Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with collections

Seeking Brio Toy Collector Site

anastasiav — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 08:59:18 -0800

Can anyone recommend a Brio Toy collector website that has complete set lists? (I'm basically looking for a site like This Old Toy but for Brio trains.

Help me fix my credit score.

desjardins — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 06:03:08 -0800

Should I dispute the adverse item on my credit report or just pay it off? Also, will a balance transfer help or hurt me? Last July I moved and closed my account with my old cable company. I returned the equipment and paid the balance. I got a notice saying I owed them $69 but I figured my check had crossed in the mail. I called them and the rep said my account was at $0. So, I forgot about it and ignored the mail they sent me. The cable company itself never called me to get the money. A collection company started leaving messages for me about a month after closing my account, but they didn't say for whom they worked and I never called them back. This company is also notorious for calling the wrong person and as they never said my name, I assumed they must be calling the wrong number. Now the $69 is on my credit report and I'm pissed because 1) I was never told it was going to collections and 2) I don't really owe them the money (unfortunately I have no proof of returning the equipment). I don't have the energy for a drawn-out battle with them - I just want it off my credit report. Should I just pay them or won't it matter?

Another thing hurting me on my score is that I have two credit cards that are maxed out. The interest rates are absolutely obnoxious (28% and 29%). The third one has a really high credit limit and a low balance, and it could easily accommodate the balances of the other two. The balance transfer rate is 9% and the fees would amount to $200. The rate is only good until May 2009 and there's NO WAY I will have them paid off by then, but then the rate just jumps to the normal APR of the card (25%) which is still better than the other two. I have had this card forever and only paid late once. I am likely to be adding another $5000 to the card soon because of the wedding/honeymoon (I'd still have room for the other two balances.) Should I do the balance transfer?

selling Red Sox memorabilia

Dcotton — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 05:13:54 -0800

how would one sell of an extensive Red Sox memorabilia collection? A family member recently died leaving behind a few filing cabinets of Red Sox memorabilia.I am not even sure what is in there but "people who know" say he was a serious collector. We are not in a position to hawk this stuff item by item on ebay or anything but would like to sell it for a reasonable amount as the proceeds would be going to an elderly person who could use the money. I have no idea where to start. Does any one know someone reputable who might assist us?

Do debt collectors have to pay a fee if they call you after you have had an attorney contact them?

Anonymous — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 06:58:11 -0800

Do debt collectors have to pay a fee if they call you after you have had an attorney contact them? I had a dispute with someone over $140, and they have hired a debt collector. I asked my lawyer to take care of it. The agency (who originally implied they are lawyers, but apparently are not) called myself and my husband several times before I had the lawyer take it over.

My mother said if the debt collection agency calls me or my husband again, that they have to pay a $500 fine each time, since they are not supposed to contact us after the lawyer contacts them. The lawyer told them they need to send him some sort of letter explaining the debt, and he will reply.

They have since called my husband 3 times asking him to pay it, when they know I am not paying it and that we have had our attorney involved.

Do they now really owe us $1500? I have searched online and am having trouble finding something to back up my mother's claim, especially with a figure of $500.
If so, can I just pay her out of it and take the rest? Or do we only get it if this goes to court? Or is this nothing?

We are in the state of Texas. My lawyer is in Pennsylvania. He has been out of town for a few days so I have been unable to catch him in office. Figured you guys might be able to explain if this $500 thing is real or not.

(I know this sounds silly over $140. I was willing to just pay the person the money until they started making outrageous claims about what they did and claiming I am using their work. So please don't tell me to just pay it, since not only do I not owe it but they are really messed up.)

Arrrr...where's me treasure, wench?

ninazer0 — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 02:08:49 -0800

What and where are the collections of the worlds best treasure troves? I want to track down the largest collections of gems, gold and jewellery around the world. Recently I was reading about the Iranian Crown Jewels and was gobsmacked by the sheer size of both the individual pieces and the sheer amount of it all.

I know about the English Crown Jewels, of course, and those of other countries. I guess there'd be collections of gems within various Natural History museums in the Geological section. Where else can I feast my eyes (online) on other brilliant baubles?

How do I make phone calls looking for my ex of 15 years ago stop?

dejah420 — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 07:54:18 -0800

I got divorced almost 15 years ago. It was not a friendly divorce, and as such, I've not spoken to the ex since the night I found him in flagrante delicto. I've since remarried, had a kid, bought a house and have a stellar credit rating. Recently I've started to get collection agencies calling the house for the ex's debts. Other than dealing with each individual collection agency as they call at insane hours, is there any sort of general clearing house type place where I can say "I don't know where he is, I don't know what he's doing, and I'm certainly not going to pay his bills?" Is there anything I can do to make the phone calls stop? Do I have any legal recourse at all?

