UPDATED: 2/11/15 in Post #14 I am 5 months delinquent on an AMEX card with a balance of $15K. The account has been cancelled. While I still owe AMEX the balance, they have Gatestone (the DC) contacting me for the money. Today, I let the DC know I have a settlement offer ready ($7K, one lump sum) with a 'hardship letter' (as requested) as to why I can't pay the full amount. But when I mentioned it, the DC told me she couldn't submit the offer without me first making a payment of $260. She said this was because "my account is still accruing interest." (Duh...) And that this was an AMEX stipulation, not Gatestone. Of course, when I told her that didn't sound right to me, she got angry and accused me of wasting her time. -Is it common to require a payment before I submit a settlement offer? Does that sound right to you guys? -Should I try to send my settlement offer directly to AMEX? I'm concerned about AMEX not even receiving my offer or having a chance to counter offer.