My dad stuck me with an account that went to collections. What now?

[Tazer911]

Thank you everyone, for the replies. It's much-appreciated.

At this point I'm considering the following:

- Write the collection agency a letter explaining how this is the first I've seen of this debt, and that I have evidence it was a result of a family member using my personal information. (I could even provide evidence showing I wasn't living at the adddress in question during the time the debt accumulated).

- Explain that my primary goal is to have the item removed from my CR, and offer a full payment in exchange for a pay-for-delete arrangement.

- I'll further state that if I can't secure this arrangement, I plan on taking legal action to have the debt erased (thus depriving the collection agency of the $400 I'm offering them).

A few questions:

- Based on the experiences of users here, what are the odds that the debtor will accept a pay-for-delete in this scenario?

- Should I bother having the agency validate this debt prior to attempting a pay-for-delete?

- If they aren't willing to accept a pay-for-delete, is there anything else I can try negotiating? For example, changing the status to something that would be less harmful to my credit score? I know simply paying the debt off won't help (except for FICO 8), but perhaps there's a difference betwen how the debt is reported on my CR?

As explained in my original post, my preference is to avoid police reports, legal action, etc. It's good to know I have that option, but I'd like to exhaust these other avenues first.

[sjt]

If your willing to pay the account. ou can contact them and explain the situation (without mentioning you dad speciacally) and offer to pay for delete.

[Anonymous]

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@Tazer911 wrote:

Thank you everyone, for the replies. It's much-appreciated.

At this point I'm considering the following:

- Write the collection agency a letter explaining how this is the first I've seen of this debt, and that I have evidence it was a result of a family member using my personal information. (I could even provide evidence showing I wasn't living at the adddress in question during the time the debt accumulated).

- Explain that my primary goal is to have the item removed from my CR, and offer a full payment in exchange for a pay-for-delete arrangement.

- I'll further state that if I can't secure this arrangement, I plan on taking legal action to have the debt erased (thus depriving the collection agency of the $400 I'm offering them).

A few questions:

- Based on the experiences of users here, what are the odds that the debtor will accept a pay-for-delete in this scenario?

- Should I bother having the agency validate this debt prior to attempting a pay-for-delete?

- If they aren't willing to accept a pay-for-delete, is there anything else I can try negotiating? For example, changing the status to something that would be less harmful to my credit score? I know simply paying the debt off won't help (except for FICO 8), but perhaps there's a difference betwen how the debt is reported on my CR?

As explained in my original post, my preference is to avoid police reports, legal action, etc. It's good to know I have that option, but I'd like to exhaust these other avenues first.

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This seems like a reasonable course of action if you are not willing to do the ID Theft route.

[RobertEG]

If a DV would no longer be timely, meaning more than 30 days has expired since dunning notice, then the debt collector can simply continue business as usual, with no restrictions, and ignore any DV.

If your DV would still be timely, then sending will impose a cease collection bar on the debt collector, precluding them from any negotiations on the debt, including response to a PFD offer.  You take one parth or the other.

I would speculate that if you raise any issue of potential identity theft with them, they will simply send you a fraud affidavir with inviation to pursue the matter formally.

They likely see account not mine assertions every day, and will routinely deal with them by referring you to the process of putting your assertions into sworn form.

[fishbjc]

Sorry, but having cancer is NO excuse for poor behavior.  This is THEFT from you,, and it's UNACCEPTABLE. 

Only YOU can decide what course to take and I wish you luck with your decision.