I gave a CA my SSN

Giving them personal info is a big no no. I would recommend sendingthat dv letter pronto.I would also pull all three credit reports and make sure they don't create some more debt for you when in fact the debt is not yours.

Cajunbulldog is right. Giving personal info is not good. You should see if your bank can block ALL future ACH withdrawals and if they refuse, like most banks do so they can collect all those stop payment charges, close your account and open a new one. The CA can simply change the amount slightly and go back at your account. They can also try to take the total of the two returned amounts plus money on top of that. I had a lawyer once clean out my whole checking account just by me sending him a payment in "good faith". He went to court behind my back and in a couple of days I was flat broke. All this because he had a check from me in his possesion. These companies are ruthless and will usually stop at nothing to get what they want.

If they recorded me on the phone call giving them permission to take out those payments from my bank account, does that mean I've already owned up to the debt? And does making that one payment confirm it as well?

Don't worry about phone call. Send your letter and pull your reports.

Okay. Thanks Cajunbulldog! And thanks frogpatch!

Do you have any idea why the first CA closed your account when you were already making the payments? It sounds suspicious when another CA comes into the picture and asks for payments.

Review your credit report regularly for any suspicious activities.

orake, I have no idea why the CA I was already making payments to closed my file with them. They told me to call that second CA, which is NCO Financial Systems.

Be careful, looks like something fishy is going around there. Don't pay anymore to the new CA until they give you the info about your account.

I'm trying to come up with a good debt validation letter. I can't start off with, I have received your letter where you claim that I owe a debt to you and/or your company. This letter is being sent to you in response to your attached collection letter..., because I never received any letters from them. I can't begin the letter with, This letter is being sent to you in response to a notice of a couple entries by your company on my credit reports... either because I pulled my credit reports and they weren't on there. I simply called them because the previous CA that closed my file told me to call them. So how would I begin my DV letter?... and should I even enclose a court case?... and if so, which?

...and also... I plan on closing my bank acct. that they've set up automated payments with, should I let them know they won't be getting those payments?