Smith Reid & Associates

[Anonymous]

I wasn contacted by Smith Reid and Associates about an onld CC debt. They say I owe around $850, I checked my credit report because I wasn't aware of the account and apprenently it was a Charge Off on an old Capital One for $75! 

They have not listed address on their website. Hasn anyone heard of them? Any advice on negociating with them? $850 is insance foe a $75 charge off.

[gdale6]

Whats the DoFD of the account, is the CA reporting or just Cap-1?? are the TLs updating monthly?

[RobertEG]

Was their initial communication with you via phone or letter?

Have they advised of your dunning rights?  If so, when?

[Anonymous]

This is the first I'm hearing from them today and by phone. They called both me and my wife. 

[RobertEG]

Then a DV would be timely.

Yuo can request debt validation, and as a part therof, include a request for itemization of the alleged debt.

[Shogun]

I agree with RobertEG that a DV would be timely, however I also read in another thread of yours concerning this debt that they said they were from the county and we're going to serve you papers.  Usually CAs that behave in this matter do not go by the letter of the law.  I would send a DV but wouldn't hold my breath that they would properly respond to it.

[Anonymous]

Don't pay them! They are a scam collections agency. They will create a false validation letter. It's a bottom feeder collections agency. They tried to collect on a closed Bank of America account which had a zero balance on it stating that I owed 1200 dollars when I did not. They spoofed my called ID to indicate the local courthouse when calling my house and claimed to be a sheriff and asked if I would be home to serve me with a judgement. It was all a scam. They claimed no knowledge of this by saying it was a 3rd party that contacted me however other customers (google this collections agency) reported the same illegal tactic. I reported them to the FTC, The Bernardino county district attorney's office and the IC3 internet crime bureau. I would advise you do the same to help document this and to put a stop to these con artists. Remember, it is up to THEM to validate and prove the debt according to the fair collections act, which by the way, they don't know it.

[Anonymous]

Smith Reid and Asssociates is a scam collections agency. I have reported them to law enforcement for trying to extort money from me.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Smith Reid and Asssociates is a scam collections agency. I have reported them to law enforcement for trying to extort money from me.

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a firm called Smith & Associates just contacted a relative of mines' business (her and I worked together for a while) stating they were trying to serve me papers.  They left a 855 number and a file number.  When i spoke with them, they stated they're attempting to collect a debt from 2005-2006 on an old Citi Mastercard.  I've never had one of those.  They claimed they were after 6k if it went to court as judgement or $2900 if we settle now.  They said they've mailed papers to me and notices many of times. I said I've never received.  I asked for Debt validation, dates of delinquency and date of last activity and contracts..etc.  They got tired of me and hung up on me twice.  I'm guessing they're a scam, but even if they were legit...am I not good in this case with Florida SOL?  And it's never appeared on my credit reports.

[RobertEG]

The original post did state that it appears to be a valid debt based on a Cap1 charge-off that remains unpaid.

Perhaps this debt collector has a bad rep, but in this case, it might be a bit exteme to advise ignoring them as a scammer.

I would at leat place them under a cease collection bar by sending a timely DV, in which I would also request the name of the OC and an itemization of the asserted debt.