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Reload this Page Surprise loan from years ago???

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  #1  
Old 06-25-2009, 05:36 PM
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Surprise loan from years ago???

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Minnesota


So I had a few defaulted school loans. I have payed them off. My credit score is finally recoving... I just got financed for a nice vehicle and now bam... some law office is calling everyone BUT me to collect on a debt.

I've been keeping a close eye on my credit report and I did notice they did a credit check on me 4 months ago.

I've never gotten any calls, mail, emails, and nothing at work. This is the first time I've heard of this collection agency (other than the little bleep on my credit report MONTHS ago. Why wouldn't they just friggen call me?

My credit report is still squeeky clean. I got the name and number of the agency but I'm hesitating to call for now.

So my question is...

Is there anywhere I can look to see if I infact do have an outstanding federal (or not) school loan? I saw a site that said they had a database but you needed a PIN from the DOE which I remember filling out a long time ago but never recieved a response.... can anyone help there?

Second.. I thought a debt collector could not say he's a debt collector or even specifically WHAT he's trying to collect on (IE he called my mother in law saying I had an outstanding school loan that I'm default on... THANKS A LOT BUDDY I APPRECIATE IT)... I thought they could only say "We need to speak with him can you help us"


Anyways, sorry for the wall of text. Any help or advice is appreciated. I don't want to get pressured into anything.

FYI this would have to be a loan from almost 7 years ago... wtf right????What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
  #2  
Old 06-26-2009, 07:10 AM
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Call the collection agency. Student loans have no statute of limitations and are not dischargeable in bankruptcy - they NEVER go away until you pay them. If you are willing and able to pay, then you shouldn't have a problem.
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  #3  
Old 06-26-2009, 12:23 PM
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Yeah I'll call them on monday when I'm off work.

I just wish I could look up any outstanding debt I had. I assumed the credit report would show everything.

I don't like being blindsided by something over half a decade later without any warning.
  #4  
Old 06-26-2009, 12:30 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tink3r View Post
Yeah I'll call them on monday when I'm off work.

I just wish I could look up any outstanding debt I had. I assumed the credit report would show everything.

I don't like being blindsided by something over half a decade later without any warning.
Oh, PUHLEASEEEEEE!

No warning? What do you call that little contract you agreed to when you took out the loan? (I'll stop at 3...I could go on and on)
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  #5  
Old 06-26-2009, 07:23 PM
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The op believes all debts were paid and wants to know how to find out what this one is.
And don't try to tell me that mistakes aren't made.
I had to forward copies of Postal money orders to one company.
  #6  
Old 06-26-2009, 07:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Zigner View Post
Oh, PUHLEASEEEEEE!

No warning? What do you call that little contract you agreed to when you took out the loan? (I'll stop at 3...I could go on and on)

They were taken out when I was 18 and obviously dumb. At that point it was nothing but a ton of papers to sign.

I'm 27 this summer. This should have been brought to my attention at SOME point.

With all of the complex scams out there - how can you "validate" or tell if this is in fact a REAL loan, and I'm not just giving my money to some shmuck who got my info?
  #7  
Old 06-26-2009, 08:04 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tink3r View Post
They were taken out when I was 18 and obviously dumb. At that point it was nothing but a ton of papers to sign.

I'm 27 this summer. This should have been brought to my attention at SOME point.

With all of the complex scams out there - how can you "validate" or tell if this is in fact a REAL loan, and I'm not just giving my money to some shmuck who got my info?
Posters like this one make me wish for the return of debtor's prisons.

DC
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OP needs counseling...not a court house. --Zigner
  #8  
Old 06-26-2009, 08:45 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by debtcollector` View Post
Posters like this one make me wish for the return of debtor's prisons.

DC
Right. Asking for advice on a free advice forum is totally dumb. WTF was I thinking.

My question stands: Is there anywhere I can look to see if I infact do have an outstanding federal (or not) school loan? I saw a site that said they had a database but you needed a PIN from the DOE which I remember filling out a long time ago but never received a response.... can anyone help there?


There's no need to flame me for wanting to know what's going on. I am sorry you feel there is a need to do so.
  #9  
Old 06-27-2009, 12:01 AM
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You can look in your copies of the paperwork that you filled out when you accepted the loans.
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  #10  
Old 06-27-2009, 06:22 PM
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And if those papers have been lost in the last 5 or so years?
  #11  
Old 06-27-2009, 10:34 PM
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Then you call the collection agency and find out what the loan is.
__________________
Lawsuits are not about justice. They are about MONEY. If you don't want money, then you shouldn't be thinking about suing. And people post here because they are thinking about suing. Because they want money, no matter how much they don't want to admit that to themselves.

