan collector and thought you would have some valuable insight and knowledge to help them out. This is a prime example of how this community works at its best, utilizing the knowledge and experience of the group to help others regain control over their financial affairs.

They were the nicest people you could ever met, Clay. I was very happy to help them in the student loan arena. It felt good to be "Super Credit Girl" again! For information on that, see "My husband is busting on me" in the Pub.

One of thier agents tried to spoof the caller ID display number to reflect the corporate office (800-255-2257), however, the real number came across, with the spoof as the ID name.
After some digging, I found out that this person was calling from the Shibuya Grill in Livermore, CA. (this was simply done by reverse lookup on the actual number).
I wonder if I should call the restaurant and metion this to them....

I've been harrassed by them for 4 years now regarding debt for 2 baby deliveries. I do not owe the money...the hospital billing dept. screwed up (another whole issue there). I've sent West Asset proof that I do not owe the money (explanation of benefits and receipts) yet they say they never got any of it...repeated times.

I sent them a cease and desist letter last month. They didn't accept it via certified mail. I just got off the phone with one of their vultures. I normally don't even answer their calls (thanks, caller ID) but I did today b/c I wanted to know why they were calling or acknowledge the cease and disist letter. First, the call was not coming through clearly. When I told him that I couldn't hear him clearly. His response was, "Oh, you can hear me just fine." As*hat. He says that they show no record of a cease and desist letter and was demanding that I make arrangements with him today.

Thank you, everyone! It seems this company has been bugging me f-o-r-e-v-e-r. In the beginning, I questioned the amount because I believed two debts had been lumped together. In '99 I became unable to work and took a while for disability so my credit got really messed up. When I asked for proof, they also told me that they did not have documentation of the original debt..huh? I called the hospital serveral times to get a copy of the charges West Asset claimed and they never followed up with it. OK, NOW, I know what to do! Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am soooo sick of these people and their ploys. They even sent me a credit card offer where I would get a credit card, no interest for a year, with a portion of the debt as the balance and I would make monthly payments. I just want them to go away. This charge was 1/2001. I have been trying to research and find out if the SOL has run out in Texas for this debt, I can't find a clear answer on the DA's page. If it has, then they have to leave me alone, right?

who ever typed this huge blog about west asett is so crazy.

i sent west asset a validation letter they never responded i sued them in my county. i won my case and west asset was removed off my credit report she is crazy west asset has settled more lawsuits.

And the reason you "never lose" is because you settle with the plaintiffs out of court to keep a judgement against you off of the record books!

Jackson v West Asset (Settled)
Ingram v West Asset (Settled)
Sczcypiorski v West Asset (Settled)
Edge v West Asset (Settled)
Larry v West Asset (Settled)

And this is just a sample. Next time, try pawning your lies someplace else.


please please please respond to this whoever wrote they long drawn out blog that is so wrong it makes me lauph