Asset Acceptance – Return Call?

[Morgan05]

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? CA

For the last 6 weeks, I have received automated, message calls telling me to return this call at 800-398-8814, “This is not a solicitation or telemarketing call…” I found out this is a number for Asset Acceptance—a debt collection company.

My Fico score is 790. I have good credit and no negatives on my Experian credit report (recently pulled). Asset Acceptance does not appear on my Experian credit report, no inquiry either. I have never received a letter or summons from them. I don’t think I owe anyone anything.

What should I do? Call them back to find out what debt they are claiming? Do nothing, for now (hoping SOL will run out, if I actually owe a debt)?

[Veronica1228]

Originally Posted by Morgan05

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? CA

For the last 6 weeks, I have received automated, message calls telling me to return this call at 800-398-8814, “This is not a solicitation or telemarketing call…” I found out this is a number for Asset Acceptance—a debt collection company.

My Fico score is 790. I have good credit and no negatives on my Experian credit report (recently pulled). Asset Acceptance does not appear on my Experian credit report, no inquiry either. I have never received a letter or summons from them. I don’t think I owe anyone anything.

What should I do? Call them back to find out what debt they are claiming? Do nothing, for now (hoping SOL will run out, if I actually owe a debt)?

This isn't really a legal question, but if you are looking for opinions, I say call them. They have your number, will continue to call, and you don't even know what they want. For all you know it could be regarding a credit card that was opened without your consent. Something you would want to know about.

Just call them back.

[jazzbasNick]

I called, gave them my phone number and last name and they confirmed it was a wrong number and removed me from the list.

[debtcollector`]

Originally Posted by jazzbasNick

I called, gave them my phone number and last name and they confirmed it was a wrong number and removed me from the list.

It is amazing how easy it is to simply call, and verify that you are not the person they are trying to contact. Much more effective for everybody than trying to ignore it, screamming profanities into the phone or threatening the people calling.

Good job taking care of it and there is a lesson here for everybody else....

DC

PS: Interesting true story: One of our collectors called a debtor - who said he had recieved our letter then said if we called again he was going to send a bomb to our office. Our collector asked the guy if he realized he just threatened an act of terrorism on a recorded call. The guy said yes and you better not call again. We turned a copy of the conversation over to law enforcement.

[Dougthegreat]

In some cases, you might actually have an outstanding debt you're not aware of.

I actually had a $12 lab fee my insurance didn't cover that was outstanding without my knowledge, until I got a letter from the hospital about the mysterious $12 I owed somebody. Anyway, I called them up, and they were quite pleasant, and I took care of the matter.

Since you sound like you're on the up-and-up, this collections company shouldn't be a problem for you - they're only out to get the deadbeat losers.

[CGA97]

Originally Posted by Dougthegreat

Since you sound like you're on the up-and-up, this collections company shouldn't be a problem for you - they're only out to get the deadbeat losers.

Don't be so sure...Asset Acceptance is making a name for themselves with extremely agressive tactics, even for debt well beyond the SOL.

[debtcollector`]

Just to point out something that is often overlooked on this board:

SOL doesn't mean you no longer owe the money -- it simply means that the government will not help the agency collect past that point. Just because it may no longer be reported on your credit report or be outside of the SOL, doesn't mean you don't owe it -- just that the collector is more limited in what they can do.

There are legal options for you if you are someone who simply refuses to pay your bills. I'm not going tell you what they are; but LIR has expounded on the subject at some length -- something you would know if you looked though the history.

Debt that old requires aggressive tactics. Typically, the rates for collection hover around 5%. That means for every 100 accounts placed with my company for collection -- we'll get 5 of them to pay up. Then the accounts are pulled by the client and issued to another collection agency, who'll get about 5%.

When the account gets near SOL, they are sold to firms specializing in old debt. Those firms have to be agressive and hardnosed. At that point, the debtor has forgotten all the benefit of the product or service they purchased and sees the collector as someone simply trying to take "their" money.

DC