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dealing with collection agency

Date: Sat, 08/07/2010 - 11:05

Submitted by getag
on Sat, 08/07/2010 - 11:05

Posts: 19 Credits: [Donate]

Total Replies: 23


recentely my debt went to collection agency, what is my next step? i want to settle, but how do i get their address, called credit card,they gave me a phone number, and when i called them they wanted to settle over the phone asking my checking acc nr


Ozzie,

He knows they are authorized to collect because he got the number to their office directly from his creditor.

Sending a DV has its place, but it is not a silver bullet and can actually be harmful to the process of settling a debt. Some creditors will yank an account from an assignee as soon as a DV letter is logged and then send it to local legal.

If someone knows for a fact the account was sold, it can broaden options.


Mileage may vary


lrhall41

Submitted by on Mon, 08/09/2010 - 09:04

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A debt validation is necessary before you settle any debt! You could give money to the wrong party or worse, your account info! No validation, no payment, no way! It is your right under the FDCPA! Everything should be in writing! Talk does not mean a thing. Even if they send it to legal which is very rare with a junk debt buyer they still need to validate it! For all you know they may not even be licensed in your state to collect!


lrhall41

Submitted by Frogpatch on Mon, 08/09/2010 - 09:10

( Posts: 5381 | Credits: )


Oz,

Amex does not sell debt, so it is highly unlikely you will be dealing with a buyer on this account.

As it stands right now: Your best bang for your settlement dollar is going to come from assignees like Nationwide or NCO. Settlement ratios will increase with AMEX if it lands in zwickers lap by as much as 23%, though zwicker has some better payment terms. Settlement ratios are at there worst with AMEX when it lands with local law firm.


Mileage may vary


lrhall41

Submitted by on Mon, 08/09/2010 - 09:41

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Froggy,

Not every collector is a junk debt buyer.

I could not disagree with you more when you say "A debt validation is necessary before you settle any debt!" and "No validation, no payment, no way!"

There are many instances where a consumer holding fast to this position is proven to be harmful to the process.

I do agree with you that it is a right and that everything should be in writing when it comes to consummating a deal.


Mileage may vary


lrhall41

Submitted by on Mon, 08/09/2010 - 09:47

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qeteg-We just had this issue a few minutes ago. We just worked out a settlement with a CA, we got the settlement letter (please get this first!!). Then they told us we HAD to give them our acct info. I mean, the guy said some not so nice stuff (not harrassing but just trying to back us down). My husband held his ground. They had two people ringing our phones off the hook trying to get our acct number this morning.....finally they got it that it was either take a cashier's check or the deal was off. My husband was very polite and firm.

Hope this helps!


lrhall41

Submitted by Jill Adams on Mon, 08/09/2010 - 09:58

( Posts: 96 | Credits: )


Quote:

Originally Posted by Anonymous
Oz,

Amex does not sell debt, so it is highly unlikely you will be dealing with a buyer on this account.

As it stands right now: Your best bang for your settlement dollar is going to come from assignees like Nationwide or NCO. Settlement ratios will increase with AMEX if it lands in zwickers lap by as much as 23%, though zwicker has some better payment terms. Settlement ratios are at there worst with AMEX when it lands with local law firm.


Mileage may vary


Yes I figured out they do not sell. Went to NCO and 2 others but did not have funds to settle. Only $3,600 and now back with Amex. Once they start pushing I am going to elect arbitration and see what they do. From what I understand arbitration will cost them more than the $3,600.


lrhall41

Submitted by OZZIE69 on Mon, 08/09/2010 - 10:08

( Posts: 555 | Credits: )


I did get their nr directly from my creditor, so do i still need to send a debt validation letter? my acct is with HSBC and when i called them , they gave me this nr 800-756-9428 which is CCB Credit Services, so they own my acct now...
do i still need a DV?????????
I did get a settlement letter from CCB Credit Services a month ago, but when i talked with them on saturday, they were willing to settle for 35%, which is much less than last month, only they wanted to do it over the phone, asking for my checking acct....they are not willing to send anything by mail....saying that if i want the settlement for 35% i have to do it by phone only.... they called this morning too, and i told them that i want everything in writting, not to call me anymore, the guy just started yelling on the phone, so i just hung up..


lrhall41

Submitted by getag on Mon, 08/09/2010 - 11:34

( Posts: 19 | Credits: )


Quote:

Originally Posted by getag
the CA is CCB Credit Services
they offered a pretty good deal, but they wanted my checking accct nr, when didn't give it to them , they got mad and said the deal was off....
I'm thinking of writting them a letter but how do I find the correct address???


