With regards to assignments: "Case law tells us that even though a creditor can legally assign an account to a collector, it is not enforceable unless the debtor agrees to the assignment. The collector has no standing to collect without your consent. The agreement can be established by making a payment to the collector. This is called "consideration."
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The problem that I see with this statement is when you enter an agreement with a credit card company, etc., your cardholder agreement specifically states that your account can be assigned for collections. You agree to this when you sign the back of the card and use it.