I emailed C.O. asking for my balance (closed account) and was informed that I'd need to call the 8oo#. I don't like calling as there is no hard proof of agreements. I did a credit check and my 'collections balance' was still listed. If I'd known they weren't going to deduct it from my balance I'd sent it to the listed collections agency (BUT I HATE THOSE GUYS!). Will be calling both to see what's going on. Did I make a mistake by sending payment to C.O. instead of to collections? THX 4 UR input
Probably so. How did you pay? If you didn't pay using a bank certified cashier's check and sending certified mail return receipt requested then you have probably made a mistake. Debt collectors aren't known for their honesty. If they were such paragons of honesty as they might like the public and the courts to believe there would not be so many states that demand debt collectors be licensed, bonded and insured. Collection agency licensing is not to protect consumers. It is to protect the banks and other creditors from debt collectors who collect but fail to pay the creditors. Collectors are forced to keep the creditor's money in separate accounts until it is paid to the banks and they must report how much is in those accounts periodically. That helps the states to spot the worst of the crooks. Even that don't keep them completely honest. They still find ways to beat anyone dumb enough to trust them. They claim they return billions of dollars to the economy but if that is true it is only because they spent it on employee salaries, business expenses, expensive homes and cars. Never trust a debt collector to do anything but steal. That's just one of the reasons they never give the consumer a receipt for his money.
