hollywood video $180 debt collection - suddenly

[SoulVein]

What is the name of your state? ARIZONA

Hello, i had an account with hollywood video and my wife and i never rented from there except for twice. So it sat idle for some time, then my wife's young brother came out and of course has had some immature juvenile/delinquent issues in his life, involving theft and just accidents, and problems with abusing pharmacuticals like zanax etc. He's still sorta like this. But when he was here visiting with my wife i was out of town on a business trip. For some reason my wife didn't know that somehow her brother rented movies from that location on our account. When i came home i noticed some DVD' movies and she said her brother bought them and left them here and just when back to his home town in Ohio.

Months later all of a sudden i started to get phone calls from this collections agency that says we owe on this... At this point my wife and i NEVER knew about any of the details in the above paragraph, so we told the collections that i have NEVER made a late payment in my life and my credits been spotless and that i hope they have not touched my credit regarding this issue. I asked them whom do i write and fax to a letter of writing this amount off and our complaint on what my wife and i labeled as a fraudulent issue which may force us to seek legal council if this was not written off immediately by the next Monday with a folloup phone that its been written off.
My wife and i explained to the collections that we need proof of signature by the person who rented out the movies(some receipt if possible to see the signature) so we can proove to them my wife and I were not even there nor rented them out nor do we know who did. We still have not told them that its her brother obviously because its her brother (a family member whom she does care for).

I have sent these faxes too many times literally of the same letter for a settlement to write it off and requesting a call back on the status of this. We still have never received any communication ever since then. We also requested no calls regarding collections any longer. They all of a sudden have stopped calling us, its been about a month now , no phone calls. BUT what i need to know is if our letter did really work, and if its been written off. And if it has not been written off what do you advise me to do?

Thanks so much,

Paul

 

[Zigner]

What is the name of your state? ARIZONA

Hello, i had an account with hollywood video and my wife and i never rented from there except for twice. So it sat idle for some time, then my wife's young brother came out and of course has had some immature juvenile/delinquent issues in his life, involving theft and just accidents, and problems with abusing pharmacuticals like zanax etc. He's still sorta like this. But when he was here visiting with my wife i was out of town on a business trip. For some reason my wife didn't know that somehow her brother rented movies from that location on our account. When i came home i noticed some DVD' movies and she said her brother bought them and left them here and just when back to his home town in Ohio.

Months later all of a sudden i started to get phone calls from this collections agency that says we owe on this... At this point my wife and i NEVER knew about any of the details in the above paragraph, so we told the collections that i have NEVER made a late payment in my life and my credits been spotless and that i hope they have not touched my credit regarding this issue. I asked them whom do i write and fax to a letter of writing this amount off and our complaint on what my wife and i labeled as a fraudulent issue which may force us to seek legal council if this was not written off immediately by the next Monday with a folloup phone that its been written off.
My wife and i explained to the collections that we need proof of signature by the person who rented out the movies(some receipt if possible to see the signature) so we can proove to them my wife and I were not even there nor rented them out nor do we know who did. We still have not told them that its her brother obviously because its her brother (a family member whom she does care for).

I have sent these faxes too many times literally of the same letter for a settlement to write it off and requesting a call back on the status of this. We still have never received any communication ever since then. We also requested no calls regarding collections any longer. They all of a sudden have stopped calling us, its been about a month now , no phone calls. BUT what i need to know is if our letter did really work, and if its been written off. And if it has not been written off what do you advise me to do?

Thanks so much,

Paul

You can't ignore this and hope it goes away. You should contact the store directly and inquire as to what has been done.
Their next step will be to turn this over to a collection agency, and then it WILL be a mark on your credit.

 

[Caveman]

Paul, paul paul... you must love you wife a lot.

 

[fairisfair]

Paul, paul paul... you must love you wife a lot.

If memory serves me, both sides of this family has their share of "issues"

 

[TigerD]

Months later all of a sudden i started to get phone calls from this collections agency that says we owe on this... At this point my wife and i NEVER knew about any of the details in the above paragraph, so we told the collections that i have NEVER made a late payment in my life and my credits been spotless and that i hope they have not touched my credit regarding this issue. I asked them whom do i write and fax to a letter of writing this amount off and our complaint on what my wife and i labeled as a fraudulent issue which may force us to seek legal council if this was not written off immediately by the next Monday with a folloup phone that its been written off.

Now that's rich. You owe it.

My wife and i explained to the collections that we need proof of signature by the person who rented out the movies(some receipt if possible to see the signature) so we can proove to them my wife and I were not even there nor rented them out nor do we know who did. We still have not told them that its her brother obviously because its her brother (a family member whom she does care for).

Nonsense, your account + Your family member = your debt.

I have sent these faxes too many times literally of the same letter for a settlement to write it off and requesting a call back on the status of this. We still have never received any communication ever since then. We also requested no calls regarding collections any longer. They all of a sudden have stopped calling us, its been about a month now , no phone calls. BUT what i need to know is if our letter did really work, and if its been written off. And if it has not been written off what do you advise me to do?

You should pay it before it gets any worse.

See, you made a claim of fraud. They are going to research it (maybe - I wouldn't. I'd tell you that's your problem, grab your checkbook.) and then come back for their money. You might want to take care of this before it hits the credit report.

 

[aant]

My understanding is when you sign someone else's name to something, that would be fraudulent. However, your family member didn't sign anything at a video store right? This isn't like identity theft or criminal fraud or forgery. He just had a good time getting his little movies on your account. That makes me think there's nothing in writing to indicate fraud or any other misrepresentation that would relieve you/wife of the debt, which means you would be responsible.
Pretty bad when you gotta lock up your video membership cards...