change of collection agency after debt validation letter sent

[debtFree4Me]

What is the name of your state? VA

I sent a debt validation letter to a collection agency that represented Citi Cards. I never received anything (calls, letters) from them again. I did receive a letter from a collection law firm with the "send request for debt validation within 30 days... or we will assume it valid.""

Do I need to send a new request to the new company, or is the original request valid?

Thank you,

DF...Someday

[Debt Guy]

What is the purpose of the validation request? What are you trying to accomplish?

[debtcollector`]

New company - new game. There are more than 5,000 CAs in the US. You may want to have that letter printed.

DC

[debtFree4Me]

Debt Guy,

I was hoping to stall the collection effort until we sell our house (not in my name, so not touchable), and then settle the debt, move on with my life, a very painful and serious lesson learned. (With four children, one in college, one graduating from private Christian school this year, and two home-schooling because we could not afford to send them back to school this year, this has been a very painful lesson.)

I am hoping to repair my credit (after I get this paid of course, one-step at a time). It will be very difficult for me to land a job in my field (software development) with this mess on my report, as software companies do a credit check before they extend a job offer. As it is, I am doing some contract work from home for local businesses.

Of course, neither of the collectors have left their required “we are a debt collection agency” messages. Their letters are threatening, misleading, and just plain rude. I feel very, very sorry for folks tangled in financial messes who do not know where to turn for help. You are most kind to try to bridge that gap and help them out. Kudos to you!


Thanks.



Debt Collector,

I am not a total snowflake, though the fact that I tangled my personal finances in a family business that I worked for, but did not own, might testify against me on that point.

Being a web applications developer, I am familiar with the popular layout of web applications such as this one. I did search, Google first, and then here, but did not find an answer to this specific question.

Thanks for your help.

[debtcollector`]

Originally Posted by debtFree4Me

Debt Collector,

I am not a total snowflake, though the fact that I tangled my personal finances in a family business that I worked for, but did not own, might testify against me on that point.

Being a web applications developer, I am familiar with the popular layout of web applications such as this one. I did search, Google first, and then here, but did not find an answer to this specific question.

Thanks for your help.

Took me a second -- but then I realized you were referencing the sig.
Nice response. Here's what happened: When you sent your validation letter to the CA your account was transfered to either the pain-in-the-butt file or the deadbeat file. When we buy accounts or take assignment of account it is usually in very large portfolios of several hundred thousand accounts at a time, or at least several million in face value.

Rather than deal with problems, some companies package all their validation demand accounts into smaller groups and re-sell them to smaller agencies that specialize in problems, or they return them to the OC who repackages them into smaller groups and places them with smaller agencies that specialize in problems.

If you are well-meaning and were just buying time -- talk to them. Try to work out a payment plan. It works better than getting stuck in the problem pile.

DC

[Debt Guy]

DF

I think there are two ways to buy time.

The first is what DC suggested. Do a search on his posts. He has posted at length on tips and guidelines for negotiating.

The second is to just go dark. By that I mean don't answer the phone, don't send nasty letters, don't DV, -- just go silent. When you have the cash, then work your deal.

Either way keeps you out of the problem pile.

Also, chill the attitude. You can show class even if someone else does not. If the collector is rude, you don't be. It is just business. It is not personal. Never let someone else's words cause you to lose control of the situation -- otherwise, you lose the psychology of the exchange. If you feel like you can't deal with it, just say "I'm sorry but I cannot talk to you right now". Then hang up. You won't go to phone courtesy jail.

I know this is none of my business. Don't be offended. Consider taking your kids out of private school and putting them in public school -- even the home schooled kids. This would let your wife work at least half time and maybe full time. If you and your wife have the right home influence, public school is not going to warp their minds.

Changing schools would reduce expense and increase income -- not a bad thing. I think it is also a good thing that the whole family takes a role and makes a sacrifice in overcoming this family financial problem -- you and your kids will be better for it.

My wife is a public school teacher -- for 35 years now (and junior high sunday school). She teaches the poorest kids you can imagine. The problem with kids and schools is not teachers or school boards or whatever -- it is parents. Margie can tell quickly which kids have parents who take an interest in the kids and which do not. That is all it takes. Kids need discipline in their lives and parents who teach their kids they can be successful through work and effort -- not video games. Margie says she can always tell which kids were home schooled since they are 1 to 3 grade levels behind their age and then she tutors them to catch up.

