Hello. I have been reading posts, for a while, and I guess I need some help from some of you. As You saw in my post...bad things happen to good people, my story is this: My 3 month old daughter died in Oct. 2002, of SIDS, and ever since then, we have not been able to pay our credit cards(about 15 - 20K all together). We used any available funds to pay for funeral..etc. After that my husband went back to work, and we were behind on everything else, and all we could afford to pay were mortgage, car, utilities, groceries. So long story short...i stopped paying my credit card bills.(I know...stupid) I have since finally found the strength to go back to work part time. I know I owe this money to all the credit card companies, but I do not have the money to pay them. I now have ca's calling and threatening to sue, and garnish wages. I have all charge-off on my credit reports, and a few CA's. I have ignored their letters, until now, I want to resolve this without filing BK. I know I owe this money, but I do not know where to start? Any help with this would be greatly appreciated. Amy
YOU may know you owe the money, but they have to prove they know you owe it. Send a validation letter to every collection agency who is after you. Search the board for some sample letters, but I think simple is better. You can just say something like you want proof that this is yours and that the amount is correct. What you are doing is trying to catch them in violations. Then you can get them to remove the information and move on. Search the boards and do a lot of reading. You may even make some money along the way, but don't make that your primary goal. Remember, if they can't prove it, they have to stop contacting you and they have to remove it from your credit reports! Good luck!!
Hedwig- Thank You very much for your imput. I don't want people to think I am a deadbeat for not paying the bills I owe(which is what I was called from one CA) & they also told me to grow up and pay my bills like the rest of us adults! They really have some gull....they don't know what my situation is, nor do they care as long as they get their money. Will CA's really delete info. on my credit report if they cannot fully validate? Thanks again Amy
That's the law. They can't report inaccurate information. Of course, as you'll see when you do some research, it sometimes takes a lawsuit to get them to comply. And one of the first things we tell people is DON'T TALK TO CAs (Collection Agencies). They'll twist your words and make it seem you said what you didn't. When you send them the validation letter, include what we call a limited cease and desist--tell them you do not wish to communicate by phone, that all future contacts are to be in writing. Not only will you not say something you shouldn't, you have proof of what was said.
Amy, first off, as a mother, I would like to say how sorry I am for the loss of your child - I can't even begin to imagine your pain. 1. Order yours and DH's credit report from each of the individual credit bureaus. 2. While waiting for those to arrive, read read read everything you can get your hands on here. 3. Stop talking to CA's. Hang up on them and don't regret it for a second. Do not let them even begin to engage you in discussion. Any that you happen to talk to - write down the name of the company and exactly what they said + date and time of call. Do you have caller ID? - then screen your calls. Change your phone number to an unlisted number Rule No. 1 - How do you tell a CA is lieing? Their lips are moving. No they don't care about your problems. Yes, they will call you everything in the book. Know and understand that is not what the rest of the world thinks of you! Stop beating yourself up! Stick around and soon you will learn how to handle them. Most of us enjoy torturing CA's now. It can be theraputic
