mad

I just read thru his site. Why are people paying ridiculous fees to outside parties to save 20-40? Most CA's will settle for that and more just by asking!!! 50% settlements were standard at the agency I worked at in the credit card division...with client permission they could do 75%.

I know for me I really didn't know anything about settling debt, thus the reason I went with someone. Unfortunately, that person wasn't to be trusted. So, now I have a bunch of charged off accounts and need to deal with the CA's directly.

Treat your accounts as a business decision and learn the power of aggressive negotiations. The person who left you holding the bag needs to have complaints filed with his attorney general & file civil suit to recover damages for breech of contract.

Can the OC take an account back that was charged off to a CA?

Charged off only means that they stopped carrying the balance on their books. It doesn't have anything to do with who owns the account. Whether the OC can take an account back or not depends on whether they are merely using a CA to collect a debt that is still owned by them (the OC) or whether they actually sold the account to the CA (and the account is now owned by the CA).

So, I should be asking if my account was sold or the OC still owns when I call then?

I would definitely ask who owns the account. Our Washington Mutual accounts were sent to a collection agency, and when the CA called me, I asked them who owned the account. They told me that WM still owned the account and had assigned it to them for collection. I had an account with Amex that was sent to a CA and once I sent a CD to the CA, Amex pulled the account back from them.

just to clear my perspective on things, I met with James today at my rental. I don't want my comments previously to be construed as defamation, but he has suggested that there is some smear-campaign to negatively impact him in this business. He is good standing with me for now and he seems intent to clear his name. I perhaps overreacted to what I read on these boards, but admittedly it is troubling trying to contact him at times. I hope he clears matters with those concerned.

Thanks,
John
(phone number removed)

oops

I don't think it would be considered defamation if you shared the reason he gave as to why he was 2 months behind in paying rent to you? Can you do that?

Well, his rent was due 9/1 and he went on radio silence again and didn't fulfill his obligation to me after trusting he would follow through as promised. I am not sure of his personal reasons, but I am not comfortable seeing my address all over these boards due to his lack of responsibility/accountability to me and apparently to you as well. This is all very frustrating and stressful.

Why would anyone want to believe Barrow (John)? James was fired from another debt settlement company because he stole fromt he clients and would disappear for a month at a time. He came to your rental? Does he rent from you? He has lied about so many things to us what makes you think that he is not lying now? He is a professional liar, how do you think he gets such low settlement rates? If he can not make his rent, then that is his problem! It is certainly not ours! Heck I can't make my rent, I do not steal it from my clients. Grab your ears and pull your head out of your @$$!

How can you still be sucked in. Look I understand you may like him but don't try to tell us he is a good man. I have done my checking. I have made the phone calls. I am keeping most of what he has done to myself for now. All I will say is that he has more problems then just what you know about.