Dept Collection Agency?
 

I just got a letter from AFNI Collection saying Verizon turned in a 100$ dept on a phone number I did not recognize.

So I called and they are telling me it was a phone I had back in 1996 with a company Verizon bought out.

I was livid because first of all, how am I supposed to know this is not a scam...after a decade?

Second, if I paid them that was a decade ago and I don't have records like that going back that far.

Is this legal? After a decade almost? They said they got this in 2006...but I have been a verizon customer for a number of years so they have my correct address now...why did they not send me a bill? Usually that is what they do is try to collect from you before sending to a collection agency.

I am mad too, Eddie!

I would contact Verizon and see if they indeed have a relationship with this collection agency and if so, I would challenge them on the charge. I would also contact the credit reporting agencies to see if it is showing up on my credit report. If it is, I would immediately lodge a challenge to that as well.

In my layman's opinion, it certainly has the sound of a scam.:nah

Well it's not only report. Im sure Verizon doesn't have a clue. But if they sold or turned it over to this company, after a decade I think it is very unfair to expect me to remember or have info on whether or not I paid it or owed it or what the amount was or whatever. I did some research and it seems there is a statute of limitations of 4 years to 10 years depending on the kind of dept (10 years is for a judgement).

Im calling tomorrow and telling them Im not paying

In the process of checking my credit report I discovered also that I had an extra credit card with my bank. After calling I realized what happened. When I opened one account they opened a second account and I actually now remember getting two cards too. I never understood that, but I closed the second account

I've got a deal with a cell phone company going on also... I had Cingular, they dropped all the customers here and told them to find another company. Then some of us they charged early disconect fees. After the merge, I called AT&T and got the disconect fees dropped, and now owe $100 with a colection agency for my last months bill that never got billed right. But the story doesn't stop there.. I bought new phones before they dropped me after calling them and telling them that I had heard a rummor that they were going to drop us. They assured me that wasn't true. I also lost minutes that I had built up. I've had problems years ago with cell phone companys, and I can assure you that they do not hurt your credit... most everyone else has had problems with them to... I tell the credit company that they owe me more than I owe them and make them listen to my story when they call... they stopped calling. : )

Prax, first of all, if its on your credit report, you can sometimes get account numbers from the credit agency and then use that account number to review it with Verizon.

Secondly, contact Verizon. They might be able to see your entire account history...AND they can tell you whether or not they use this particular collection agency (or if they ever have).

The credit collection agency does have to provide you with account information in order to collect on the debt, and you can use that account info to verify the debt's validity with Verizon.

If it is on the credit report, and Verizon doesn't have record of the bill, you can get a letter from them stating that the bill isn't legitimate and dispute it with the credit agency.

It's not on the credit report, but Im not going to pay these jokers. It's past the Statute of Limitations. This is absurd to do this 11 years after the fact when facts and stuff are forgotten or lost

My mom got a bill also from Verizon saying she owed a bill for over $400 in a town she's never lived within 300 miles of......back in 1996 also.

Weird.

Please ask them for verification of the debt! Make them provide you with proof which is required by federal law even if you have no intention of paying them (due to statute of limitations etc) because if this is a scam (and it probably is) you should forward any and all info to the authorities so that these perps can be stopped.

Ask them for phone numbers and extensions so that you can call them back. Do not tip them off that you are investigating them but only the debt itself. If they are legit they will send you the proof, and even then research it. If it is a scam they will be reluctant to give you #s or they will give you bogus #s.