My former minister (one of the smartest people I have ever known) hated public schools. He home schooled his kids well into their teens and eventually sent them to a private Christian school when he finally became convinced they were growing up to be uneducated. When his oldest daughter graduated, she was like a deer caught in the headlights. She had zero social skills and zero ability to keep and hold a job. She was a bright girl but could only read at an 8th grade level and could barely do basic arithmetic -- but she could memorize bible passages. So, all he could do was enroll her in a private Christian college -- where she hooked up with the first guy she met (she had never had a date before) and was pregnant within 3 months. The marriage did not last. She is a single mother, living with her parents and works fast food jobs while she goes to junior college to learn accounting. I think that Terry feels very much responsible for his daughter's life and would do things differently if he could.

Please don't be offended. The moral of this very sad story is that we don't do our kids any favors by sheltering them from real life. One of these days they are going to be in the real world whether we like it or not. Our job as parents is to prepare them for that life. That means we ground them in moral principles and work ethics and love. It means that we accept that they will make mistakes and bad decisions -- and pray they are small ones until they learn better. Does it always work? No. But, on balance, I think we give them a better shot at life.

My current minister (probably the best and kindest person in my life) always had his kids in public schools. He and his wife were wonderful role models for their four daughters. I'm not saying the kids were perfect but they all have successful marriages of their own. I know the youngest daughter well and she is an absolute delight and has her head on straight. She loved public school and was active in both school and church activities. She went on to a public university and flourished. I talked to Carissa once about what it was like to be a minister's daughter in the real world. She said she knew there was evil in the world but she knew that it was her choice to make and that her parents would still love her and support her even if she messed up (although she said both would give her you know what). If she ever messed up, I sure don't know what it was.

Just something to think about. OK?

My heart goes out to you. You and your family are in my thoughts. Jeremiah 29:11.

[debtFree4Me]

I will take your advice and not send another validation letter, but rather keep quiet until I can negotiate payment, which will not be until we sell our house. I will also search on DC’s post for additional helpful information.

I never have spoken with any collector; I listen to their messages, and read their letters.

I do agree with you concerning the social and educational deficit of most home schooled children (we all know a few). It is for those reasons that I would never consider keeping them at home longer than one year. I actually did consider sending the younger two to public school this year, as we live in a morally conservative area, and our public schools are quite good educationally. There were a couple of reasons that I did not make that choice. First, I would like to send them back to private school next year if possible. They attend a”classical Christian school,” and so the public school system would not have offered some of the classes that they needed (Latin, logic…), and so they would have been behind their peers next year. The second reason is that their private school is quite advanced working a full year ahead in math, English, and science, and two years ahead in foreign language. (My eighth grader will complete his second year of high school Latin this year, and received a certificate of honor for the high school national Latin exam last year.) I would have, and may still have to choose between putting them up a grade with students more mature than they are, and letting them sit in classes that mostly bore them.

I sent my senior back because he was a senior. He had already put so many hard studying years into his high school education, that to leave him half way through his thesis work and without his hard-earned diploma seemed almost a crime.

Our oldest son is a junior at college. He received the presidential scholarship (that is, a full ride academic scholarship). He graduated from the same Christian school that my second born now attends. The second, my high school senior, will be attending college this fall also on academic scholarship. I am not trying to toot their horns, (though I am very proud of them both), but to point out that some Christian schools are very fine indeed, and prepare the next generation for thoughtful leadership.

I am the wife, and am working part time from home until we can get this financial mess cleared up. As I said before, it will be very difficult for me to secure a job in my field with our finances in a mess. My husband works full time.

Our older children all work part time jobs outside of school, even our 14-year-old works part time


I/we feel very foolish (as indeed we are), to find ourselves in such a ridiculous position at our stage in life. The remaining failed business debt that we are responsible for exceeds 100,000 (50,000 unsecured and 50,000 secured). This amount does not include our mortgage. Our vehicles are old, but paid for.

Thank you again, you both have been kind and helpful.

DF...

[seniorjudge]

Originally Posted by debtFree4Me

...
I will take your advice and not send another validation letter, but rather keep quiet until I can negotiate payment, which will not be until we sell our house. I will also search on DC’s post for additional helpful information.
...

If you are well-meaning and were just buying time -- talk to them. Try to work out a payment plan. It works better than getting stuck in the problem pile.

You need to listen to and follow DC's advice.