Trying to Clean Up

Like most people I know, over the course of my early adult years I've acquired enough debt to make it confusing when i look at my credit report. I'm not entirely sure which debts are mine and which are not, and while looking up the various companies listed as creditors on my credit report, I'm beginning to feel some pretty major concerns. There's been a class-action law suit filed against one creditor, and three others have been accused of very dubious practices.

I frankly refuse to pay fees to a credit collection agency when the majority of them make money from the creditors for collecting th emoney. So i decided my best course of action would be to contact the original debtors to work out payment arrangements. However, on the credit report, the account numbers aren't listed, just my name. I have no idea who these collections people are, and I am frankly a bit afraid to contact a single one of them before I verify these debts. I'm fairly hesitant (and I believe with good reason) to send my money to someone whose name I do not even recognize.

At least a few of these companies appear to be legitimate collection agencies, as they've been kind enough to send the information they have on me, including the name of the company they bought my account from. But some of the debts are very old and have been sold a few different times.

I think this is the most sarcastic fun I've ever had.