Is it possible to collecting the balance already settled?
Date: Fri, 11/17/2006 - 05:55
I currently am working with two different attorneys, paying them each per month tword each debt they represent.
First attorney is Meserly&Kramer at 1-800-795-4205 and second one is Cambese Law at 1-866-242-4539.
How do I know these are legit?
How do I know my monthly payment is going to my debt?
Once we both agree on a payoff debt, Is it possible some time down the road I can be contacted again by some agency to recover the difference between the payoff and the actual amount?
If so, is there a way to prevent that?
Thank you again.
Messerli & Kramer is indeed legitimate. They are a large Minneso
Messerli & Kramer is indeed legitimate. They are a large Minnesota law firm with a large debt collection division. The last I heard, they were also being investigated by the Minnesota Attorney General, and the attorneys I share office space with have regular dealings with M&K.
I'm not familiar with Cambese offhand.
If you aren't receiving statements, I would call and ask for them.
Have you been sued? Is the debt you are paying on actually the amount you owe?
Thanks for the response. I am not being sued. Both debts are
Thanks for the response.
I am not being sued. Both debts are legit. They both called and stated that they wanted to settle the debt. One debt i owe $5000 and M&K offered me a settlement of $3800. Other debt is $6900 and they would settle for $4900. All dollar amounts are correct on their side. They are not harrasing me and I must say they were for the most part polite to me and understanding. I am paying them each $350 a month. The debts are from credit cards, and when I called each card, they stated they were no longer handleing my account. I have not recieved card statements from these accounts in six months, and I have only been paying the attorneys for one month now. How do I get statements? I worry some cause they automaticaly withdrawl the money out of my checking account. Two months ago my checking account was frauded with a fake withdrawl which wiped me out of my $3100 balance.
Get/demand statements from the DCs. Also, never give a DC per
Get/demand statements from the DCs.
Also, never give a DC permission to automatically withdraw funds from your account. If they don't have permission, tell them in writing that they do not have permission, and go looking for a consumer lawyer to sue them. If you already gave them permission, revoke it.
You can contact M&K easily. Their website (with contact information) is messerlikramer.com
Is your debt with credit cards? Because you will receive a 1099
Is your debt with credit cards? Because you will receive a 1099 form from each creditor for the amount of the debt forgiven, if that amount is over $600 (once the account is settled and your payments have been made according to agreement). I believe it is a federal offense to try to collect on any debt where a 1099 has been sent, for forgiven debt. I received my 1099's in January, for the accounts settled last year, for tax purposes.
Quote:Originally Posted by Sam GloverMesserli & Kramer is indeed
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam Glover Messerli & Kramer is indeed legitimate. They are a large Minnesota law firm with a large debt collection division. The last I heard, they were also being investigated by the Minnesota Attorney General, and the attorneys I share office space with have regular dealings with M&K. I'm not familiar with Cambese offhand. If you aren't receiving statements, I would call and ask for them. Have you been sued? Is the debt you are paying on actually the amount you owe? |
I have had some bizarre conversations with an employee of Messerli and Kramer. They made a verbal offer to settle my account by paying so much down and so much a month. I asked to have it in writing and the gal acted like I was asking for her right leg! When she finally agreed that she could send me a document, I wanted her to mail it but she refused she said the only way I would get it is by fax. So I finally gave her my work fax and she told me to call her as soon as I got it with routing numbers and check numbers. I never got a fax. So the next day I called to ask what was going on and she told me the deal was off! After some discussion to find out why, which never came to light, I finally told her to just submit it to the court and I would talk to the judge about it. In the middle of my sentence she hung up on me! Then she called back the next day asking me to call her! I haven't yet - seems like a really unprofessional outfit that isn't working in the best interest of their client. It seems unethical to offer a deal and then back out for no apparent reason. I was prepared to give her my routing numbers and check numbers but now I feel like I cannot really trust them and will only agree to person check payments sent through the mail. It is not wonder they are being investigated!
yeah that would have been a big mistake. Did they contact you
yeah that would have been a big mistake.
Did they contact you in writing yet? What state are you in? I would fire off a debt validation letter to them ASAP CMRRR. That should shut them up...Also what are they saying you owe for and when was the last time a payment is made? The debt could be time barred and if it is then a cease and desist is in order along with a FO&D.