What collection was this found on?

Morrigan — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 18:58:39 -0800

Some years ago, there was a resource available at the counter at record stores that enabled one to determine all the albums or collections that a particular song appeared on... It was in the form of a large, three-hole- (?) punch binder of yellowish or orangish (?) pages.

Is there an online equivalent?

My money went "poof!"

medea42 — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 11:27:53 -0800

What can you do if a collection agency "loses" your payment? I have an outstanding hospital bill I've been paying off for about two years now. I've gotten my financial and health life together as much as I can, and so I'm finally closing the door on that horrendous phase of my life. Unfortunately, the collection agency that my last hospital bill went to isn't quite so helpful. My original bill was under $200. I called for a final balance today, expecting to hear something that was $50 or less and was shocked to find that my final balance was still over $100. When I probed, I found that the last payment posted was in November - and I've sent in several incremental payments since then that have yet to be credited to my account. I used a billpay service at my bank, so I don't have copies of checks, but I do have the amounts deducted from my bank balance. I called my bank and they did give me trace numbers on the checks - all but the most recent one HAS cleared, so that money is sitting in the collection agency somewhere.

Does anyone have any insight into what may have happened here, or what I might have to do about it?

How to stop robotic collection calls (that aren't even for me?)

taumeson — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 11:39:50 -0800

I'm getting repeated collection calls for somebody who used my phone number when running up high bills. Here's the kicker -- the calls are multiple times a day, and BY COMPUTER. Basically, they're asking ME to call THEM to get this sorted out. Is this legal? Is there anything I can do?

Help me make him pay

bove — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 14:05:21 -0800

Has anyone used a collections agency to collect on a judgment from small claims court? I took my landlord to small claims court and won a judgment of $979. I sent him a demand letter. His only reply was that he was pursuing action based on my committing perjury in the case. Now I am smart enough to know that his threat is meaningless (b/c perjury is a criminal offense and I didn't commit it). But, his comment still indicates an extreme unwillingness to pay the judgment owed.

To complicate the matter, the case was in Arizona (Tucson), but he lives in California. It has already been more than 6 months and I am tired of the whole process.

I believe my options are that I could do a debtor's exam, garnish his property (he is retired so no job), or turn the debt over to a collections agency. The problem with the debtor's exam and the garnishment are that with both of them I have to incur lots of extra costs. I have to have him served in another state, I have to get things notarized, etc.

At this point, I would be willing to sacrifice some of the money to have someone else deal with it. Plus, I like the idea of his credit taking a hit, after how much he has acted like a jerk. So, can anyone recommend a collections agency (or a lawyer who specializes in collections)? Also, how does the process work? What is a fair amount for them to take? Do I only get paid if they collect?

I have read some prior threads on this, including this and this. However, in neither thread do people really explain the process of finding and using a collections agency. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Can I sign my check with an obscene gesture?

517 — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 14:22:52 -0800

What kind of mark down do debt collection agencies get on bad private party debt when they buy it? How much do they expect to collect on it? How much does the person selling the debt get?

Never use AAA!

slow graffiti — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 14:50:18 -0800

Help me protect my credit report from corporate idiocy. I have been a AAA member for roadside assistance for several years. This year, I moved before it was time for annual renewal. Despite setting up mail forwarding with the post office, their three letters reminding me to renew never made it to my new address. They do not call to remind you to renew, ever.
About a month after my membership lapsed, I called for a battery jump. They didn't tell me on the phone when I called for a tow truck that my account had lapsed and I assumed everything was fine (that service is free for members and exactly what I had it for). Now, two months later, I finally get a letter forwarded from my old address telling me I owe them $50 for the battery jump and I have one week to pay or it goes to a collections agency. I explain to them that I missed my renewal and their letters due to a move and it was their fault they didn't remind me on the phone at the time of the battery jump, or I would have renewed right then. They didn't tell me I would be billed for the jump on the phone, and of course I never saw a bill. I offered to renew on the phone with the collections person today in return for having the $50 charge erased, but no dice.

So, I really don't want to suck it up and pay them the $50 because it's their fault and they wouldn't accept a very reasonable compromise (I offered to pay late fees on the renewal, whatever), but what kind of impact will it have on my credit if I don't pay? Is there a really good reason other than annoying phone calls not to let this go to collections? Should I try going through someone else at AAA first? I've read the previous AskMes on this, and answers range from "suck it up and pay" to "dispute it with your [State Bureau of Consumer whatever]" to "just ignore the phone calls from collections agents." What's best in this case, for my credit score and my sanity? I've read that even if I pay now, it might still show up on my credit report, and then I'm screwed over twice! I've never been late with any other bill or rent, ever, so I have good credit now (I checked and nothing bad showed up as of today). I'm in CA.

