Just in case

This is United Recovery Systems. According to many, they are a rip-off company. Get your credit report STAT. If there is nothing on there, then just ignore it. If so, DV right away.

I already got a credit report for free last June, so I cannot get another free report yet.
Is DV "Debt Validation" and how does that work, by phone? Tell them to send it to me in the mail?

Thanks!!!!

Send it via Certified Mail, return Receipt Requested, and save the signed green card when you get it back.

Here is the DebtCC Debt Validation page with complete explanations, and sample letters. Tailor accordingly.

There are quite a few bad reports on this agency, that is why I hesitate to suggest you write to them directly, but through the CRA, because there is more oversight over the process. (The FTC randomly audits the CRA's Dispute files because of so many complaints of CRAs ignoring disputes or just passing it on to the alleged creditor who says "it's valid" and they say "Ok".)

But, you should be getting a dunning letter (describing the amount of the debt and it's source, and settlement offers). At any rate, the Certified letter may come in handy if they decide to get nasty about it.

What if they never actually speak to you, do they still have to send the dunning letter within 5 days?

They have to send that letter to the debtor within 5 days of receiving the debt from the original creditor.

We have been receiving calls from Tate & Kirlin and also Portfolio Recovery but haven't received any letters from either of them unless they are affiliated with Arrow Financial. They don't leave any messages and I am not about to call them back for everything that I have read about them.

Well, and I speak very personally here, if you didn't leave a message, you didn't call. Not everyone cares about caller ID, and I personally challenge them to prove otherwise. "What? You called?"

"nless they are affiliated with Arrow Financial" needs to be clarified, please.