-Auto insurance adjuster for 2 years - as of 6/15/09, I am FREE!
  #12  
Old 06-29-2009, 08:25 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ecmst12 View Post
Then you call the collection agency and find out what the loan is.
If the OPs credit report has his correct address, and the CA ran a credit report on him, then they most certainly could have sent him a collection letter if he indeed has an unpaid debt they hold. I suggest that it is up to the CA to do their job properly. There is no need to call his MiL when they can call HIM. They most certainly should not have claimed it is for a student loan.

If the OP is going to call them, he should stick to known facts (until informed otherwise that changes the known facts). If he does not know of any outstanding debt, he should just ask them why they ran a credit check, and why they are calling "everyone BUT ..." and making claims about a supposed debt to his MiL and not HIM? They will have the opportunity to inform him of a debt.

My advice to OP: do the call but don't discuss details. If they claim there is a loan, tell them to send the claim IN WRITING. Tell them they have the correct address from the credit check they ran. Tell them to include proof of the debt to avoid delays (because you will want proof that the debt is yours, that it hasn't been paid, and that they are the legitimate assignee of the debt ... since you have no other means to know this is legitimate). Keep a record of all communications. MN is a one party consent state, so record all phone calls. Absolutely do not give them any confidential information. No numbers of any kind, whatsoever.
  #13  
Old 06-29-2009, 11:53 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cosine View Post
If the OPs credit report has his correct address, and the CA ran a credit report on him, then they most certainly could have sent him a collection letter if he indeed has an unpaid debt they hold. I suggest that it is up to the CA to do their job properly. There is no need to call his MiL when they can call HIM. They most certainly should not have claimed it is for a student loan.

If the OP is going to call them, he should stick to known facts (until informed otherwise that changes the known facts). If he does not know of any outstanding debt, he should just ask them why they ran a credit check, and why they are calling "everyone BUT ..." and making claims about a supposed debt to his MiL and not HIM? They will have the opportunity to inform him of a debt.

My advice to OP: do the call but don't discuss details. If they claim there is a loan, tell them to send the claim IN WRITING. Tell them they have the correct address from the credit check they ran. Tell them to include proof of the debt to avoid delays (because you will want proof that the debt is yours, that it hasn't been paid, and that they are the legitimate assignee of the debt ... since you have no other means to know this is legitimate). Keep a record of all communications. MN is a one party consent state, so record all phone calls. Absolutely do not give them any confidential information. No numbers of any kind, whatsoever.
The CA is not required to give all the information that you are advising he ask for.
__________________
*
*
The information I gave is based on my 7 seconds of research on Google. Review the information yourself to make an informed decision.

Communication is KEY - 10 mins of talking now can save you months of headaches later!

Masterfully stating the obvious to the oblivious! (Thanks SP!)

Tell it like it is! When all else fails, make up a statistic!

Gender references shall apply equally to the other gender. I will not correct gender mistakes (unless I want to)
  #14  
Old 06-30-2009, 07:35 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 17,310
You could also contact the school or call AES. But don't blame the CA for YOUR failure to maintain your records.
__________________
Lawsuits are not about justice. They are about MONEY. If you don't want money, then you shouldn't be thinking about suing. And people post here because they are thinking about suing. Because they want money, no matter how much they don't want to admit that to themselves.

-Auto insurance adjuster for 2 years - as of 6/15/09, I am FREE!
  #15  
Old 06-30-2009, 01:32 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zigner View Post
The CA is not required to give all the information that you are advising he ask for.
That is very true ... at the time of asking for it. But that doesn't mean they can't provide it. And this is information they will have to provide in court if the OP makes the proper motions to demand it.

I always recommend that people always pay their debts that they know are theirs, and NOT EVER pay the ones they do not know are theirs. A CA that does not want to convince someone that a debt is really theirs should not be trying to collect it.

There ARE scammers that fabricate debts, often using existing data about people (such as actual past paid debts, or past business relations). They pretend to be debt collectors and make claims about these debts. People need to be diligent about dealing with any debt collector to prevent losing money to scams like this. Legitimate debt collection agencies need to work with debtors to establish real debts. Supposed debtors needs to demand that CAs do this.
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