Best way to pay - Please Help

just a thought, but if yiu are worried about these things, why not purchase a pre paid debit card and pay them with that.

The first thing is that you shouldn't just go in assuming all collection agencies are liars and out to steal from you.

If you are concerned about sending a personal check send them a WU or a Money Gram so that you will have a tracking # and will be able to view online if it was recieved or not. It will also get there in a timely fashion should you have a deadline in which the payment must be recieved.

why not get a cashier's check from your bank if you don't want to give out your personal information. That is what I have done in the past.

ladybug

I'm with LadyBug, get a cashier's check from your bank if it would make you feel better. It's been a while since I worked in banking; however, I'm pretty sure you can get verification once it has been cashed by the CA. It costs to purchase a cashier's check (been many years since I did, but I think it was about $10, I'm sure it's more now) but if it is such a large amount that you are sending, the extra cost might be worth the peace of mind. It might even cost extra to obtain proof it has been cashed; however, it might be good to keep a copy of it in case of future problems.

And FYI's is right, not all CA's are crooks; however, those that are make all of them look bad. I think the chances would be very slim for them to copy your routing and transit number and account number off your check and start generating checks or ACH's with that information, cleaning out your bank account in the process. In the event it did happen it would be fraud, and your bank should respond to any complaints you might have regarding this occurring. Not to mention law enforcement would need to be involved.

I know at my credit union it doesn't cost anything for a what they call a "teller check" which I think is the same thing..do you have an account with a bank?

ladybug

Thanks for all your input. I know not everyone is out to get us - I guess just from reading some people's experiences I got a little concerned and wondered what others thought. I appreciate everyone's honesty.

Better to be safe then sorry...so many CAs are crooks that you never know who is on the level and who is out to bend you over. What about a money order? They can be traced and only cost like .50 :)

I agree golden..the bad news is the thing we always hold in mind..

I have been taught that one satisfied customer will refer approx 100 customer's to your business in a lifetime..however..one unsatisfied customer through bad word of mouth will prevent you from getting 1,000 plus customers....
from what I have seen here there are far more people who have been treated badly by CA's than treated well..however that does not mean they are all bad..

also you could probably take one CA on a good collection month and they will definitely be much nicer to you than on a month when they and family themselves need to pay bills and are hungry!

golden I think you are absolutely right saying quote
" so many CAs are crooks that you never know who is on the level and who is out to bend you over"
I would prefer not to drop the soap in the shower and protect myself! but yet not to judge every CA here as though they are bad people.

Unfortunately in the collecting business there is no 'customer' (except for CAs collecting for OCs. The 'bad' collectors (the ones who lie and use illegal tactics) are also the ones who get the best bonuses and the most promotions....which just encourages them to continue the behavior...I mean sheesh, look at companies like LVNV who view these lawsuits as 'cost of doing business', you know they are not firing these collectors, they are promoting them.

Only with more and more of the general consumer getting wise to their rights will this practice finally see a drop, at some point even monsters like LVNV will see so many lawsuits and pay out so much that it will start to hurt their bottom line will they finally start changing policy. It really is disgusting and more people need to be made aware of thei rights, only then will these bottom feeders be brought to their knees.

I realize there aren't customers in collecting business..no one seeks this service aha!..and I am also not sure if CA's refer to contacts as "Clients" or their "Victims"..

I guess the point I was trying to make is that bad situations and experiences with ANY business are ten times more likely to be remembered and talked about and spread to friends and acquaintances.. than a positive experience is...

and since I can't think how this experience of being in debt could ever actually be a positive experience..I can actually understand why collection agencies in general have such a bad rep..even tho there might be a few good one's out there..

golden..I hope you keep forking out the information here..because people like you are the one's who will eventually bring these bottom feeder's to their knees! :D

If you really want peace of mind that a payment has been made, go with either a Western Union or a paper check. With money orders and bank checks, you sometimes have to wait weeks to get copies of a paid item. With a paper hand written check, not auto debit, you have the ability to place your notations in the memo line. Easily traced with most banks by phone or online. Same with Western Union Quick Collect.

are you talking about a paper check from one's own checking account soaplady?