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oh my gosh, I'm going crazy-update

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Anonymous
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oh my gosh, I'm going crazy-update

Hi all
 
Thanks to all of you who responded to my last post 'don't know what to do-need help'.
 
Here's an update of sorts and I'm so confused.
 
So I am reading like crazy and googled the heck out of every matter of this subject, read a lot of past pages on these (and other) message boards and have finally made a decision.  
 
My decision is I would call Amex one last time and try to get them to take my $16,000.  
 
If they would not take it or continue to claim (like they did the last 3 x I called) that they can't get the debt back from the CA or that they are no longer handling the account, then I would call the CA (United Recover Systems, google them, it's scary), and tell them I will pay in full for delete or to not report.  The first corespondence came from them on May 12th, so not even 30 days ago.
 
I'm thinking this might be the best way to keep my credit rating in good standing.
 
So I call Amex and the lady wouldn't even transfer me to anyone else, she just kept telling me over and over "I understand how you are feeling but there is nothing we can do, once this company is handling the account we cannot get it back".   She did recommend to me that I call the CA and ask them if I could pay Amex myself.  I felt this was very odd.
 
So my next step was to call the CA. 
 
Oh, something I probably did not mention in my first post and something that may have some significance.  The first phone contact with CA the gentleman (and I use that word losely) told me that if I paid the account in full that Amex would reopen the account and give me a credit line of $8000, isn't that generous of them to offer to do that?", etc.    That conversation was so confusing to me because I didn't know who he was or why he was calling, and I don't remember a lot of what he said to me.
 
So today I call the CA after getting off the phone with the OC.   I told him I would pay the account in full in return for them either not reporting or deleting any mention if it had been reported.   He put me on hold right away and I imagined that while I was on hold he was ringing a bell in the room and dancing around and saying 'we have a live one here people!!!'.   Then he got back and the phone and appologized for having to put me on hold, then asked me what I needed again?   So I repeated myself and he told me that they do not report to the Credit agencies, that American Express would do that and he had no control over what they did.   So I said something to him about how that didn't make any sense to me and he said 'hang on, let me get my supervisor'.   I have talked to his 'supervisor' before and she was a witch, I would like to take one of these houses I can't sell and throw it on her.  And her little dog too.
 
So I was on hold for about 2 minutes and I decided to hang up.   They have since called me 6x and don't I love that 'ignore' button on my cell phone.
 
I started thinking maybe they really don't own the debt??   Maybe they were just hired to collect for Amex??   So I'm going with one of my other plans of action.  I have paperless statements so I don't have a statement from Amex.  Our stock check will clear tomorrow a.m.  I'm going to write the check out to Amex, print the statement online and fed ex the check to Amex directly.  Then when the check is cashed I have proof that they cashed the check.  I will write paid in full in the memo secion of the check with my account number.  If they sign the check over to the CA I will hopefully be able to tell.
 
Maybe my credit is saved??
 
If later I find on my credit report that the CA did report could I then ask them to validate the debt and when they can't then can I try to get it removed from my report.  Because by this time it will be paid off.
 
If any of you have any insight or advice I could sure use it!  My mind has turned to mashed potatoes, I just can't even think straight!!
 
Thanks!!
Leigh
Message 1 of 7
6 REPLIES 6
llecs
Moderator Emeritus

Re: oh my gosh, I'm going crazy-update

Don't call the CA. They will "forget" about any conversation they had with you or "forget" about any agreement you set with them. Get everything in writing and don't trust a CA. Plus they are recording every word you are saying and can use that against you if they were to sue in the future.
 
The CA cannot make an agreement to reopen Amex. Only Amex can reopen the account. The CA was just saying that to get paid.
 
If Amex is reporting a balance, then the CA does not own the account. Often, a CA will contract with an OC and charge a fee so as to get some sort of compensation for their efforts. If you were to pay the CA, then the CA would return the funds back to Amex. If you were to pay Amex, then Amex would return CA's fee and all would be happy.
 
Sometimes you just have to pay without a PFD. I'm dealing with Verizon Wireless right now. Through many phone calls with VZW, I found out that VZW will send the balance over to 3 different CAs. By contact, those CAs will not report. But after the third, VZW will sell the debt to a fourth CA and that will report along with the $0 CO balance of the OC. My best bet then would be to pay the OC to prevent the CA from reporting.
 
