Some states now have enhanced debt collection practices statutes/regs that include requirment to provide an itemization of the asserted debt.
What is your state of residence?
In determining the legitimacy of additional amounts above the principal balance of a debt, such as interest, FDCPA 808(1) makes it a violation for a debt collector to attempt to collect such amounts unless they are either explicitly authorized in the contract with the creditor or business that created the debt, or otherwise authorized by law.
Thus, a first step is to pull the agreement with the creditor and check for what is explicitly authorized regarding additional amounts on delinquent debts.
There is some case-law precedent in some jurisdictions that interpret the FDCPA as permitting, as part of a DV request, for a request for an itemization of the debt.
If a DV would still be timely, you may wish to send a DV and include a request for itemization. It may or may not be required or complied with, but does not hurt to try.
If, as stated above, your state has an enhanced debt collection statute or reg, then you would have clear authority to request itemization.
Finally, regardless of what a debt collector may be asserting as the current debt, you can always offer less as full settlement, such as by offering only the principal amount of the debt.
