Personal debt is at an all-time high in the United States. One in three Americans has a debt that has been turned over to a collection agency. It’s important to understand how to proceed rather than caving to pressure and threats when they call.
Don’t Pay on the First Contact
When you first receive a debt collection phone call, ask for as much information about the specific amount of the debt, the name associated with the debt, the company that turned over the debt for collections and the name of the debt collection agency.
There are often errors or mistakes in the information turned over to collections agencies. You will want to verify that the debt is associated with your name and that you had an outstanding debt with the company who turned it over to the collection agency.
Don’t make any payments, even small ones, until you have verified the legitimacy of the debt and received official documentation from the collections agency. Debt can “expire” in some states and no payments need to be made on it. However, making a payment on the debt can make it legally valid again.
Gather Supporting Documentation
Request a validation letter from the debt collector, if you did not receive one within five days of their first contact with you. This is official documentation of the debt being claimed by the collection agency. If you do not receive one but still receive threatening phone calls, tell them that you have not received a validation letter and will not speak with them until you have it. If they refuse to verify the debt in writing, then it is likely a scam.
Call the company who reported you had outstanding debt and ask them to send you copies of your account bills. Cross-check any payments made to the company with your bank statements. Pull together hard copies of payments made to the company and withdrawn from the bank.
Dispute any errors within 30 days of receiving the validation letter. Keep originals of all documentation and send copies to the debt collector using certified mail.
Negotiate Your Debt
When a debt collection agency buys debt from a company, they do not buy it for the full amount. The original company recoups some cost from the buyout and the collection agency makes their money off of whatever you agree to pay.
There are two goals when negotiating with a collections agency. The first is to settle your debt for as little as possible and secondly to have it removed from your credit report. You can ask for as little as 10% or 20% of the stated debt. If they decline your offer, ask them to make an offer and haggle from there.
Once you’ve agreed upon an amount, ask for a “pay for delete”. This means that you will pay the agreed-upon amount and they will delete the debt from your credit report. This helps your credit immensely and it settles the debt with the agency.
Pacific Collection Group is a collections agency located in California. We want you to know that you can come to us to discuss any debts. We are willing to work with you honestly and legitimately. Call Pacific Collection Group or stop by our office in person