Maybe same situation with you. Maybe that CA or a new one will report. IMO, try more phone calls (100 more won't hurt) and get a feel of what may or may not happen next. Send multiple PFDs to every Amex address you can find and even send to corp. heads. Look around for Amex PFD success stories. There's got to be one.
Message 2 of 7
llecs
Moderator Emeritus

Re: oh my gosh, I'm going crazy-update

With a quick look, I didn't find a Amex PFD success stories. However, there may be a chance you can go for their Oasis program:
 
 
On the flip side, I haven't read of any PFD rejections, just several no responses.
Message 3 of 7
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: oh my gosh, I'm going crazy-update



Leigh1130 wrote:
 
Oh, something I probably did not mention in my first post and something that may have some significance.  The first phone contact with CA the gentleman (and I use that word losely) told me that if I paid the account in full that Amex would reopen the account and give me a credit line of $8000, isn't that generous of them to offer to do that?", etc.    That conversation was so confusing to me because I didn't know who he was or why he was calling, and I don't remember a lot of what he said to me.
 


Sounds like he was describing the Oasis program.  Pay your delinquent balance in full, get a new Optima card with a CL equal to half the amount you paid along with removal of all derog information from your credit reports and backdating of the new account to the open date of the old one.
 
Sounds like just what you're looking for, even if you don't actually want the new card.
 
P.S.: In all your Googling and searching, where did you ever read that you should speak to a CA on the phone? Smiley Wink
 
Message 4 of 7
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: oh my gosh, I'm going crazy-update

Smiley Very Happy  Talking to them on the phone was plain silly and has given me lots of stress!   You are right I did read that too!  Rule #1, do not talk to them on phone, Rule #2, see rule #1.
 
So cheddar, this is exactly what he was offering, now that you've jogged my memory.  It's just that when he mentioned it in my mind I was thinking "who are you and why are you calling me?", because he called before I opened the mail, I had paid Amex 4 months in a row, so I was confused.
 
Problem is now I can't make any progress with them, of course, on the phone.  Cheddar, what do you think I should do??  Write Amex a letter with my paid in full payment and say that cashing this check is them agreeing to the terms brought forward to me by the CA to pay in full and not report?   Now that you say all of that I do believe that's what he said to me.  No reporting, credit limit of $8000 (which would be 1/2 of what it is now).
 
So now I'm excited.  That's exactly what I want, even if I don't want their 'good faith' card  (my words, not theirs), I do want them to not report or remove derog. info for my exchange of giving them $16,000.
 
BUT the question is, when I said to him that I would pay in full for not reporting why didn't he say 'o.k', or 'that's what they are offering?'
 
Thanks again!  You guys are very helpful. 
 
Leigh
Message 5 of 7
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: oh my gosh, I'm going crazy-update

If it were me, I would call Amex back and instead of asking about the account and why it went to a CA and yadda yadda, just ask about whether you might be eligible for the Oasis program.  They may tell you that you'll have to pay the CA first in order to proceed, but they should at least be able to tell you about your eligibility.
 
As far as why the guy from the CA didn't respond the way one would expect him to when you asked about removing the derog information, it's helpful to keep a one thing in mind.
 
Many of the people who interact with the public on behalf of CAs are utter morons, and have little ability to string together a sentence that represents a coherent thought.  Expecting them to make the leap from "This is what I'm offering," to "Hey, what I'm offering is practically the same thing she's asking for," is asking a bit much IMO.
 
Message 6 of 7
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: oh my gosh, I'm going crazy-update

Thanks!!!    I'll keep you posted.  I'm sure this is not the last you've heard from me.  Probably once I make a decision on what to do then pull my credit again in a month I'll be posting about how to fix the problem that showed up when the dust settled!!  Smiley Happy
 
Last I looked (at only one report,can't remember which one now) my credit was 687.   Before Amex or the CA had reported anything derogetory.
 
We are not buying a house for at least 5 years (when our kids are out and we downsize our house) or buying a car (not including any unforeseen car totaling type accident) in the next 3 years probably so it's possible once this is done I lay low.
 
Thanks again
Leigh
Message 7 of 7
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