What to do about a sheriff serving papers in another state at an address I don't live at?

Anonymous — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 08:04:20 -0800

A sheriff visited a former address of mine earlier today to serve documents. I'm not sure what these documents were. What is my best course of action other than hiring a lawyer in terms of getting the scoop? The former address is in another state. I think the most likely reasoning is a collection attempt, probably now referred to the courts. I don't mind paying the debt now that it's at this stage, but it seems that calling the attorney submitting collections to this address might be the wrong answer.

I paid you already, leave my credit alone!

Anonymous — Tue, 01 May 2007 21:18:01 -0800

Utility Credit Issue. At the end of March I terminated a natural gas account. I've been sent to a collection agency. The problem? Well, a couple. Let's start with I paid it. March 27: gas company disconnects service and supposedly mails last bill to my new address.

April 13: I hadn't received a bill and call to find out if/when/where they sent it. Find out they sent it on March 27 (I sincerely doubt this, but OK). Agent informs me the payment is due on the 18th. (weird - my bill date is usually the 27 and my due date is usually the 21st of the following month, but ok). Agent offers to mail another copy to my new address. I decline and just ask for the amount due and the address to mail it to.

April 14: (Saturday) I drop payment in the mailbox, but I've missed the "last pickup" time. Crap.

April 16: Postal holiday in my area (WTF?) so that payment doesn't move until Tuesday April 17.

April 23: Payment still hasn't cleared my bank. I get worried and call the gas company. I'm told that they haven't received it. I assure the agent that I mailed it, I explain the date/time snafu and give her the check number. I ask her to make a special note that it is on it's way. She claims to a) do so and b) that they don't place anything in collections for 30 days.

April 24: Payment clears my bank. I look at the scan of the check and it appears that either the gas company or their bank processed it on April 20.

April 30: I receive a notice from a collection company stating that my gas company account has been placed with them for collection. What the F*&$?

a. Aren't there rules about how quickly an account can be placed into collection?

b. Any idea why the due date was shortened?

c. What is my recourse? I am uber careful about my credit and this has really upset me. I don't believe a dang thing these people tell me now and I want to protect my credit rating the best I can.

Note: Yes, I know that *technically* I WAS late, but um, two days??? Also, this is in the states.

Old Debt

poppo — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 13:51:53 -0800

An old debt has found it's way back to me. Should I pay it? If not, is there an optimal strategy for not paying it? So, around 1997 or 1998, I let unpaid phone bills stack up and with with late fees and so on this reached $475. This of course went to collections agencies. I never paid it.

If my memory serves correct, this appeared on my credit report as a negative, thus lowering my score, and stayed there for the seven years that these things are supposed to stay there. I'm not sure when I stopped receiving notices about this debt, but it's been years. To be fair I've moved several times, so it's always possible notices continued to be sent that never reached me. However, I always assumed that once it had gone on to my credit report, it was over and done with.

Fast forward to present day, and I have suddenly received a notice in the mail from a collections agency about this $475, and I'm wondering what to do about it.

Obviously, I realize I owe this debt and I should pay it, but I am interested in the nuts and bolts of what happens if I don't pay, and in what way I should go about it?

If it's already been on my credit report once before, can it go back on again?

If I choose not to pay, in what way should I go about it? Just ignore the letter and do nothing? Call the collections agency and dispute it? If I do dispute it, on what grounds would I do this?

Also, if I do pay it, are there any foreseeable consequences to this? Can they, having received the payment from me, which implies an admission of guilt on my part, then for example apply ten years worth of late fees or some similar horror?

Can I sell a near-complete set of film magazines?

sswiller — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 16:43:31 -0800

I got my hands on a near-complete series of film magazines (1970s-1990s) while doing an internship in college. They're great to have, but I need some extra cash right now. I looked on EBay, and I see a few people selling single issues of this magazine with some success. Is there a market for selling the lot and if so, how much can I expect to make? The magazines are in great shape. The earlier issues are in black and white, and then they go to color with nice pictures. I came into possession of them when the issues were being indexed. The magazines contain lengthy essays on cinema with a leftist bent.

How to deal with collections!

