I'm dealing with an old tradeline that I'd really like to pay off, but I don't want to pay more than I really owe. I called the OC and they told me they had sent it to collections and I should pay the collection agency. When I got the collection notice it wasn't for the amount that I think I owe, so I DV'd the collection agency. I never heard from them again... the apparently sent the account back to the OC, who then sent it to another agency. Got a notice from Agency #2: "Your account Number 12345 with Original Creditor has been placed with us for collection." This one had an even larger wrong balance, so I DV'd agency #2. Guess what? They sent it back to the OC, who placed it with another agency. It's been three weeks since I DV'd agency #3, and haven't heard back from them. I expect in a couple more weeks I'll hear from agency #4. I've written to the OC and told them I'd really like to pay off what I owe them, but the CA's can't seem to figure out how much that balance really is, and asked them to please take the account and let me pay them directly. My point is that this "lawyer" may not have been hired by the CA to sue; he may just be yet another collector. DV him. And dispute and CAs that are showing on your report.