My husband got a new collection letter yesterday. The first odd thing about it is that the first name on it is his business name. We just recently registered that name so this supposed collection could not possibly have been connected to the business at all. It would have been at least 8 years ago. Here is the letter: Dear Sir or Madam Your account with the State of Colorado, Central Collection Services (CCS) is listed as one of the accounts handles by I. M. Gonnagetu and Associates for with judgement (yes, spelled this way) has been determined. As a result of changing attorneys, CCS is in the process of verifying its account records. Please assist us in confirming that proper credit has been given to your account. Our records indicate a balance due of $150. If you dispute this amount please submit to CCS any documentation, such as copies of checks or other types of payments, correspondence, judgements, court documents etc. that you may have concerning your account. Without this documentation, your account file and any monetary deficit will be considered owed and payable. To avoid any misunderstanding and to have your account properly credited for all payments made, please send copies of your documentation to the address below with in thirty days. Blahh...blah...blah Ok....so, is it just me or did they just ask him to send the documentation they need to validate this debt????? I don't think so!!!! Also, in the first paragraph, are they saying they have a judgment against him? He knows of no judgment and he has not had one on his CR. Also....is the validation processes any different because this is a state government collection? Or is it the same as any other one? I plan on sending out a validation letter out Monday morning. On a side note....so glad I found this board....pre-creditnet, this letter would have freaked me out!!! G
What makes you think the delinquent account is with the State of Colorado, other than them using those words in the letter? Does he really owe money to the state of CO? If those typos aren't yours, I am inclined to wonder if this isn't some kind of scam? What is the return address? Postmark? Anything else to indicate who it really came from?
Breeze, I can't imagine that it is an out and out scam. The post mark is from Denver and with the State of CO officail mail stamp on it. He lived in CO for 4 years (coming back here 8 years ago). He had dealings with a couple of different CO state agencies while out there. He has had many dealings with the Support Division, but unless something was overlooked somewhere, there should not be any additional outstanding debt there. He also went to the U of CO for a few semesters and at one point owed them money (since been paid). And, lastly, he once had a speeding ticket there and he fought it and won. Literally for YEARS after that, they still sent him collection notices on that. So, it COULD be coming from any of these places. What do you think, validation letter? Thanks. G
8 years ago or not, people will still try anything to get you to pay something. If they can get you to say you paid them, then they can say that you STILL owe money. CA's will keep your name in files forever and cross reference them against business names and property owners. Looks like they hit the nail on the head and sent you a letter. Seems a bit of BS to me. If it was really from the state of Co. then they would say you owe it to such and such department (ie: Got a ticket, owe Denver County $150 + Fee's). I agree, Certified Validation is the way to go.