Quote:Originally Posted by AnonymousI have had some bizarre conv
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anonymous I have had some bizarre conversations with an employee of Messerli and Kramer. They made a verbal offer to settle my account by paying so much down and so much a month. I asked to have it in writing and the gal acted like I was asking for her right leg! When she finally agreed that she could send me a document, I wanted her to mail it but she refused she said the only way I would get it is by fax. So I finally gave her my work fax and she told me to call her as soon as I got it with routing numbers and check numbers. I never got a fax. So the next day I called to ask what was going on and she told me the deal was off! After some discussion to find out why, which never came to light, I finally told her to just submit it to the court and I would talk to the judge about it. In the middle of my sentence she hung up on me! Then she called back the next day asking me to call her! I haven't yet - seems like a really unprofessional outfit that isn't working in the best interest of their client. It seems unethical to offer a deal and then back out for no apparent reason. I was prepared to give her my routing numbers and check numbers but now I feel like I cannot really trust them and will only agree to person check payments sent through the mail. It is not wonder they are being investigated! |
Don't pay them dime one without having the full terms of the settlement spelled out in writing. If it ain't in writing, it doesn't exist. You're looking for an original signature on the document, among other things. That lets out faxes, email, phone calls, smoke signals, and all that other stuff.
And send them a DV letter immediately, certified mail return receipt requested. Never hurts to let them know you're serious.
And when/if you do decide to pay them, do not send them a personal check, or otherwise give them access to any of your banking or credt card information. They could clean you out. Send them money orders in the mail only. When they squawk, tell 'em tough stuff. A money order beats not getting paid at all. And those are the only two choices they've got.
Thank you for your response. I sent them a letter asking to neg
Thank you for your response. I sent them a letter asking to negotiate the debt, which is how all the conversations got started in the first place. In the letter I did dispute the amount owed, but asked them to consider a settlement agreement. Can/should I still send them a DV letter?
Quote:Originally Posted by AnonymousWhat is an FO & D letter?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anonymous What is an FO & D letter? |
That would be a cease-and-desist letter. It enjoins them from contacting you again in the future. It needs to be sent certified mail, return receipt requested, so you can prove they got it, and when.
This letter is occasionally called a 'get bent' letter. Or, less delicately, 'FO&D' (for 'F^&% Off and Die').
Before the phone conversations, I sent them a letter asking to n
Before the phone conversations, I sent them a letter asking to negotiate the debt. In the letter I did dispute the amount owed, but asked them to consider a settlement agreement. Can/should I still send them a DV letter?
Quote:Originally Posted by AnonymousBefore the phone conversatio
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anonymous Before the phone conversations, I sent them a letter asking to negotiate the debt. In the letter I did dispute the amount owed, but asked them to consider a settlement agreement. Can/should I still send them a DV letter? |
Yes, so long as they haven't already filed suit. If you've already been served, then we'll have to deal with it differently. Get that letter out ASAP.Send it certified mail, return receipt requested. When the green receipt postcard comes back, hang onto it. That's your proof that they got the letter. The law says they have to stop trying to collect until they can validate the debt.
So, I sent the DV letter and also left a voice mail for the lady
So, I sent the DV letter and also left a voice mail for the lady I talked to at Messerli and Kramer telling her that I would only do business in writing and she is still calling me and requesting that I call her back. Furthermore, I found out that she sent a fax to my employer asking for employment verification. She used the fax number that I gave her to send the agreement! This seems completely illegal to me. I gave her the number strictly to send the agreement after she badgered me for it saying it was the only way I would get it in writing and then she didn't even send the agreement!
These people are harassing my wife because another lady in our t
These people are harassing my wife because another lady in our town with the same name has bad credit and owes some people. We get calls every day, the social sec number is wrong our address is wrong, bank is wrong, and we never had that card. And these idiots act like it is my fault I am getting called. Dont know how many times I have to tell them it is not us, we never even had the card in question. I guess they cant look at the address beside the phone number in the book and figure out it isnt us. Does anyone know what I need to do legally to stop this from happening. I work from home and get calls all the time, they leave embarassing messages on the machine and it is not us.