I want to negotiate by mail. They want to talk on the phone

Speaking to your creditor might help you to explain your financial distress in a better way. So, I would ask you to talk to them. Let them about your position, that you're negotiating your other debts as well. You may, surprisingly, get a good settlement offer. Be calm and explain fully. Creditors can be tough to negotiate with but none of them wants their customers to default. Go ahead and talk to them.

I've had no luck trying to settle by mail. For whatever reason they want to do it over the phone. Just make sure you get any settlement offer in writing BEFORE you pay and never pay over the phone - money orders only.

No they won't do anything by mail. But when you talk to them if they are still with the original creditor I think you will be surprised how pleasant that they are. They just want their chance to ask you questions about your hardship and try to determine if you really are in a hardship. They will at first try to get you caught up on payments and then eventually will start to talk settlement.

don't be too nervous about it If you are nice they are nice back they are just trying to assess your situation.

I vote to...."Should I suck it up & call? If so, can I just refuse to get into any specifics and just say life has hit me hard & I simply cannot pay, here is my offer."

If you want to negotiate then you've got to communicate... via the phone.
They want the opportunity to dance in your brain, etc.:shock:

Once you understand their method of psy ops....you've got them whupped!:cool:
It's a time game they play and will try to put you on a hardship program.

Stick to your guns.
Good Luck,
King "Kash" Jabba Labba

I was at first not wanting to talk by phone, But in time, it turned out to be the most effective. And the people were mostly very nice.

When you are not paying on a debt, the creditor is not going to waste time going back and forth writing letters to negotiate a settlement. It costs money for a someone to research, write and then send out that letter. You need to call....come to an agreement over the phone and then have them fax a settlement letter to you. Fast quick and easy.

I tried making offer by mail but kept getting a letter to call them. Luck would have it they didn't have my cells phone number since to save money I had drop my home phone. At 3 months late I called and got no where! Finally I got a settlement at 6 months through the recover dept!