wahmom wrote:
I live in Louisiana too. I recently sent a DV to LVNV and disputed with CRA because they were reporting a MCI collection for $182 on my DH report from several years ago. They had re-aged it also. They did not respond to my DV but the collection has since been removed from EX & TU but still showing on EQ.
I searched the Louisiana Secretary of State website to see if they were licensed and they are licensed as a LLC but not a Collection Agency. I think they have to be licensed as a CA. The LLC has an effective date of 3/17/07. They were reporting on my CRA well before that so that was a violation.
You may want to do some research or call around to see what to do if they are not licensed in the state.
You can look up others as well on this website.
http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov/app1/paygate/crpinq.jsp
Found some info.
Per licensing, I read LA's statute as this: a CA is one who collects on behalf of LA's clients (OCs) and a CA is one who works out of LA. So, if you live in Kansas and you owe $$$ to LSU for a parking ticket, and the CA is in NY, the NY CA must register in LA to collect in KS. Weird, huh. This is the only state that I know of that does this.
Sect. 3534.1A:
For purposes of this Section, "collection agency" and "debt collector" are synonymous and interchangeable terms and mean any person, other than a licensed Louisiana attorney, who uses any instrumentality of intrastate or interstate commerce or the mails in any business the principal purpose of which is the collection of any debts, or who regularly collects or attempts to collect, directly or indirectly, debts owed or due or asserted to be owed or due another, and relative to Louisiana clients, notwithstanding the fact that such person has no employees, offices, equipment, or other physical facilities in this state, or any person who regularly attempts to collect, directly or indirectly, debts owed or due, or asserted to be owed or due another, and who is located in the state regardless of whether the person has Louisiana clients.
Also, you must DV before defending a potential judgment in court (3534.1E)