Anonymous — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 18:31:28 -0800

BadWithMoneyFilter: I owe my college roughly $4,000. This is due to being under part time student, and not being eligible for loans. What to do as it is now in Collections! I went through a bad time, changed jobs twice, and am in a much better place now emotionally, and am slowly paying back my debts. I missed the first two months repayment on my college loans (other origanzation) but quickly repayed up to what I owed, and have been making 125% of my monthly payment every month. I have been slowly paying back my creditcard debt (which isn't horrible, roughly $1500). I should have it paid off in 6 more months. I have saved up a small pile of money, and have all my other bills current.

For whatever reason, I hate opening mail. I open all my emails, and have had no problem paying all my bills I have emailed to me, but for some reason, I have an extreme fear of opening letters. So 6 months after the money was due, the school finally sent me a letter saying "your $$ is now due to collections agency xyz". "We have also added 20% to your bill for this service".

I talked to the business office, and promised my life and first two children to try to clear this up. Every penny I have to my name right now is roughly $1000, (leaving a very small coushin that I need to be sane). I have roughly $700 in available credit. I offered them $1000, and that I would make a deal with them to get the rest payed off on a monthly basis, but they said "THE REASON YOU ARE IN COLLECTIONS IS YOU DIDNT ANSWER OUT LETTERS".

So I have two questions.
a. Is the 20% really possible??? Are there laws that govern this? I never agreed to pay 20% (this is not a loan, it was money due for classes. Nothing was ever signed other than add/drop forms for classes).
b. I have begged. Offered children and limbs. All over the phone/email. Is a in-person pleeding going to help? A friend who works in admissions says the head of billing who I am dealing with is a real b*tch.

This is super-stressing me out (trouble sleeping, feeling a bit trapped and depressed).

I got a letter from the agency today, and immediately called them to inform them I am working with my college, and contest the charge.

Help?

costly nuts

baklavabaklava — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 14:15:04 -0800

I have a question about bill collectors! (Testicularly-sqeamish people advised to look away.)

Six years ago I had a vasectomy at Planned Parenthood. I'm of the opinion that it was partially botched, since the woman doing it admitted she was unsure about the procedure, it was very bloody, and the healing process took many months.

About three weeks after the vasectomy, a hard nodule, rather large, appeared in my scrotum. I called Planned Parenthood, who told me it was "probably testicular cancer", a by-product of the vasectomy. They said they could not take any responsibility for this as I had signed some paper before the operation. They referred me to a radiology place for cancer screenings.

As you may imagine, I was a rather freaked out at being told I had cancer (and from a botched operation, at that). I was (and remain) uninsured, so I was nervous about costs. But I went to the radiology place where they lubed me up in a dark room and after a while told me not to worry about it and that Planned Parenthood were screwballs who didn't know what they were talking about.

Sigh of relief well & truly breathed.

Now six years later I get a letter in the mail from a collections agency saying I owe them $400 ($250 + $150 interest) for a cancer test in 2000. I was under the impression I paid six years ago, but it was six years ago and I don't recall, to be honest.

I'd never heard from these bill collectors in the past six years: you'd think I'd have been asked to pay, if I hadn't, by, say, the radiology place at some point previously. Which I wasn't-- I've heard nothing until this, six years down the line.

My question is: do I have any options? $400 is a rather large chunk of money for a working-class fellow like myself.

Should I pay the collections fees on my student loan or try to get them to sue me for it?

rileyray3000 — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 15:17:24 -0800

Student Loan question: I've started paying off my delinquent perkins loans to a collection agency and discovered they're adding a 40% collection fee to my total. If I stop paying them, my school will seek a judgement, but will it be sans the outrageous 40% fee? Basically, I got out of school with hopes for a career in Hollywood. As such, I ate ramen and was forced to let my payments lapse as I lived in my car and hoped for a break.

Well I got one. And now I'm doing okay, on the road to not too shabby. So now I'm paying off the student loans at 50 bucks a month, largely to show that I'm making an effort for my credit report.

But this month I took a look at the math:

My initial 1800 has ballooned to 6400 since 1995. Again, nothing tragic. But there's a 40% fee added by the collection agency included in that number. Meaning I really only owe about 3840.

If I stop paying, my school will take me to court to get a judgement right? If so, won't I just owe them the 3840? Because, if it came down to it, I think I could actually pay that off.

What's the right course of action here?

Landlord/Tenant Carpet Dispute! Raaar!

SpecialK — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 18:56:32 -0800

Oregon Landlord/Tenant LawFilter Help: I moved out of an apartment three months ago. I received a collection notice a few weeks ago, billing for replacement carpet. Help! I talked with the previous manager in December. She had reassured me that the carpet would be replaced no matter what when I moved out, and she put a note to that effect in my file. No, I don't have a copy of that note, so I have nothing in writing... yes, stupid me. I didn't count on her getting moved or fired as of the first of this year. So we weren't as careful as we could've been when we painted, and some paint got on the carpet. No problem... it was going to be replaced, right?

