Brandi has been the one that has contacted me in the past; it's either she likes to or the company makes her play hardball. I was never abrasive or saying i wouldn't pay the bill or even denying the bill! 1st time i spoke with her she was all "legal fees" this, "court" that, "garnish your wages", "send us proof of income and we'll take 25% of what you earn". HA! no, you won't! She was even interrogating me about an out of date work info she had on file (from 2008!) and didn't believe me when i told her where i WAS working because my former job was "acting like i was still there" (no, they were gatekeeping with standard phrases, like we were all taught: "I'm sorry, she's not available, i can take a message" which they would call and tell me, because they all still know me and talk to me). uh, no; i don't tolerate those types well. Yes, i have a bill, but the fact of the matter is if i can't pay right now, i can't pay. I plan on paying, i'm trying to get money together TO pay, but it's not easy. I had my tax return come back and had a choice: pay most of dental, or pay all of my other small debts. of course, i chose to get rid of my several other debts, because that's several interest rates taken care of. Don't threaten people you want money from. A lot of us don't scare easy. If i have to choose to keep a roof over my daughters and I head or pay a bill, i'll let the bill slide a bit.
Brandi left a message yesterday. I called back and got Jamie. Evidently someone named Ashley used my social security number to receive services at North Cascade Cardiology in Bellingham. I explained that my name is not Ashley, I have no idea who Ashley is and that my signature would not appear on any of the documents. The services were rendered in 2009. It's 2013. I asked why I wasn't contacted before this. I explained that this is not my debt. Jamie tried telling me that the burden of proof lies with me. I suspect that I might be the victim of identity theft.
Too bad for "Ashley" that the burden of proof lies with her employer and NOT you:
§ 809. Validation of debts [15 USC 1692g]
(a) Within five days after the initial communication with a consumer in connection with the collection of any debt, a debt collector shall, unless the following information is contained in the initial communication or the consumer has paid the debt, send the consumer a written notice containing --
(1) the amount of the debt;
(2) the name of the creditor to whom the debt is owed;
(3) a statement that unless the consumer, within thirty days after receipt of the notice, disputes the validity of the debt, or any portion thereof, the debt will be assumed to be valid by the debt collector;
(4) a statement that if the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, the debt collector will obtain verification of the debt or a copy of a judgment against the consumer and a copy of such verification or judgment will be mailed to the consumer by the debt collector; and
(5) a statement that, upon the consumer's written request within the thirty-day period, the debt collector will provide the consumer with the name and address of the original creditor, if different from the current creditor.
(b) If the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period described in subsection (a) that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, or that the consumer requests the name and address of the original creditor, the debt collector shall cease collection of the debt, or any disputed portion thereof, until the debt collector obtains verification of the debt or any copy of a judgment, or the name and address of the original creditor, and a copy of such verification or judgment, or name and address of the original creditor, is mailed to the consumer by the debt collector.
(c) The failure of a consumer to dispute the validity of a debt under this section may not be construed by any court as an admission of liability by the consumer.
THANK YOU!!! I was told that my identity had probably been stolen and given the indication that my financial life was in jeopardy. I am 62 and living on a low fixed income. I have worked all my life,, began paying social security at age 16,, I have outstanding credit and do not have time for this. I was told that this was already on my credit report and that there were probably many more. I was finally able to weed through all the credit reporting scams and find out that you can obtain a free credit report from a website that is not a scam
https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/check
but they don't give you your actual credit rating. They would like you to pay monthly for the rest of your life for that.
My credit report was spotless. That tells me that Jamie was trying to intimidate me.
Armed with the info you provided and my credit report I will not be cordial if I am contacted about this matter again.