Can you deal with the original creditor once your debt has gone to collections?

[deronsworldnow]

ARIZONA.

A typical scenario: Lost a great job and have tremendous bills. I've been handling most creditors, but I had a T-Mobile bill go directly to an outsourced collections agency. I had one conversation that was in house with T-Mobile and immediately it went to collections. Two months behind ($1,100.00). I need to request an invoice as I believe they are charging me full price for the phone because I cancelled prior to contract.

1. Can I get back in touch with T-Mobile for payment arraignments or must this be handled all with the collections
agency assigned?

2. Should I avoid responding to the collector before I get the invoice?

Advice???

 

[Zigner]

Jumping Jehoshaphat! What sort of plan did you have that incurred $1,100 in two months?!?

 

[justalayman]

ARIZONA.

A typical scenario: Lost a great job and have tremendous bills. I've been handling most creditors, but I had a T-Mobile bill go directly to an outsourced collections agency. I had one conversation that was in house with T-Mobile and immediately it went to collections. Two months behind ($1,100.00). I need to request an invoice as I believe they are charging me full price for the phone because I cancelled prior to contract.

1. Can I get back in touch with T-Mobile for payment arraignments or must this be handled all with the collections
agency assigned?

2. Should I avoid responding to the collector before I get the invoice?

Advice???

whether you can deal with the original creditor depends on whether they actually sold the debt or simply hired a CA to collect for them and retained the ownership of the debt.

If T mobile retained ownership of the debt, it is then up to them if they want to speak with you or not.

If it were me, I would contact t mobile directly for an invoice regardless of the ownership of the debt.

 

[deronsworldnow]

Thank You

We're on the same page.

 

[davew128]

Jumping Jehoshaphat! What sort of plan did you have that incurred $1,100 in two months?!?

My girlfriend went to Mexico for a few days and in her infinite wisdom decided to stream Pandora on her Blackberry for a couple hours in addition to about an hour of calls back and forth when an emergency popped up and she had to return. Needless to say I wasn't thrilled with the $500 phone bill a few weeks later. International roaming can kill you if you don't pay attention.