Dispute with the collection agency

Unfortunately, that's true under the federal laws. You have 30 days to dispute an incorrect debt. There are no specific laws that bound the repayment timeframe. I believe the company is forcing you to make the payment at the earliest.

I will like to send a partial payment through money gram or western union so that there is a proof of the payment effort. The company will not intend to take actions against you. If they cash the payment, the deal is struck. The receipt will prove that you were willing to take care of the matter, in case they don't accept your proposal.

Thank You Gretchin for responding so quickly. Also I'm glad I found this site, It's good to know that I'm not alone.

Thank You
Dee

I agree with Gretchin. If you send a partial payment you can afford, it shows you are in good faith and intends to take care of the debt. Make sure you keep records/copies of all payments you sent in case you get a summons to the court. Usually, if you show the court you attempted to make good on the debts by sending payments when you could, the judge will rule in your favor. So keep good records! :)

So what if the scam agency doesnt bother to notify you that they want money from you?

Then there's no way other than your credit report for you to know of the debt and then pay it or dispute it. But they can't go far until the debt has been validted and you've recived written notification.

Edit: I recently read something that contradicts what I just said.

All they have to do is convince a judge that they 'attempted' to contact you.

Yeah, from my experience with COLLECTCORP, they dont have to validate a debt, or notify the person that they owe them money or even have an accual account. All they have to do is find a SSN and start destroying credit files untill the person catches on that COLLECTCORP is trying to screw them out of money they never owed from a company that they have never heard of! I wonder how much money they make per year making up fake accounts and screwing people till they pay so they can have their credit back. I was almost tempted to pay the pigs their fraud bill because I needed my credit back to get my school loans that were being denied because they lied to the credit bureau.

Once you find out however, you can request validation of each debt, and also dispute it with each credit agency who will do their own investigation. If the company can't provide satisfactory information on the debt to the credit agencies, then the CRA's will all remove it from their report. It takes a while, but it costs less than paying them something you never owed.

I just noticed an inquiry from collectcorp on my transunion credit report. i have never been contacted by these people and the number on the report is area code 905 (somewhere in Ontario). Is there anything I can do to have it removed?

Read this thread about Collectcorp putting inquiry in another person's credit and trying to hurt it. Dispute the item with the company as well as the bureau reporting it. Remember, incorrect collection inquiries must not stay in your file as they are hurting your credit scores severely.

http://forums.debtcc.com/settlement/unauthorized-inquiry.html

also the inquiry was made 4/18/06. it seems strange that i have never heard from these people either before or after this. are they even allowed to request someone's credit report with no authorization?

No, the collection agencies cannot hit unauthorized inquiries in anyone's credit. I am quite sure that the inquiry done in your file is disputed and violation of the fdcpa. You need to take advice of an attorney dealing in the lawsuits of FDCPA and FCRA violations and file a legal case against Collectcorp.