Debt Validation- Yes or No

[Anonymous]

OK - here is my issue: I was "awarded" (yeah me) 32k in credit card debt in my divorce two years ago. Long story short - I mishandled many of the financial elements of my divorce and by the time I was dealing with it - it had been sent to the credit card companies collection agency. They wrote me a letter stating give us the money and I asked for debt validation. They sent me a couple of front pages of statements and I just never really responded (long story). So here I am now - and the debt has been sold to a JDB. The debt shows NOWHERE on my credit report. No mention of the card ever existing, no charge-off - NOTHING. I know my wife and I had a card - the account is in my name - but why is it not showing anywhere? My main question is this - do i ask for debt validation? I have heard that I should.......but I have heard that will put a target on my back as someone who is responding. Thoughts. My 30 days ends on Thursday.......

[RobertEG]

If the debt is yours, you can usually expect they can validate.  Not always, but usually.

What you gain in sending a DV is that they must cease collection activity, including reporting to a CRA, until they provide the requested validation.

It might gain you a temporary respit from their reporting, but they need only validate, and can then immediately report.

They dont have to prove the validity of the debt, they are only required to investigate and make a determination that they have obtained adequate information to verify.

Untilt they choose to provide the requested debt validation, if your DV is timely, you cannot negotiate any terms of payment with them untilt they have first provided validation.

You will get differing advice, as there is no yes of no answer.