You're 100% correct. DON'T PAY THEM A DIME. It is a zombie debt and the law is on your side. Most of the time they can't even send you records of the debt, since most companies only sell the them your name and amount due. They don't give them any more information. I have a debt that is 18 years old, that was a phone bill my nephew used to call 900 numbers. I didn't want to press charges, but refused to pay the amount. It was over $400. Verizon wrote of the debt and it fell of my credit report after the SOL expired. They call asking me to pay it, to settle it for $100. But if you do, it will go on your credit report once again. Don't send them a dime or promise anything. Best to ask for proof to be mailed to you, which they don't have, or hang up. Don't talk to these vultures for debt over your state's SOL, you are asking for trouble if you do promise them anything. They record every call to be used in court if they want to go that far. They won't, because they lose most of the judgments on old debt. NOW, if you debt is within the SOL, ask for PROOF. Again, ask for written PROOF. They must furnish you that in order to continue any collections. Most of the time they don't have it, so you know you are safe. IF they do mail you proof, which I am telling from experience, they don't have, then you may have to work out a deal. Otherwise if the amount is large enough they can take you to court. But you can always threaten them with you are considering filing BANKRUPTCY. That word scares them more than you hanging up. Because if you file bankruptcy, they have very little chance of collecting nothing. Present laws do protect consumers, but debt is always eligible to be collected. THERE IS NO law stopping a company or person from collecting a valid debt, even after the SOL has expired. What the SOL does provide you is with a legal collection period in which a company can take you to court, it is within 3 to 10 years, depending on the state you live in. Florida is 7 years. The law needs to change about how to collect zombie debt. I have written my Senator about passing laws stating only the original debt collector can call you after the SOL. This would stop this selling of old or written of debt by companies to vultures like Portfolio Recovery. My advice to you is to hang up, block the call, etc if the debt is passed SOL. THEY will never stop calling. I have asked for proof of my debt several times and it does it get me about 2 months of no phone calls, then, BAM the calls, return. THEY ARE SCUM and they know it.
got a call from this number. I didn't answer because I knew it would probably be these stupid b.a.s.t.a.r.d.s. I inherited the cell phone number from another person. I don't even bother answering, I just add the number to my contacts as # so and so and set the ring to no ring...I have an older phone, the next phone I get I hope will have an ignore or block function. I have quite a collection of no ring numbers as I have learned this company seems to have a bazillion numbers that they use. I have 26 no ring numbers now. It's become a game anymore to see how many numbers I can collect. My advice to anyone is not to answer the phone if you get an unrecognizable number because talking to these fools will do no good as another person's entry stated.
These guys are scammers - collecting a "20 year old debt" fishing for social numbers etc to no doubt use in their scam.
One attempt was from a 20 year old debt for my 21 year old daughter - yep, I'm sure HER credit debt from when she was not even walking yet was legit. Scam scum of the earth. I hope hell is real, just for people like these.
These guys are not legit - they are trying to collect on debts from '20 years ago' - scammers trying to get you to old address/social security numbers/etc. no doubt to use in future identity theft.
They are also rude, uncouth, have no legitimate incoming telephone number - all the signs of illegitimate business collectors.
In our case the 20 year old debt was for my 21 year old daughter... they should have checked facts a bit closer... she wasn't doing much shopping by herself at 1 year old.