This is my first post and am amazed at the amount of information on this site. Advice Needed My wife and I have had an AMEX green card for about 18 months. Used for business travel average about 10kmonth. We both lost our jobs at the end of 2001. We owe AMEX about 10K right now. I have been told by AMEX(a very good contact that has been very helpful) that it has been referred to a outside CA GC Services. From what I read I should continue to deal with AMEX. I am not sure how. I received 1st notice on Feb 18,2002 from CA. I think my first step is to send validation letter since it is within 30 days??? Do I need to send a Cease and Dissist letter to CA? I have full intentions of paying the debt. I have spoken with the CA several times and has left me disgusted. How do I get this back in AMEX hands? WHat is my best approach protecting my credit along the way? So far nothing negative from this has appeared on any of my credit reports. ANy help will be greatly appreciated.
You can validate any time BUT you have more rights within 30 days. Read and reread the FDCPA and FCRA and this board. NOW. I dont know what your objectives are but I would validate within the 30 day inital period.
Thanks for your input. I have found the FCRA and will continue to read the board. My objective is to pay/settle this debt with the least or hopefully no damage to my credit. Also to somehow get the debt back into Amex. Unfortunately due to my current circumstances I am able to come up with a large amount of money. Any more advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Bobby
Even if you're going to pay, never pay a CA. Whatever Amex says, you can still send them a check (with your old account number). Once you're done paying them, your name would be removed from their blacklist within 12 months. Supervisors should be able to manually approve your future applications even prior to that. Saar
This site is wonderful, I really mean it. I just paid off an amex that had been sent to a ca (they were horrible). I refused to pay them, I sent all my payments to amex, and after numerous letters to amex, they removed the late payments and collections remark from my credit files. I paid off the acct. last month. and was wondering if I was going to be able to ever open an amex acct. To my surprise, I guess the answer is a YES!!!
