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 Would a credit collections agency really sue me for $1000?
recently my dad called me from texas (i live in washington) and told me that a collection agency wanted to sue me for an old debt (originally a $300 credit card....with interest $1000 now). i don'...


 Bankruptcy question/may be a dumb one?
I just got a notice telling me I have a New Acct added~~ What the h*** I don't recall getting anything for 1375.00 today!! Where did this come from?
Additional Details
I am sorry~~I ...


 Can a debt collections company freeze your bank accounts to pay a past due debt?
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 What is the best credit card company?
I am 18 years old, and I need my first credit card to make an expensive purchase. What card company would be the best for me to use?...


 How can u clean up your credit score?
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 Which is more important to pay when u r in depth, credit card, mortgage, student loan?
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 Where can I get a quick $500 loan with a 515 credit score?
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 I was turned down for a credit card because the company said I have no credit history. How do I fix this?
This stupid catch-22 sitaution for credit cards. I need a credit card to build my credit history, but companies won't offer me a credit card because I don't have credit history. Will having ...


 Does any one now of an online dating website where u dont need a credit card.?
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 Can a credit card company charge you more in interest then you charged on the credit card?
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 Where can i buy a prepaid credit card?
not online i want to buy one today not wait for it to be sent, ive tried post office they say they dont do them, and an internet cafe, um where else can i get one??
Additional Details
in ...


 When some pulls your credit report, can they see the names of other companies that have viewed your credit?
Or can they only view number of inquires?
Additional Details
Is there anyone that knows for sure? Some of you are saying yes, and others no....


 Do empolyers have a right to check your credit history?
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 Do I have to pay credit card that was once on my credit report but 7 yrs past and it's no longer on there?
I was contacted today about a credit card that I had in college. I did not pay the credit card off and allowed it to go on my credit report. It stayed uppaid on my credit report for 7 years, and now ...


 When you pay off collection accounts, can they be taken off your credit report completely?
I have accounts that I have made payment arrangements on and now they are completely paid off but they are still listed on my credit report but the status says "paid in full". I heard that ...


 What happens if u do not pay an amscot cash advance back??

Additional Details
im in the state of ...


 How is my credit?
I am 21 years old. I work full time. Not a home owner. I have carried at least 5 major credit cards and 5 store cards but only have 1 store card and 1 major card now with a balance of 2500. I pay ...


 How can collections agencies collect on credit cards if the statue of limitations is 3 years?
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 Where can I get approved for a car loan?
I DO NOT have really bad credit. My credit score is 680. I have a monthly income of $2700. I applied for a car loan today and got denied because of something that is on there from five years ago. ...


 Is this a scam or real would like to know?
SWIFT PAYMENT CENTRE
IKEJA LAGOS-NIGERIADATE: 13TH /04/ 2007.

ATTENTION OF MR. JOHN JONES

I WISH TO REMIND AND ALSO TO INFORM YOU THAT THE REQUESTED FEES FOR (COT) WILL BE...



Searcher
Can they do this: Old 'charged off' debt was 'bought' by a collection agency and REPOSTED on my credit report.
I was checking my Equifax Credit Burea credit file today online. And noticed that a very old forgotten credit card debt (providian, I think), was 'bought' by an agency and they reposted in in the current month's date on my credit report online. Is this legimate? It was charged off long ago, and I forgot about it. Can they 'make it more current' like that?
                     
 




Studly
Rating
Echo is right...but I need to clarify something in her reply.

You need to be aware of two dates. One is the credit reporting limit, and the other is the Statute of Limitation.

Credit reporting time is how long a credit reporting agency is allowed to report your debt. By law, this time is 7 years, beginning on the date of the delinquency.

Many collection agencies will change this date in order to keep the report on your record. This is called "re-aging" and it's illegal. You can file a very simple small claims court suit against them and easily win $1000 plus costs and damages.

Statute of Limitations is the time that a debt becomes "legally collectable". After this date, the creditor can not sue you or take any legal action to collect. They can continue to try and collect the debt, but they are generally limited to just harrassing you. That can be quickly stopped with a "cease and desist" letter. After they receive this letter, they can't contact you again, or they risk a small claims suit for (you guess it!) $1000.

The date of the SOL begins on the last transaction. This is a very grey area, I'm finding. Sending them a payment will restart the clock. Offering to pay it can sometimes do it. I've read a number of court cases on this, and the judges can't seem to get together on just what constitutes a "volation" of a contract. So it's best not to even talk to the collection agent, or make it clear from the beggining you are NOT offering to pay them anything.

Read the link below. It goes into all of this, plus has a list of each state's Statute of Limitation.

The next link goes into the procedure of how to force the creditor to validate the debt, and dispute it with the credit reporting agencies so it can be removed from your record.

Still need help? Just ask. The reason these collection agents get away with it is because you don't know the law, and don't know what to do to defend yourself.

Now you do.


id_dreams
Rating
Yes. Charged off does not mean that it is free from obligation, only that they cc company wrote it off as bad debt. They do have the right to sell it to someone willing to collect on it, and it then becomes new debt. I would suggest calling them to work out a settlement.


