OK, I just received a form letter in the mail from Viking Collection regarding a credit card account that has gone to collections. The form is a validation that states .....I dispute this debt, spaces to list the reasons for dispute, blanks to check if I want to see copy of original contract, copies of statements, itemized statement of balance due, name of original creditor, and other. This form was mailed to me obviously to let me ask them for validation. I have never heard of this and wonder if I should answer. Btw, this form must have crossed my own validation letter in the mail to them. What do you think, has this happened to anyone else?
Sounds like they are trying to get you to hang yourself.They are supposed to answer these questions not you! What they sent you is not validation it's confession!
NO NO NO......it is a form ASKING ME what it is that I want to see from them. They are not asking ME to fill in the blanks or provide any information other than to ask what I want to see from them to validate the debt.
I'll bet they're asking you to include your Social Security Number or Drivers License number or maybe even your signature or other items that will confirm for them that no validation is needed since you would be VALIDATING YOUR OWN DEBT. Beware forms that look friendly. Collection agencies do NOT buy debts so that they can help to forgive them with debtors. Rather, they are in business to be profitable. Buying bad debts and collecting them is a lucrative business. CAs are not charitable organizations, and no form that they send anybody is designed to help anyone but them -- even if it looks otherwise to you at first glance. If they didn't send you the letter certified mail with return-receipt requested, then they'll never know if you in fact received the document. Perhaps you didn't. Stick with your original validation letter. Then, if they don't respond within the 30 days you're providing, send them the estoppel letter. Doc
This is what the form looks like.....I was not going to sign my name of put the account number on the form... I have just never seen anything like this coming from a CA Joe Debtor 1234 Anywhere Road Anywhere, USA I dispute the entire/a portion of the (circle one) debt. The reason(s) for my dispute are: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ I would like to see: (check the ones you wish): 1. A copy of the original contract _______ 2. Copies of statements _______ 3. An itemized statement of the balance due _______ 4. Name/address of original creditor if different from current creditor _______ 5. Other (please specify) _______ By:_______________________________(Your Name) Account #_____________________ Date:_______ This is an attempt to collect a debt. Any information obtained will be used for that purpose. VIKING COLLECTION SERVICE SW
No trick questions there. Perhaps a) this is an ethical, law-abiding collections business; b) they read consumer boards like this one and are gearing up to withstand the onslought. Just don't sign your name, - print it, check off the ones you want to see and send it back certified, RRR.
