ACM Group

I had a person call me at work.. He scared my co-worker who took the call by telling her they were sending an officer to serve me with papers for not appearing in court.. She came and got me and I was in the middle of something with another worker.. I was like who is sueing me for not apearing in court.. I was so confused and upset, that I wasn't really thinking coherently(I'm sure I spelled it wrong).. He was like has anybody served me papers yet? Cause if they had he couldn't talk to me and so on.. I was so very upset and wasn't thinking clearly.. He went on to say that they had tried sxeveral times to serve me at my place and couldn't reach me.. Dumb me not thinking and being really upset told him that i moved and than he went on to say that his client was willing to settle for 1710. if I could come up with it by the 25th and would take a down payment of 600.00.. I went on to say I didn't have that much.. He said I had to come up with the money and If I ever missed a payment then it would be null and void and be sent to court... I told them I didn't know if I could make any payment.. He went on to say that his client figured if I could afford a 17000.00 car than I could afford the 250.00 monthly payments.. I went on to say the car wasn't mine and that i don't make the payments.. My son does, but couldn;'t get the car in his name.. He proceeded to say than if I couldn't make the payments that they would put a hold on the car and take it after it was paid off... Is there anything I can do???
I need some sort of answer.. I can't afford the monthly payments or the amount theuy want to settle..
Confused :confused:

First off dont panic, thats what they want. From the sounds of it, its a bottom feeder thats looking for a target. No one calls you and warns you they are going to be serving you beforehand. Next, if there had been a court case against you, then you would have been served by the court-NO phone call first. If not then you can have the court motioned to vacate the judgement for improper service. If they call back ask for the address to send a DV letter, then do that first. If they will not give you an address thats your warning sign that your dealing with a bottom feeder. They also have 5 days from that first contact with you to send you a dunning letter-if you havent received that then thats another sign not to worry about anything. Get an address and send a DV letter and breathe. MOST important DO NOT give them any info on any bank accounts you may have. Only verify your name and addy and last 4 of ss # and demand your dunning letter. Thats you right by Federal Law-do NOT let them tell you otherwise.

What's a dunning letter? My co-working called the company that the ACM said they were collecting for.. This matter had been closed as of 4/15/03.. They told her for me to try for something I know most likely won't be approved and than check my credit history to see if they show up... I don't want them to harrash me at work.. Another friend told me to have them take me to court.. Do you think they will, if I don't come up with the money? What made this company decide after all these years to try to collect money from me??? Who actually gets this money??

What state are you in, when was the last time any kind of payment was made on the account? Odds are to begin with its past sol, statute to sue you on for the debt. A dunning letter is a letter THEY are to send you saying what the debt is they are collecting for and giving you 30 days to send a DV, debt validation, letter. Check this site for their address and send a debt validation letter yourself and include a notice that from here on out all correspondence is by USPS ONLY, meaning all calls to home, cell and work are to cease. Odds are once you send that you wont here from them again, if you do then we go from there with your next steps-but cross that bridge when you get to it. Do the letter first, the sooner you do-the sooner the phone calls stop.
To the question "who gets this money", to line some ex-convicts pocket.
You also may still want to go ahead and pull a copy of your credit report-your entitled to a free copy each year. It never hurts to check it-it can only help.

Also, DO NOT agree to make any payment without getting something in writing first!! If they claim they cant send anything in writing or any agreement until you make a "good faith" payment first then its another huge sign your dealing with a JDB. NO agreement in writing then NO payment. Also, if they claim they can only accept payments that come directly out of your bank account-another bad sign. For any debt collector payments should always be done by prepaid debit cards, money orders and the like-NEVER bank account info.
Also, if it helps you breathe easier you can always check your county court for any pending or any cases you may not have been served properly for. If you are ever sued it has to be in the county you live in now and you will NOT got an advance phone call for being served!
Remember these places thrive on scaring the crap out of mis or ill-informed debtors like you and I. DO NOT let them win by falling for their threats! No real business thats trying to collect monies owed would NOT treat the consumer like that, not nowadays.

I live in the California state.. Today I and another co-worker who helped me filed a complaint with the BBB.. So hopefully that will help out.. She also suggested I close my bank acount and reopen another one some where else or just pay my bills by money orders which I have been doing except for the pge, cell phone and car insurance.. We also called the number I was given and the person on the other line only answered the phone with Corparate office.. What corparate office?? Do you think it would help to call the Attorney Generals Office to make a complaint?? Just want this night mare to go away.... ; ( Thanks for all your advice so far...
confused

Yes, file a complaint with your state attorney general. Also, your friends advice is sound. Search this site for their address and send a cease letter certified return receipt, that is your only way to get them to stop calling. It sounds like its sol anyway. No matter what they cant arrest you for a debt the worse they can do is sue you and they wont do that because they cant produce any documentation to prove anything and you have that right it court to demand proof. They count on people not knowing their rights to coerce them into giving them money. Just ignore the calls and send that letter, they cant do anything. They get off threatening people

First off this sounds as if it is out of SOL anyway. The complaints are great to file, definetly file a complaint with your Attorney General also! If they have your bank account info, then YES close that account, once they get into it they will not stop. Search this site for an address for them and quickly send out a DV and Cease communication except by USPS only, send it CMRR. Once you do this odds are you will never hear from them again. But until you send a cease communication the calls will continue, so if you want the calls to stop you must send the letter and send it CMRR, that will be your only proof you requested they stop calling and communicate by mail only. Yes anyone can sue anyone, thats what makes this country so great dont it, but if they sue the balls in their court so to speak, then you have the chance to force them to produce the evidence-contracts, signature, chain of command, etc. They wont be able to do that, the majority of JDB's have no paperwork they count on debtors caving in to their threats-and alot do because they dont know their rights and get scared by threats, so they pay these people. Dont cave and send the letter, you will be able to breathe easier once you have done that. Post again if you have more questions. I have gone thru hell with debt collectors and have learned alot from the awesome people on this site and thru my own struggles to be free of debt-takes alot of reading and research but you can learn how to deal with these crooks.

Thank you so much for all the great info.. You are awsome.. I did get a response from the BBB today.. So just need to see what will happen now.. Also went to the bank and talked to them about my account.. Hopefully this nighmare is getting settled.. I hope.. If you come up with any more info for me, please let me know.. Thanks again for all your great advice...

I got another call from this Jason person at work and some how he got my cell # saying that the the money he (or they) was declined.. That the other money was cleared and that if i don't make further arrangement for payment; that the money they collected would be null and void.. I personal;ly didn't speak to him this time or call back after he left the message on my cell.. I was thinking of changing my cell number.. I haven't heard from the BBB since the 1st fax from them.. I will go ahead and file a report with the Attorney General.. I hadn't done that since I changed my debt card number and made my bank aware of this incident..