Is it a catch-22?

No! Just do not acknowledge the debt is yours. They have 5 days after first contact to send a statement in the mail. If you receive that send a debt validation letter and make them prove the debt is yours, valid and within the statute. When you call say nothing but insist on something in writing.

ok but do say who I am and will they ask to verify my ss# and address so that they can send me this statement in the mail? and will they really send it or do I have to ask them to send it... of course then they will want my address blah blah blah..

They should automatically send it. Though some will say they "don't have to"

They will say anything to intimidate! Just stand your ground and give them only your name. You do not have to tell them anything. I will see what I can find out about what to expect.

my philosophy would be well this is my name and if you think I owe you money well you should already have my other information... I just don't want to restart anything that is close or past the SOL... I have a few that I disputed since 95-97 and I reported to the credit bureaus the dispute and nothing happened so I stood my ground this long and I don't want to have to deal with this another 7-10 yrs.... I mean give me a break I had a 500 credit limit with a cc and now they report I owe triple that amount, I tried to settle for what I owed but they did not want to .. and so on .... and I have a few other outstanding issues but like I said when I tried my darnest to work out something along time ago no one wanted to budge.... so I guess I am doing the right thing now right?

thanks!

It sounds like HSBC.

the cc company? oh no it was Capital one and Ford Motor Credit. both of which I get letters every so often from different CAs... but not Jefferson... and as of this morning no calls from them..knockon wood.