DV Sent...Waiting Now

If the debt is invalid they will probably just treat it like it was a cease and desist and never contact you again. If it is valid then they just cannot continue collection activity until they validate the debt.

As I understand it the is no time limit for them to validate. Is that correct?

Correct. If the debt is valid it can sometimes take time to pull back up from their creditors archives or micro fiche.

Who is the creditor? Do you owe the debt or do you have sort of valid dispute? Gustel Chargo is licensed in MN and depending on the creditor, be prepared for a law suit to be filed pretty quickly once validation is done. (I have been in communication with someone who recently worked there.)

OK. I get how selfish this sounds. I take a mission trip every year and I am afraid I will be gone when the rubber meets the road and I won't be here to defend myself. This is the second collected on this debt. Does that mean the process will take longer?

Who is the creditor and is the debt valid?? Did you have a reason for the DV??

I am fairly certain the debt is valid. I have a lot of bad credit and unpaid credit cards but I honestly don't remember a Citibank card. I have pulled my credit report and I don't see a charge off for Citibank.
What is fairly quick? A month?

Citibank also holds home depot and sears accounts.

Could you not have called Citibank to find out what they are collecting on?? Did you talk to Gustel Chargo? Where they able to tell you anything?

Citibank as a general rule is very agressive. Hard to give a timetable.

I know for a fact that it is not Sears or Home Depot. I had those prior to the credit trouble and they were paid in full and on time. I closed the accounts myself and that is on my credit report.

Is it somehow plausible that Citibank never charged it off since I isn't on my credit report. The letter I received stated they were retained by Unifund LLC to collect on Citibank account XXXX. I didn't call because after reading I assumed that debt validation was my first step.

Unifund did pull a hard credit inquiry about 45 days ago and the letter followed shortly after. Until the day I checked my credit report I had never heard of or from Unifund.

Here is the most important question. The folks at Unifund have seen how awful my credit is...the few cards I have are at 99% utilization, my mortgage is underwater by $40K, my bank account has an average balance of $50, MN Dept of Revenue has a lien on the house and if they garnish my wages they will get about $225 per month. What can they gain by getting a judgement? Also, they have to get in line behind the IRS who I owe $7k.

Is bankruptcy my only option or will the court allow the to get blood from a turnip? I don't mean to be Debbie Downer but I am thinking the worst case scenario. I don't have any records so how can I fight them.

BK sounds like a good option at this point...

As I said at the beginning of this thread, Gurstel Chargo signed for my DV letter on Oct. 10th (I used SoapLady's letter).

This afternoon I received a message to call Jeremy at G.C. even though the DV letter states I wish to be contacted in writing.

Should I respond to the message?

Do you have a recording device?? I would definately be recording the call. You need to call them back and see what they want...if they dunn you for payments or the balance...let them do it. Let them break the law....let them go on and on....then remind them they are in violation of the FDCPA having not validated the debt. (If you cannot record, have a third party on the line to silently listen in and take notes...have them write out what was said and get it notorized asap.) If they in fact violate the FDCPA and dunn you for payments, contact Pete Barry in Minneapolis...he is a wonderful consumer attorney (I have used him with great results) and a frequently contributor on the Today Show.

I have also been reading about MN pocket docket procedure. If they choose this option will I receive some sort of letter about it? From what I understand it is usually after the fact and they will begin the process of bank levy and wage garnishment right away.

My husband is a retired police officer...I think I can get my hands on a recording device :) I will call back on Monday. Thank you!