collection agencies are starting to call

Receive the calls and talk to them mate. Ask for their address and send a debt validation letter to them.

Yes, you should definitely send them debt validation letters and ask them to validate the debt. Unless they validate the debt, you won't be liable for paying them anything. Validation of debt will prove that they actually own your debt account.

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Yep???Soaplady is right. To write a proper debt validation letter, check out the given page:
http://www.debtconsolidationcare.com/letters/sample6.html

Well, as per the FDCPA, the consumer/borrower has the right to ask the collection agency to validate the debt that the collection agency says that he/she owes to them. Debt validation is where you try to find out whether the collection agency (CA) has the legal right to collect on the debt by asking them to provide you with proof. Unless they proof that they own the debt account how will they offer the consumer with a proof? For debt validation please check out the given pages:
"http://www.creditinfocenter.com/rebuild/debt_validation.shtml" - ???Proof that the collection company owns the debt/or has been assigned the debt.???
"http://credit.about.com/od/debtcollection/qt/debtvalidation.htm" - ???After receiving your dispute, the collection agency must send you proof that it owns or has been assigned the debt by the original creditor.???

So, I did not understand what was wrong in the statement that you???ve quoted here. Also, please note that it???s not that the debt is always assigned to the CA. There are times when debt account is sold off by the original creditor to the CA.

Thanks for the advice everyone - One of the collection agencies left 2 messages yesterday evening and I've already missed another call from them. I plan to talk to them today and ask them to send me written validation of the debt(s). Here is my question: These are from illegal payday loans that I have more than paid the principal on- so once the CA validates that the PD lenders are their clients I am not responsible to the collection agency, correct? I send C&D letters to the collection agency, then what?
Also - I would really like to hear some other stories from someone who has been successful in receiving paid in full letters (or even refunds!) from illegal PDL's after going through dealing w/collection agencies, etc.
thanks again everyone- this forum is unbelievably helpful!

a couple of things here.

1)not all illegal pdl's sell the debt right away,but NCA and ERC are bottomfeeders that buy pdl,and other junk debt.
2)a DV should act the same way as a C&D as the CA can't contact further until they can validate.if they can't then they can't continue to contact/collect.

now for anna.nobody per the FDCPA is required to show ownership because of a DV letter.SOAPLADY is right here.showing their legal right to collect,and that the debt is owed to them is not the same thing.

will all of this being said get DV letters to both places as i'm guaranteeing they can't/won't validate.

There are thousands of poorly written DV letters all over the internet....even the one posted here is wrong and I have told you that before Anna. Nowhere in the FDCPA does it require that proof of owner ship/assignment be shown. Ownership/assignment is a contractual agreement that is between the original creditor and assignee....you are not privy to that contract and have no right to receive a copy of it.

Hi Soaplady
Please clarify- the sample DV letter on the forum sticky is poorly written? Can you please link to what is a correct DV letter??

Send it in simple clear english...no reason to quote laws.

Dear Scumbags...

I dispute the validity of this debt. Under the FDCPA, I have the right to request a validation of this debt. I request that you prove that I am indeed the party who is contractually obligated to pay off this debt.

Unless you can prove I owe this debt, I will consider this matter closed.

For illegal lenders, cut and paste your state laws.