Remit in full immediately?

Shirley

You must be having the phone number of ACB American. Call at their customer care and request them to look into your file number. Explain this situation about the delay due to holidays and that you posted the check before the due date. Know their reply and let me know.

also, I did call these people upon getting this letter. They have gone home for the day but I was able to leave a message and I told them that I had gotten the letter and was disturbed since I had already mailed in the payment, as agreed, but guessed it was date due to the holidays.
surely though, they've gotten it by now. I got their letter today and it was dated the 1st, so it took five days, I'm guessing they got my payment a few days ago, after they mailed me this letter.
seems that my phone would be ringing off the hook if they haven't got it. Being these people are the ones that gave me so much grief back in the summer, calling every day, threatening me after I sent them a cease letter. thanks, shirley

I will continue to place the call until I hear someone live. After all, it’s about the contract and we just can't afford a negative turn. We need to be more careful on this account in comparison to them.

I agree! I believe I will start putting the payment in the mail two weeks ahead of time and post date the check for the 30th. I will talk with them about this tomorrow. thanks. shirley

Since Christmas and New Year's celebration will be at the peak at the end of this month, you will have to arrange making the payment well before this holiday starts.

I just got off the phone with her. I left two messages yesterday evening but she hadn't checked her messages yet. Get this, this summer, this was the woman from h*ll. She was rude, pushy and intimidating on my answering machine, threatening to take my house and everything else. I was *AFRAID* of her, so yesterday when I received this letter, at first, I started sweating it,because I figured she wasn't going to give me an inch--not this woman. Oh God, how can this be happening? But I knew I had to be strong, face her head on to get what I was after and kiss butt if I had to. well, you could have melted butter in this womans mouth! she was so nice. She wasn't upset at all. she said the payment came in on December 2 and it was fine but not to let it happen again. She said if I wanted, I could mail her in a few months worth of checks at a time and they will hold them until the 30th of each month and that will ensure that they get the payments in there on time. She said that we still have an arrangement. She noticed that I have never been late before. I told her how concerned I was, that me and my husband took this arrangement very seriously and appreciated her working with us and wanted to do nothing to *blow* it. And then thanked her for being so understanding.

See, I know this isn't a real big deal, picking up the phone and talking to her, but its something I couldn't have done a while back---this woman scared me and I would have been too freaked out at the thought of her scrambling me up with toast. LOL

Trust me, I will be mailing this payment two weeks out (I will NOT be late again), and may even mail in several checks in at a time to make sure its not late. (opinions on this please!!!!---if theres an alert or problem with me doing this, please let me know)

SO...DCC, thanks for being there for me----yet again! hugs, shirley

Oh, and she offered me a one lump sum settlement while she had me on the phone. I thanked her but told her that I had to pass at this time--with the holidays and everything else I have going on, I just couldn't swing it.

It's hard to pass up good offers, especially during the holidays. But it's still good to pay even a little during the holidays, to show good faith.

Yeah, we still have the payment arrangement, so I'm making the payments according to that agreement. she was just making an offer on the phone to be done with it. wish I was in a position to accept it. But I do have a few bills that will be paid off over the next few months, maybe at that time I can talk to her again about a settlement offer, just to be done with it. thanks, shirley

Shirley

By chance did you get something in writing about the payment arrangements?

she said we were still good and still have the arrangement and I have the original paperwork from the arrangement. She sent me out a new statement on the 3rd, showing that she got this payment and it was applied with a new balance. And her statement always read 'per our agreement'. When I first started negotiating with her, I sent a letter and good will payment of $50 (and stated upon cashing it, that constituted an agreement). shes the only one that replied and sent the payment back. We went back and forth until she was happy. Shes a tough cookie, thats why I don't want to cross her. anyways, once we reached a point that she was happy with, she mailed me the paperwork and I have it all in writing.

Also wanted to get an opinion about her suggestion of mailing in several checks at once and post dating them for the 30th of each month, her keeping them on file and cashing them at that time?? does anyone see a problem with this? In the past I have mailed her a payment to where she would get it a week early and post dated it and they honored it. When I post date a check, over where you fill in the date I write 'do not cash or deposit until' then it shows the date. At the bottom where you write what the check is for, I put the account number and again, write 'do not cash or deposit until 12/30/05'. I highlight this with yellow highlighter so it doesn't get past anyone. Then on the statement that I mail with the check, I do the same thing. She says alot of clients send in 6 months at a time. any horror stories or down falls to this, something I should be aware of before doing it? thanks, shirley

Shirley

With collection agencies, I would be careful about writing post dated checks. As most people will tell you, writing a post dated check is "illegal" because you are paying for something you don't have. Your check can be cashed, even 2 months early.

This happened to my mom who was paying for a vet bill, short on funds, and her dog with a cancer bill. The check was only post dated 4 days early, but it set her back when he cashed it. The dog is fine now, but it still upset her that even though the vet said a post-dated check was fine, it was cashed a few days later.

You can write each check out, and have it waiting in the envelope; or you can go by your gut and send in the post dated checks. Just remember, that all those checks can be deposited into the collection agencies account and cashed.

If you do decide to write post dated checks, ask if she can knock off a few extra dollars. Each time they make a suggestion/comment, counter with an offer to their offer.

Regards-
Mike

Shirley,

There is no harm in writing a post dated check, but you need to be sure of reviewing it regularly with your bank statement. Any wrong activity will immediately come under attention.

In any case, legal counsel is to be taken when your payments are not sent properly towards your accounts. I presume this company will not put you in troubles in the future since you are conscious about making the payments. And yes, look for some reductions as Mike pointed. You should get some %age of discount when you send your payments at bulk.

Regards
Roxette

Quote:

ah ha. and now people know why collection agencies request to set up payments with a checking account or credit card. it's to avoid situations just like this!!