Collections calling! Help!

[Anonymous]

So, I get two lovely messages after I go back from lunch today--one on my cell phone and the other on a sticky note---the people some how called our Controller and he took a message for me!  Anyway-- it was from:

MJ & Associates in Denver, CO--I looked them up and they are collections law firm.  I called them back and told them:

1.  I was not validating anything with them--I did not know who they were or what it was regarding

2.  Never to contact me via the phone again and if they did I would file a complaint with the FTC & Attorney general

3.  They cannot force me to do business with them and that if they tried to it was called extortion;

My question is, what next?  What if they try and take me to court?  What if they call me again?  What are my options!!???

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

send immediately a DV letter (find one on this site) and make sure it contains a statement to communicate with you only in writing.

If within 5 days from the calls you do not receive a dunning letter from this CA (a mini-miranda stating your rights), you can complain to the BBB, AGs in both states, and the FTC for violation of FDCPA 809. Then you can also sue them for $1,000.

[Anonymous]

If you want them to stop calling, you will need to send in a cease and desist letter via certified mail to their company. A verbal complaint will not suffice, so please do it in writing. Once you do, you will have proof that an employee of the federal government delivered the message and will have written record. Once they have received and if they continue to call you, then you may go ahead and file the necessary complaint.

[Anonymous]

DV letters found on this site already contain notices to contact only in writing - no need for separate C&D letter.

[fused]

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kt_scarlett007 wrote:

So, I get two lovely messages after I go back from lunch today--one on my cell phone and the other on a sticky note---the people some how called our Controller and he took a message for me!  Anyway-- it was from:

MJ & Associates in Denver, CO--I looked them up and they are collections law firm.  I called them back and told them:

1.  I was not validating anything with them--I did not know who they were or what it was regarding

2.  Never to contact me via the phone again and if they did I would file a complaint with the FTC & Attorney general

3.  They cannot force me to do business with them and that if they tried to it was called extortion;

My question is, what next?  What if they try and take me to court?  What if they call me again?  What are my options!!???

Thanks!

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Don't do anything yet! Do you know what this debt is? How old is it ( when did the account turn 30 days Lates)? For SOL (statute of limitation) purposes, what state are you in? Might the debt have occured in another state? Writing a cease & desist letter or filing complaints could get you served...bad, bad, bad. Always know these things before launching an attack:

- is the debt valid

- if the debt is valid, can I pay it

- DOFD and DOLA

- my state's SOL or the SOL for the state that original debt occured in

You might want to read Sidewinder's (one of myFICO's moderators) thread on this very subject. His thread is in my siggy.

[Anonymous]

Okay, I saw your MAJOR score jump listed and have to find out....how did you do it so fast?

I have been doing everything I can think of and have even had items deleted off my credit report that were negative and paid off a major oustanding collection and my credit score has gone down 30 points...I'm not sure what else to do!

Any advice?

Thanks!

N

[llecs]

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kt_scarlett007 wrote:

.....paid off a major oustanding collection and my credit score has gone down 30 points...I'm not sure what else to do!

Any advice?

Thanks!

N

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It doesn't matter if you owe $0 or $10,000, the damage to your FICO score is the same. As you experienced, paying a collection without a PFD can and will damage your score. The CA updated the reporting date and FICO reads it as a recent collection.

All you can do is to send them a GW to ask for a deletion.