After months of trying to "keep up" I was not making even the minimum payments on a macy's card-- (new job with less income- made adjusting nearly impossible)-- I would pay "something"-- but the calls (from India!) kept coming-- the letters kept coming-- I explained my situation over and over and they always "made a note" of the situation and then 24 hours later someone else was calling-- I felt terrible. Yesterday I received a letter from a collection agency (Omni Collections) alerting me that my Macy's account had been turned over to them and if I didn't notify them within 30 days of the validity of the debt then they would consider it accurate. (It is accurate- and I have every intention of paying this debt-- but it has been difficult). My question is what should my next step be-- should I send a letter letting them know what I can afford to pay and ask them to agree? Should I include a check for that amount and assume they have accepted the agreement if they cash it? I am thinking phone calls should not be the way to go as I am afraid of the accuracy of the notes following phone calls--- My stomach is in knots-- please someone with knowledge of these kind of things give me a bit of advice. Thank you so much.
$3420.00-- realistically- I could commit to paying it off in 24 months-- ($100 - $150 a month-- getting paid on commission type pay scale it is hard to commit to 150 each month-- but some months I may be able to pay 150 others only 100) -- this is less than what the min. payment was each month(165) -- plus interest and late charges and over the limit charges kept applying-- Macy's refused to "freeze" these charges even with documentation of job loss earlier in the year. Thanks for any advice.
The CA will be able to validate the debt, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't ask for validation anyhow. How high up the food chain did you manage to get with the OC? Typically, lower level 'operators' especially outsourced ones which most company's use, may not be able to do things that can be be accomplished at higher levels in the food chain... One thing that I've done was contact the corporate offices, escalate the call to the highest office that I could (try asking for the President's office) then after explaining the situation, they may transfer you to someone who is ONE STEP BELOW the executive offices; but chances are that that will still be higher than you may have been able to get by asking for supervisor after supervisor...
I never got very far at all with Macy's-- Everytime I phoned they were rude and would transfer me from someone being extremely rude and unable to speak or understand English very well to someone even more rude - then after many many minutes of wasted time and having to wait while they "made notes" of our conversation-- within 24 hours I was getting a phone call from someone else who had no record of the previous call-- it was very frustrating. I feel the damage is done now and my best bet is to move on and start the recovery--- I am just unsure of my first step. Thanks for any advice- Hope B.
Any advice from anyone as to what the first step should be? Go ahead and send the validation letter? A phone call to set up arrangements or a certified letter including a check for what I feel I could pay consistently monthly-- and specifically-- in an agreement that I would have to pay MONTHLY is there any verbage in your opinion I should definitely include in the letter? Thanks for any advice and thanks for this board it has been VERY useful as I scan other threads.
Call the executive offices. Explain the problems you have been having with their customer service people, and that you are trying to PAY them.
Do a search at the BBB web site for Macys... Don't call via the number on the card, and try to work UP... Jump to the roof, and rappel back down... You can get higher up the food chain by starting at the top, and working back... You won't speak with the PRESIDENT/CEO, but their offices will have direct contacts to the highest level supervisory staff members who can get things done.
OC will not discuss payment arrangements-- they keep telling me it is too late-- the account was turned over to outside agency. Now what? Should I call CA and let them know what I can pay? Should I make them validate (even tho I know it is legit min. payments just became a problem to keep up with)-- I am really afraid of this situation-- it is waking me up at night worrying about what this CA can do-- can they garnish my check even though I am trying to make SOME arrangements? Can they arrest me? I know these may sound silly but it has me scared.
Hope: CA's would have to sue to garnish, and unlike a lot of CA's try to claim, there's nothing criminal about falling behind in your bills. What offices told you that it was too late? Did you call the EXECUTIVE OFFICES for Macy's? It may take work to get to the executive offices, but it'll be worth it.