NCO is Confusing Me. Help!

[JBoswell]

So... originally I had 5 collections (3 medical, 2 non-medical) on my report. With 4 of these 5 things I had nooo idea what they were, and the 5th I knew I paid to the OC forever ago. So I sent out DV letters to everybody. All 5 dropped off my report. A couple of them I got responses from, saying blah blah blah will be deleted. The others I didn't hear anything from. Now, a month later I get a response from NCO Financial, bare in mind that the account has already been deleted off the two reports it was showing on, they say that in response to my letter they are sending validation of the debt, please forward the amount of $270 as and for blah blah blah. But THEN the next paragraph goes on to say "in light of this we will be notifying the credit reporting agencies and having this account deleted from your reports" in light of WHAT I'm not sure.

So... They validated it. But are deleting it. (have already deleted it) without receiving payment? Now I know, gift horse in the mouth and all that. BUT now I'm worried. The validation they sent says that I owe $270 to Progressive Insurance from 2004. Now I was, have been, and am currently a Progressive customer. I've never missed a payment, and since I am still with them, if I HAD I would think they would have contacted me directly. So the debt still makes no sense to me. I'm worried though in light of this letter that even though they deleted it, and have said in writing that they would, they are still asking for the money and if I don't pay it they might just put it back on? Even though I'm not totally sure what the hell the debt IS, $270 isn't worth my score dropping again. Should I just pay this? Or accept that it's been deleted and call it a day?? Thanks for any help,

[Anonymous]

Have you contacted the OC to ask what this is about?

If not, I would.

[Anonymous]

I agree with sidewinder.  Write a letter to Progressive and reference the original account number and ask for an account statement or verification (not validation).

If they respond that they have no records or do not show any balance or charge off, you now have irrefutable proof that the CA "cannot" validate this debt as required by FDCPA.

[Anonymous]

I had a collection from NCO on my reports for an AT&T cell phone.  I sent them a PFD (because I knew I owed the money, and I assumed the collection was legit).  About a week after sending the PFD, I disputed the account with EQ.  2 weeks later, NCO was off all 3 credit reports.  However, I received a letter in the mail after that from NCO that stated they would not accept the PFD, and I had to pay the full amount.  Obviously it was an illegitimate collection, but they were still trying to get their money.

I called AT&T to pay the debt, but they have no record of me having that account (about 2 years ago).  They had no knowledge of selling it to anyone, and they would not accept payment because it is not in their records.  I have a feeling that this will come back one day.