Okay I need advice on what I should do.
Years ago I ran up too much debt. When I was trying to take care of all of the collections, it was 2003. I couldn't locate the information for one credit card company at that time because the debt was getting bounced pretty quickly. I did send one payment. The check was cashed, but the debt was sold the next month. (The old company cashed the check but didn't credit it.)
So...now here were are in 2010. My SIL (who I've *never* used as a reference for anything financial, nor would I) just emailed me that she got a call from a collection agency. I called them.
The guy did the whole "next step is a lawsuit" thing. He said they sent a letter (to my ILs, who haven't mentioned it to me) and that they refuse to send a letter to my correct address (which he didn't even get, so there's no way they can send me anything) or to verify the debt.
He will not give me an address for the company and insisted that I give him the amount I will pay. I told him I'm not sure - that it's not something I can just tell him on the phone. He said that "we're past that point."
Anyway, I'm not giving them any info over the phone. I'll only do this in writing. I actually don't need the debt verified, but I'll ask for it anyway - just because I can. Still I'm only going to send cashier's checks and send what I can, but without the company address, that's clearly impossible. What do I do?
I do owe the debt, and I know that. I don't have a problem paying it, but I will not give anyone my bank account information over the phone. I learned during the time that we were making good on all of the other debts that even writing a check can bite you with the scavenger collectors. They can pull the money electronically, and there is nothing (except closing your checking account) that you can do.
My credit is still pretty much shot from everything that's happened. Though we've been much, much better the last 2 years, we've only seen a trickle of difference in our credit scores. So what happens if they sue me? I work freelance, so they cannot garnish my wages. (I'm an independent contractor.) Both of our cars are in both names. I have virtually no savings. My name is on the deed, but not mortgage, to our house. Even then, I don't know that a lien on the property does anything unless we sell the house.
I don't want to go the lawsuit route, but I'm not sure what to do at this point. I'm not sure that I could borrow the money to pay off the debt, even if I wanted to do that - which I don't.
Years ago I ran up too much debt. When I was trying to take care of all of the collections, it was 2003. I couldn't locate the information for one credit card company at that time because the debt was getting bounced pretty quickly. I did send one payment. The check was cashed, but the debt was sold the next month. (The old company cashed the check but didn't credit it.)
So...now here were are in 2010. My SIL (who I've *never* used as a reference for anything financial, nor would I) just emailed me that she got a call from a collection agency. I called them.
The guy did the whole "next step is a lawsuit" thing. He said they sent a letter (to my ILs, who haven't mentioned it to me) and that they refuse to send a letter to my correct address (which he didn't even get, so there's no way they can send me anything) or to verify the debt.
He will not give me an address for the company and insisted that I give him the amount I will pay. I told him I'm not sure - that it's not something I can just tell him on the phone. He said that "we're past that point."
Anyway, I'm not giving them any info over the phone. I'll only do this in writing. I actually don't need the debt verified, but I'll ask for it anyway - just because I can. Still I'm only going to send cashier's checks and send what I can, but without the company address, that's clearly impossible. What do I do?
I do owe the debt, and I know that. I don't have a problem paying it, but I will not give anyone my bank account information over the phone. I learned during the time that we were making good on all of the other debts that even writing a check can bite you with the scavenger collectors. They can pull the money electronically, and there is nothing (except closing your checking account) that you can do.
My credit is still pretty much shot from everything that's happened. Though we've been much, much better the last 2 years, we've only seen a trickle of difference in our credit scores. So what happens if they sue me? I work freelance, so they cannot garnish my wages. (I'm an independent contractor.) Both of our cars are in both names. I have virtually no savings. My name is on the deed, but not mortgage, to our house. Even then, I don't know that a lien on the property does anything unless we sell the house.
I don't want to go the lawsuit route, but I'm not sure what to do at this point. I'm not sure that I could borrow the money to pay off the debt, even if I wanted to do that - which I don't.
