In a different, and agonizingly long thread, "Burned" stated s/he ignored the phone call(s), and later ignored the delivered documentation (summons?), because s/he did not like the looks of the person who delivered the documentation.
Posters in that thread asked for proof ... eventually, "Burned" provided the link, as above.
So, we have an example of a person who ignored written letters and (summons?), and did not appear in court to provide a defense. Now, "Burned" is posting statements that the calls were legitimate (no proof there), the letters were ignored, and the (summons?) was issued but ignored.
>> You can't come running to a complaint website and blame everyone else for your lack of due diligence <<
Exactly. "Burned" seems to want to ventilate ... at length ... suggesting the regulars are at fault for stating a mere phone call is not legally sufficient proof of debt. When, in fact, "Burned" is at fault for ignoring the truly sufficient proofs of debt.
Hopefully this thread will not grow to the size of the other one, as all arguments seem to have been made.
If it were me after reviewing what I have read, I would have told them you weren't paying. Now that you have made 2 payments you have opened up the window for them to keep harassing you.
You say they should mail you a letter, what if they email you one that is password protected (I have the password obviously). It states my debt and the correct amount (only a year old after payments stopped.. [***] happens, and bills don't get paid on time). What do you suggest?
I find alex to be pleasant, he understood my situation and is willing to work with me.
In the US a dunning letter is understood to be something made of paper and ink and sent by postal mail. Agencies trying to shortcut this by email or fax without exception have something to hide, usually their utter lack of proof the debt is valid, owed, not time-barred, and so on.
When I studied Provincial analogs to the FDCPA a couple years ago I found interesting variations but a remarkable overall consistency. I would wager that whatever law applies where you live will echo the caution I expressed above, and will not expect you to accept dunning by what is ultimately an insecure medium.
As to your new best friend the "pleasant" and "understanding" collection agent, try not to look surprised if he's still winking and smiling as you take a knife to the spine. Did you forget that "con" as slang for "swindler" comes from the term "confidence man"?