HELP!!!! Part 2

[K7Kate]

What is the name of your state? PA
I had posted a few days ago about how a debt collection agency and how Sprint was going to recall the balance and I could pay thru them. Well, we contacted Sprint again today and they said they found out they cannot recall it. I am so frustrated they have to deal with this collection agency after they verbally abused me, insulted me and refused what I could offer to pay. Now it seems I'm stuck with them. Do I have no option here? I'm considering paying the debt off by putting it on a credit card just to get the psychos off my back. I do not want to talk to these people over the phone. I refuse to call there anymore. I know I'm rambling, I'm very upset. If I contact them via mail and ask for some sort of form that I can mail my payment in, do they have to abide by that? Past history, they will only accept payment over the phone! Now that this balance is stuck with this agency I don't know what to do. Here I am, owning up to debt I owe, trying to pay it the best I can, have consistenly paid something for the past 7 months and look what it's gotten me!!!!!!!!
Please, any advice.....I'm begging!!!!!!

 

[Ummonx]

send them a registered cease and desist letter. That should eliminate the harassing phone calls.

Here is a link to a letter

http://www.ihatedebt.com/Cease_and_Desist_Letter_for_Debt_Collectors.html

 

[K7Kate]

Thank you for your reply but they are not harassing me with phone calls. All I want to do is pay off the debt with a monthly payment I can afford. That is not good enough for them. I don't want to have the account closed and have them say I refused to pay......I'm only refusing to pay what 'they' want me to pay! It's stupid....I'm about to give up!

 

[Ummonx]

how much are you dealing with here?

 

[K7Kate]

The balance was originally almost $600, but over the months I have gotten down to just under $300....I just wanted to keep making payments, that's all.

 

[Ummonx]

I wouldn't worry about it, simply send in what your sending them every month and tell them to go to hell. They are not going to sue you over 300 bucks. In the unlikely event they do, by the time they get to court the balance will probably be so low you can settle.

meanwhile if you want them to stop calling send the cease and desist letter. even better ask for validation of the debt.

 

[Ummonx]

oh my apologies, you said they only take payments over the phone. I wouldn't give them your CC. Just tell them you dont have one and see what they say.

 

[K7Kate]

Thank you for your thoughts. My husband was talking to Sprint (the original creditor) and they said if I don't pay anything this debt will probably eventually make it's way back into the collection agency pool anyway.....maybe I'll deal with it then. I tried to do the best I could at the time and did get the bill cut in half......I don't know, I was just trying to do the right thing!
Thanks again!

 

[Ladynred]

It is the standard line of ALL CA's that they 'can't take payments' and can 'only take payments by phone' - HORSECRAP !!!! Same goes for that 'refusal to pay' line. Its done JUST to get an emotional reaction out of you !! It means NOTHING !! For an amount that small, do as already advised, keep sending in your payments, regularly and make sure you keep a record of EVERY payment. DO NOT use personal checks, get cashiers checks from any other bank but your own or the post office. Send in the payments 'receipt requested' - doesn't have to be certified - but that tells you when it was delivered to them. They will take your money, $300 is not something they'll go to the expense of suing you over, especially if you continue to pay them.

Let me say too, you are under NO obligation whatsoever to call them, no matter what they say !! No one has a gun to your head to make you call anyone - so DON'T - don't waste your time or your breath on them, its not worth it.

 

[K7Kate]

Thank you LadynRed. One other thing I wanted to ask and forgot to. When my hubby called at talked to the CA, the lady on the phone started questioning him about our income and things like that. Do CA's have any right to know how much money we make, our place of employment, etc? To me, it doesn't seem to be any of their business.
Also, the 2 payments I had already made to this agency were over the phone. If I do continue to pay and mail in the payments, the only address I have is that on the original letter they sent me. Would that be sufficient? I am worrying a lot and spending way to much time on these crazy people...but like I said....I just wanted to do the right thing!
Thanks again!

 

[Ladynred]

When my hubby called at talked to the CA, the lady on the phone started questioning him about our income and things like that. Do CA's have any right to know how much money we make, our place of employment, etc?

No, its none of their business and you do NOT have to answer any of their invasive questions. The CA was trying to find out if you have assets and an income that could be garnished, etc., etc. and unless there's a judgment against you and you're facing a debtor's exam, there's no reason for you to answer them.

the only address I have is that on the original letter they sent me. Would that be sufficient?

Yes, that would be sufficient.

Unfortunately this is one of those times when you can say ' no good deed goes unpunished' !

 

[K7Kate]

I'm learning so much here and I want to thank everyone who is replying to me!
The more I learn the more questions I have.
I have yet to pull any of my credit reports since this has happened with the CA. I'm wondering how this is looking on my credit. Even if I do choose to pay the remaining balance....how does that look on a credit report? I guess it's marred by the simple fact it was in collections. Does it get removed once I pay the debt?
If I get a cashier's check with my credit card and mail it to this company they have to put it to my balance, correct? I don't want to charge my card, send this payment and have nothing happen. Then I have the charge I'll be paying and nothing came of it. Does this make sense, what I'm asking? I know what I'm trying to ask, not sure if I'm wording it correctly.
I just want to get it taken care of any way I can without having to directly deal with them ever again!

 

[Ladynred]

The CA may or may not be reporting, you'll have to pull your reports. The fact that its in collections, whether the CA reports or not (which IS bad), then Sprint will show the delinquency and that will be hit enough in itself. Unfortunately, if you pay this, its not going to get it off your reports, UNLESS you send them a letter offering to pay in full in return for deletion of the CA tradeline (if its there) or being reported by Sprint as "paid as agreed' or at least just 'paid'.

If you send them a cashiers check for the remaining balance, YES, they MUST apply it to the account. Just make sure the account number is on the check. They cannot apply the payment anywhere else.

 

[K7Kate]

Well, I pulled my 3 credit reports and it's not as bad as I was expecting, but it's been better. Both Sprint and the CA are reporting to the bureaus.
Here is my plan and I would like to hear if anyone thinks this may be a good idea.
I think I want to contact Sprint, the original creditor and pay the remaining balance if they will report that the debt has been paid. What is the best way to go about this? Should I request everything in writing, send in a payment, what?
2nd, if I do pay this off with Sprint and they report this what happens with the CA report on me? Does that just stay there.......
What would you do?

 

[Ladynred]

What would I do ?? I sure as hell wouldn't pay the CA if Sprint will accept your payment in full. Write a letter and offer full payment. In return, they report it as paid on your reports and call off the collection agency. If they can't call them off, then ask for a confirmation letter from Sprint stating that they've accepted your payment and that the account is paid in full. You might even be able to fax the letter to expedite the process. Send the 'paid in full' letter to the CA and tell them to get lost and remove their entries from your credit report they no long have anything to collect.