Zombie Debt for Something Already Paid?

[Anonymous]

I've read through the forums about this company Convergent, so I'm pretty sure I know how to deal with this situation, but I just want to make sure I'm doing the right thing if any has experience with it.

I've only been trying to correct my credit mistakes for about 7 months, and I know I've probably made some mistakes in that time. Last summer I got an offer to pay a deliquent PayPal Bill Me Later account through ARS National Services (CA). It was a settlement offer for about 30% and I took it. For a 875.13 balance (which was the right amount - I know it was my debt from 2009 so I just wanted it dealt with), I settled for $228.79. After paying, I received a letter stating that the account would be reported to the CRAs as "settled in full". The funny thing is: this debt was never on any of my CRs and still isn't. 

Today I received a dunning notice from Convergent (which I know is a zombie debt buyer) for a PayPal account saying I owe PayPal $200.22. I use PayPal all the time. I know I don't owe PayPal anything else unless I want more credit with them, in which case I would need to pay the original Bill Me Later account in full. Again, there's nothing on my CRs regarding owing PayPal. From what I've read Convergent is usually up to no good and only shows up when people are applying for credit which I've been doing steadily and successfully over the past couple months. 

I'm going to DV this collection attempt. Is there anything else I should do?

Also, did I make a mistake in settling the original amount with ARS even though this is not reporting at all so not impacting my scores? I believe that I was at the edge of the SOL though I didn't know it at the time.

Thanks.

[gdale6]

Send the DV and dont worry about having settled its not on your CR and that is what matters. Good luck

[RobertEG]

It ia never a mistake to satisfy a delinquent debt.

Even though a debt is beyond SOL and all derogs have become excluded from credit reporting, as long as you have an unpaid, delinquent debt, it could affect a future quest for credit.  A creditor could beome aware of it by means other than pulling your credit report and seeing an unpaid collection.

A creditor might deny new credit if aware of any unpaid, delinquent debt.

Sending a tiely DV will requrie them to cease further collection activiites until they have first validated.

If they do validate and you know you paid, then civil action on your part might be a next step.

By the time a JDB obtains a debt, it is not uncommon that adequate documentation of the debt to not have been passed to them.

Send a DV and see if they validate......