credit card account numbers keep changing

What is the name of your state? - TX

I've noticed on my past due credit card accounts, that the account numbers keep changing to new ones. I.E. - The original account number of the account is no longer referenced on billing statements or letters from the collection agencies. A new account number has been assigned to the same debt.

I'm am in the process of attempting to settle these accounts, but I'm concerned about which account(s) to list in the settlement letters ? If I reference the most current account number, as opposed to the original account number, am I setting myself up for a remaing liability on these debts ?

I'm concerned that if I settle referencing only one account number, then the collection agency will later state that I did not honor / settle the original account.( Even though it is the same debt, but just listed under a different account number )

Is this a common tactic in an attempt to continue collection efforts on past due accounts ?

[Ladynred]

That is a possible tactic, yes. However, collection agencies and bad debt buyers almost always assign their own in-house "account" numbers to your accounts.

What you need to do is reference BOTH the original creditors account number AND the account or reference number assigned to it by whichever CA you're trying to settle with.

How old are these old debts anyway ? When did you last pay the original creditor ? TX has a short SOL.

It has been about 12 months since the last payments were made.

I had noticed that even with the original creditor, that as the accounts reached a certain level of non-payment, the account numbers were changed.

And as the accounts were turned over to a collection agency, they also then referenced their own internal account numbers.