I moved out the first week of February, and the manager was snapping at my heels for me to get out. They entered my unit after I had moved out but before the 30 days was up, and before I had turned my keys back in. (Of course, I have no real proof of this either...)

I received my security deposit back in late February, and then nothing. Until the last week in May, when I received a collections notice from a company naming my old apartment community as the creditor. I wrote my old apartment community, and they said it was for the carpet. But I hadn't received a letter, monthly bills, or any other communication from them.

Isn't there some time limit in which they need to notify me of a debt like this? They said they sent me a letter detailing the debt the day after they sent my deposit check, but I never received it, so I obviously have my doubts.

The apartment was a problem from the day I moved in, by the way. They hadn't cleaned or shamppoed the carpet, and I spent two days of my time making the place habitable after the renovations they'd done.

Besides "Laywer Up", which I'm reluctant to do right away because of cost and the distance involved (Dispute is in Oregon, I'm now in Texas), what are my options? The collections company, even though I've sent them a letter stating that the debt is in dispute, is exceptionally aggressive and has been calling me at mealtimes.

Hints/Suggestions? Thanks in advance.

How do I stick it to the man?

electroboy — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 17:52:27 -0800

A collections agent sent me someone else's information. How can I use this as leverage against them? I posted a question about responding to a collection agency a couple weeks ago and got some very good advice. When I asked for proof of debt, they sent it. Only it was someone else's. Now that I have this info, what do I do with it? Ideally I'd like to:

1. Use it as leverage to get out of the debt.
2. Make sure my info hasn't been sent to someone else.

Do I return it and keep copies? Do I try to notify the person whose info I have?

How do I respond to a collections notice from my old landlord?

electroboy — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 16:19:40 -0800

I just got a collections notice from my old apartment complex. What do I do to make it go away? I lived in this place for almost exactly two years. I bought a house and moved out on Jan 31. I gave notice a little late, but the property manager accepted it and approved it in writing.

Today I received a notice from a collections agency for $700. I left a message with the apartment manager and contacted the collections company, but it's after hours. The only thing the operator could tell me was that it was for not returning keys and damage to the carpet. I didn't do the post move walkthrough, mostly because I was busy with the new place and the lease said I had to give notice if I wanted to be present. I also didn't leave a forwarding address, but the complex does have my phone number. My lease says nothing about returning keys. The carpet damage could be from a couple water leaks we had that I reported to maintenance and they fixed eventually after making a dozen or so service calls. I have some of the service call tickets from this, but not all since there were lots of them and sometimes they didn't leave a ticket, or wrote it on scrap paper, paper towels, etc.

SO.... my question is, how do I make this go away? From my very biased in favor of me POV, I owe them nothing since the lease doesn't mention keys and the carpet is either covered under "normal wear and tear" (which the lease specifically mentions). In fact, want my security deposit back ($200). Tomorrow I plan to dispute the notice in writing, but beyond that, what do I do?

Collections Calls to wrong phone#

diamondsky — Mon, 09 May 2005 16:15:11 -0800

What recourse do I have to stop a collections company from repeatedly calling my home for somebody who does not reside here? First Premier Bank calls my house several times a day regarding a collection account for somebody I don't know. I have asked them multiple times to stop calling, I have explained that I don't know this person, and they refuse to take my phone number out of my system and say they are legally allowed to call me as often as I like. The privacy feature that blocks "out of area" calls is not an option for me as I receive work calls at home which are forwarded by a computer and can't come through to me if I have Bellsouth's Privacy feature installed. I live in Louisiana, if that matters. What can I do? Thanks!

Favorite Flikr Groups?

kmel — Mon, 21 Feb 2005 20:22:38 -0800

Having discovered Flickr group Collage Kids and radiated out to such gems as Fashions Past and Boring Photos, I'm wondering, who else is using Flickr in interesting ways? Or, which other Flickr groups warrant a look?

Sci Fi Collections

geekhorde — Thu, 06 Jan 2005 00:17:14 -0800

[Two Obscure SciFi Short Story Questions]
When I was a kid our family library was stocked with lots of 'Best Of' Sci Fi collections. One particular story that I half remember had something to do with the human race being enslaved by large aliens, and basically a slave revolt by humans occurs in one of the alien ships. The other story was about an alien artifact (a helmet?) and some quasi-Egyptian pyramid ruins. That's really about all I can remember, other than I remember enjoying both stories very much. Any ideas? I figured furtive had such good luck so quickly, and these have been bothering me, so I'd try my luck.

Not sure, but I think they were both in the same book.