Should I deal with the collections agency or the original payday lender?

Are you receiving phone calls from the collection agencies? Have you received dunning letters in the mail from the collection agencies? Federal law (FDCPA) requires a 3rd party collector to send the debtor a letter of collection (also known as a dunning letter) through the mail within five days of their first contact. You should NEVER send a collection agency money until they validate a debt.

ANYone who receives a phone call from someone attempting to collect a debt should remind them of the federal law that states the following; within five days of their first contact with you, the debt collector must send you a written notice (more commonly referred to as a dunning letter) telling you, how much money you reportedly owe; the name of the creditor to whom the debt is owed, unless you, within thirty days after receipt of the notice, dispute the validity of the debt or any portion thereof, the debt will be assumed valid by the debt collector;
and if you dispute the debt in full or in part within that thirty day period, the debt collector will obtain verification of the debt and mail it to the consumer; also, upon your written request within the thirty day period, the debt collector will provide you with the name and address of the original creditor, if different from the current creditor.

Only 2 collection agencies have sent letters, and I receive phone calls all day long from many of them.

I'll have to take a look when I get home, but I don't think the letters even reference the original lender. When I have responed to the calls from some collection agencies they refuse to send a letter, and hang up on me....so frustrating as I have been saving so pay the principal off on most of them..

[URL=http://www.debtconsolidationcare.com/forums/showthread.php?p=800358#post800358]CLICK HERE[/URL] to find out how to deal with collection agency phone calls!

You need to send the collection agencies a debt validation letter within 30 days of receipt of the letter of collection, VERY IMPORTANT! Read the link I gave you above.

Thanks for the info!!

One more question, with internet lenders that have not gone to collections is it safe to find their address and send a certifed letter with the principal due?

Honestly, it is probably a big waste of your time to research their address, most of them aren't even located in the U.S. If I were you, I would send them an email and offer them the remainder of the amount you owe, tell them you will need a valid address where to send it, and make sure you tell them you will not send money to a PO Box, it must be a valid address, then end your email with, no address means no payments, this is my final offer.

Can you obtain an unlisted phone number to stop these calls?

Shazzers, We got into the pay day cycle and decided to end it by simply closing that account. It was fight of flight at that time been about two years. I recieved a threat today via phone stating they where going to garnish something.. Since I live in Texas I know its not wages however can they possibly garnish my bank account now?