We just got a letter from a collection agency called Alliance One affiliated with Citicorp Credit Services Inc. Husbans was a bit on the short end of the stick employment wise, and thus this did not get paid. We notified Citibank about it, so they jacked our APRs and almost immediately sent it to collections. Husband just got a job so I was hoping we would manage to make the first payment before it went to collection, but it's obviously too late now. Tell me, do I even bother with validation, or do we just make payment arrangements with the collector? Is it worth it at all to call\write the original creditor and try to take the account out of collections? I can't stick a post it note to this collector. The letter is proper, without any threats with all the pertinent information listed and with all the disclaimers. Even the amount of the debt checks out. Nothing on the credit reports yet. TIA for any comments. TexanCSI
You should still request validation within the first 30 days. At the very least it will give you some breathing room, and at the very best they might continue collection activity which would provide you with some leverage for a settlement.
Thanks for your response. Speaking of buying time: would it be a good idea to send the validation letter towards the end of the 30 day period? TexanCSI (having a panic attack, not sure why)
Bleh. Let me clear some stuff up. This debt was accrued because of divorce proceedings and a certain ex-wife not living up to her part of the deal. We were overpaying this credit card as long as my husband had a job, but then it was either food or credit card, and we went with food. The post-divorce soap opera is still in court, and it doesn't look like anything is going to get ordered\settled for a while. This debt was quite certainly not incurred by living above our means. This is a validation letter that my husband came up with: ======================= TexanCSI's Husband Little Street Little Town, Little State Debt Collector Whatever Street Whatever Town, Whatever State +++Certified Mail Return Receipt Requested+++ Re: Account #Whatever Dear Sir or Madame, I am in receipt of your letter dated Whatever September 2004. This letter is not a refusal to pay, but a request for validation made pursuant to FDCPA. I hereby request that you provide me with: 1. The name, address and contact numbers for the original creditor. 2. Documentation showing that the original creditor has granted you the authority to collect this debt, and defining under what type of authority from the original collector are you attempting to collect this debt. 3. Documentation showing that this debt is owed by me and how this debt was incurred. I will consider your written answer to this letter being timely if it is received by me no later than 30 October 2004. Sincerely, TexanCSI's Husband ======================== Does this letter make sense? Any and all input is welcome. TexanCSI
