Beware of Zombies!

[EEinNJ]

A Zombie debt collector came after me yesterday, so I wanted to pass along what happened, a prior experience with this- and HOW TO KILL ZOMBIES!

Background: A couple of years ago my wife was in some credit card trouble, so when a Zombie collection agency called claiming a several thousand dollar debt but offering a settlement, I initially thought it was legitimate. The scary thing was how much information they had- her birthdate, ssn#, cc accounts and balances. But the accounts they claimed to be collecting on never existed!
They threatened to go to court, get a judgment- but we called their bluff knowing they couldn't prove anything. These operations are called zombies because they bring a debt back to life ( or simply make one up), try to scare you- and if that doesn't work, they sell the "debt" to another zombie operation that will try all over again.

Present: I get an automated phone call saying it's a debt collector (that I never heard of) trying to collect a past-due $171.28. Push 1 to arrange payment...
I get a person on the line- and start asking questions. It's about a bill from a company I never heard of, and the address they had, I haven't lived at in 8 years. Completely bogus!

Zombie Repellent: Do Not Give Out ANY information! Do Not admit to anything, do not agree the debt is valid, do not say you will pay anything!
By law they must be able to validate the debt- where it came from, how much it was, etc. If it is over 7 years old, they cannot collect and cannot put it on your credit report- UNLESS you restart the clock by making a payment or otherwise admitting it is a valid debt. Be firm, do not be intimidated. Be prepared to write letters and/or threaten to call the FTC and your state's consumer affairs dept. Fight back- ZOMBIES MUST DIE!

[Broken Arrow]

Wow, so they just made a claim out of thin air? Yeah, fight them into the ground.

Also FYI, but I think just by talking to outfits like these and they will restart your clock. Not right you say? Well, they're not exactly the scrupulous type, are they?

[boosami]

Also FYI, but I think just by talking to outfits like these and they will restart your clock. Not right you say? Well, they're not exactly the scrupulous type, are they?

Statute of limitation laws like this vary from state to state.

Typically the best thing to do in a situation like this with a very old or unknown debt is to hang up the phone immediately, and stop taking the calls from them. If they threaten to sue, harass you, or abuse you in any way, report them to the FTC. Do not offer to pay, settle, or admit to the debt in any way. Write a letter demanding they stop contacting you by phone (they have to comply by law). Send it certified or registered mail with a return receipt so you have proof of when it was received. Monitor your credit report to make sure they don't re-report the item, and if they do try to dispute it with the credit reporting agency. If it is not a valid debt, they will not be able to verify and it will be removed from your credit report.

[wnlbutterfly]

We had one that my husband kept telling them "no, that isn't our debt" and he finally hung up, THEN the guy called back, using a private number (that is all it showed on the caller ID), and immediately calling my husband names, including calling him a child molester. I am not sure how on earth someone goes from trying to collect money to calling you such outlandish things.

We made a complaint with the company and of course they sent a letter stating there was no misconduct. Seriously? Do they tell them in training class that this would be a good way to get money?

[boosami]

We made a complaint with the company and of course they sent a letter stating there was no misconduct.

It's worthless to complain to the collection agency. Report any misconduct to your state Attorney General's office and the Federal Trade Commission. If you really want to complain to the collection agency, feel free to send them copies of the letters you sent to your AGO and the FTC