The address of CCB Credit Services INC. is:

5300 South 6th street,
Frontage Road East,
Illinois 62703

And yes, don't give them any information regarding your account over the phone. They can rob you to your last penny. Tell them that you???re ready to pay the 35% settlement amount but only after you get the settlement letter in writing.


lrhall41

Submitted by paulcahill80 on Mon, 08/09/2010 - 14:12

( Posts: 2359 | Credits: )


Quote:

Originally Posted by getag
thank you everyone


Hi,

I just found out that I was wrong about sending validation letter within 30 days. You have 30 days after orignal letter or they can continue to persue collections. However, there is not expiration in regards to sending dv letter. So, send them one ASAP, CMRRR.


lrhall41

Submitted by OZZIE69 on Tue, 08/10/2010 - 06:22

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Hello dear thread participants.

Please help me if I have incorrectly summarized this thread:

OP wants to settle (at a favorable amount) with the collection agency that HSBC provided direct contact for. Just thinks it has to be done in writing so wants to get their address.

OP is encouraged to get the settlement by phone, but to get documentation of the deal prior to funding it.

Additional posters suggest sending in DV request.

Further discussion suggests the DV request could cause the account to be pulled and placed elsewhere, possibly even with a local attorney (which would mean 35% is not on the table anymore).

Others chime in and say basically that "yep, that happened to me too."

So, OP wants a good settlement to put this account behind him, has one on the table right now, but just needs to finesse to get the deal in writing before paying it, and yet the thread participants including moderators are encouraging OP to send in a DV letter that has been established in this thread to have the potential to kill the deal with the possibility that any future deal may not be this good and may even end up on the lap of an attorney authorized to sue in order to collect.

Am I missing something?

getag,

You have the right to request validation, no doubt. Should you request DV, when you are prepared to settle right now and know that the collector is who they say they are?

Categorically, the answer is NO.

What you have in front of you is predictable.
What you have after sending in DV request is not.

Get the settlement in writing before funding it. If you have concern for the content of the settlement agreement, come back and post the contents you are concerned with and get more feedback.

If they stick to there guns about not sending you the settlement terms in writing, they are not interested in settling with you and are gaming you. You could make it easier for them by having them fax it to you. If you do not have a fax, get a free one from "efax".


Mileage may vary


lrhall41

Submitted by on Tue, 08/10/2010 - 09:20

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My experience with HSBC is that they will turn around and sue you with an attorney while right in the middle of what you think is settling! They simply are trying to get you to admit to the debt! They did this to me! I sent them a request to settle by certified mail and they never replied! Two weeks later I received a summons! I went to court and claimed that I made an attempt to settle and there was no response! Showed them the copy of the letter and did not think I should pay court costs and legal fees! The lawyer told me that phone records showed that his office called me a dozen times and I never responded! That is when I realized who kept hanging up on my voice mail! They just wanted a record! That is how sneaky HSBC and there collectors are! They settled in mediation for around the same amount I would have paid if they responded! But I got hit with 600.00 in fees for a 300.00 debt!
As far as debt validation I will stick to my guns! No validation, no payment! I would never pay a bill that is not in writing on someones say so! Rule 1 law 101! Get it in writing!


lrhall41

Submitted by Frogpatch on Tue, 08/10/2010 - 09:36

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Ok, so here it is exactly what happened.... I talked with them on the phone about 2 weeks ago and they agreed on a settlement for 30% of the debt but wanted to do everything by phone with me giving them the acct. nr to to make the payment.. I asked them for a settlement agreement letter before the payment, they didn't agree saying that it's a one time deal, if I don't do it on the phone then the deal is off.. so the deal didn't go through...after that I sent them a letter through certified mail asking them to sign the agreement settlement letter so I can send them the money, but i don't think it worked.. today I got a letter back from them saying : " Thank you for your recent payment; however, partial payments will not stop our collection efforts unless satisfactory terms have been reached with this office!..Call our office to discuss an ageeable payment method. Please enclose this letter with your payment."

I didn't make any payments.. what are they talking about??
What can I do now?
Should I call them? they're very mean on the phone...
Should I write another letter??????


lrhall41

Submitted by getag on Sat, 08/21/2010 - 08:25

( Posts: 19 | Credits: )


I work for CCB Credit Services in Springfield IL. If you settle a debt over the phone using your acct info, we put the amount you authorize into a computer system and only the amount you authorize comes out on the day of your choosing. If the company withdrawals more money than what you authorize you can sue. There's no reason to be scared to use your acct info to clear a debt because once the debt is paid, the info is wiped from the system. No one has access to your acct info except our clerical dept who sends tHe check to your bank. So, 21 days after you pay the debt you can request a zero balance letter that states you no longer owe on that acct. Hope that helps :)


lrhall41

Submitted by on Sun, 01/09/2011 - 17:02

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oh really.in this day and age of ID THEFT.i will never endorse,or advise just paying without at least a dunning letter being sent.oh you sound legit here,but i bet that changes when you get someone on the phone.sorry,but again will never advise just giving info like a bank account to a voice on the phone without something i writing first.back to the phones with you.


lrhall41

Submitted by paulmergel on Mon, 01/10/2011 - 05:25

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