Queen Nefertiti
Rating
ILLEGAL - it's called a "scavenger debt collector" They cannot post it UNLESS you promised someone to make a payment or have made a payment to the collector. If not - simply call them or write them and tell them it is PAST THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS AND YOU DO NOT OWE THE DEBT. THEY MUST REMOVE IT FROM YOUR CREDIT REPORT.

This is only true if it is past the 7 year mark.

I hope it helps! Go get 'em tiger!


echo
Wow anginfla, have you ever read the FDCPA, FTC or FCRA????????

Oh, wait, I see that you worked for Equifax and collectors sooooo I guess not.

By the way, I don't think Alan will like seeing you use his name to advertise your business, which you seem to like to do.

The date of last activity (DOLA) "is not" the last time just anyone has done anything regarding the account.

That date comes from the first time the debtor became 30 days late and never brought the account current preceding the charge off. The only time a debt can legally be re-aged is if the "debtor" had brought the account current, or, if allowable in their state, made a new contract to pay.

They can continue to try to collect the debt long after the statute of limitations for reporting or collecting has run. They cannot add it to a credit report if it is past the original legal reporting period. They cannot legally sue if it is past the statute of limitations to collect.

As far as a collection agency purchasing an old debt, that's exactly what junk debt buyers do. They do not care how old the account is or if it is past the statute of limitations to collect on.
They purchase the debts for pennies. If only one out of a hundred debtors pay up, they are still making money.

Anyway, to the original poster - what is your definition of "Old"? 3 years, 5 years, 10 years?

You need to learn the statute of limitations in your state. If you find that you are out of the statute of limitations in your state, send the collection agency a debt validation letter and dispute the account with the credit bureau.

After you receive a response from the collection agency and you are positive that you are out of the statute of limitations, send them a SOL letter.


Brooklyn
Rating
Yes... and they do.. the old collection should note that it has been sold or transferred though. Check it out. I know it looks bad. Have you tried settling with the collectors for less than the amount due? Try it. Get the collection showing paid that way you don't have to chase around your collections. Good Luck!


Michael Myklin
This is not legal but very common. You must contact the company that is attempting to repost your expired debt and deny the claim completely if your community's statute of limitation has expired. Your local legal clinic can provide you with your appropriate laws.

Unless you want to pay the original indebtedness in it's entirety (plus late fees and penalties), do not make any offers to pay even a single penny on this claim. If you accept responsibility in word or action they can renew the debt and it becomes "current" again (and actionable).


jannie
do you think it will magically disappear
no matter who says they can help you I'd be kind of suspicious of that


~Trey
Rating
Hi Searcher,

Regardless of when a collection agency receives or purchases a debt for collection, it cannot legally report the debt longer than seven years from the date that the account first became delinquent and stayed delinquent. If the seven years are almost up. These items should drop off your credit report as required by the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Information about a lawsuit or an unpaid judgment against you, however, can be reported for seven years or until the statute of limitations runs out, whichever is longer. So, if the collection agency sues and wins a judgment against you, that information can be placed on your credit report.

The Fair Debt Collections Practices Act spells out what steps a creditor or collection agency can take in pursuing repayment, steps you can take to stop a collector from contacting you, and how you can file a complaint against a collector for noncompliance with this act.

Echo is right, however I would like to point out what can re-date DOLA.

Calling and making any kind of payment arraignment can freshen the date.

If I see that some one is 6y6m on a applicable derog., I tell them to absolutely leave it alone.

Good luck,
~Trey


reallyconfuzzled1
No this is not legal. They can buy the debt and report the debt and even try to collect the debt but they can NOT list it as a new debt with a more recent date. The charge off date must remain the same. Debts are to be removed from credit reports 7 years from the original charge off date.

Contact the credit bureau to dispute it and if that does not help contact your states attorney general.

http://credit.about.com/od/fastfactsfaqs/f/reportperiod.htm

This page has some links to other resources that might help you.


anginfla
Rating
The date of last activity is the last time anyone has done anything regarding the account. That would be either you making a payment or using the card/ or the creditor selling the account, charging it off as bad debt or moving it into a recovery status. Most people think that date of last activity means the last time you used the card but it doesnt. If the charged off date is more than 7 years ago then they cannot report to the credit bureau but they can continue collection efforts. No collection agency is going to purchase or even obtain contract paper that has been charged off for 7 years. It would be a waste of their time. I have been in credit/collections for over 17 years and used to work for Equifax itself as well as banks like Chase. I now work for a collections law firm and have my own business as well. I can assist you in credit repair as well as disputes that would hinder your credit rating. I have settled accounts for many people including Alan Alda in 2001. Let me know if I can assist you in any way. I would be happy to do it free of charge. I would only ask for referral by word of mouth. Below is my website and the web address to the Federal Trade Commission in the section of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and an email to contact me if needed.


LindaLou
Rating
Yep, it happens all the time. The buying and selling of charged off debt is BIG business these days.


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