ontheverge Posted January 14, 2006 Report Share Posted January 14, 2006 I just received a letter from a collection agency on a tuition that is not showing up on my credit reports yet. I send them a DV on Friday. This is the third letter I have received from them in the last 2 weeks. It has some strange wording:"Notice of Asset Analysis"Because you failed to resond to our previous communications regarding this matter, please be advised that we have begun an analysis of your:1) Assets2) Credit History3) Current Employment StatusThen at the bottom it says"Be advised: 'Your cooperation will influence our decision as to what step we need to take next, so please act quickly.'Any advice on how to handle this? I have been making payment to the school this tuition is for, but have not made one in the last month. I sent out the DV to this collection company. Should I contact the school and see if I can still make the payment directly to them. This collection agency seems to be getting nasty quickly.Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronE Posted January 14, 2006 Report Share Posted January 14, 2006 does it have the usual mini miranda or maxi miranda? Did you get an inital dunning letter? Am I correct in assuming you did a timely DV? When did the CA get your DV and when was this letter mailed (look at the envalope for a post mark, this is the best supporting evidence along with the letter). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ontheverge Posted January 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2006 Thanks for the fast reply. I did send out a timely DV, but it was only sent a couple of days ago, so they have not received it yet. I'm going to contact the school on Monday and see if I can get the balance handled with them. If I get the balance paid to the school then I should be able to avoid any entry onto my credit reports right? Geez I take two steps forward and three steps back. I am very happy to have found this forum and have made a lot of little improvements with all the information I have found here. Anyways, thanks for any advice you may have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronE Posted January 15, 2006 Report Share Posted January 15, 2006 Talk with the OC, if you pay them they can either retract it or tell the CA it was in error so it will not hit your report. Otherwise once they get the DV they will need to send you a 5 day notice and cease collection activity until they validate it with you (this includes any further letters or phone calls). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ontheverge Posted January 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2006 Well there goes getting a new timing belt till next month. Hopefully the school will take the direct payment on Monday and that will be the end of that. Thank you for your advise. Have a great weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedgonzalez Posted January 25, 2006 Report Share Posted January 25, 2006 Well there goes getting a new timing belt till next month. Hopefully the school will take the direct payment on Monday and that will be the end of that. Thank you for your advise. Have a great weekend.DSM, Acura? What kinda car..hehe reminded me of my DSM. We gotta do tbelts religiously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocDon Posted January 25, 2006 Report Share Posted January 25, 2006 The school sent you to a collection agency for missing one payment? Or were you already on a repayment plan with them on a defaulted account? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ontheverge Posted January 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2006 The school sent me to "internal collections" - general revenue for a charge I owed the school that I was disputing. I was in the hospital last year for a couple of weeks and had been attending an online college. I attempted to withdraw from the school multiple times. Finally they explained that I would have to pay a charge of almost $800 for a partial block of classes even though I did not turn in any assignments etc. This is the charge that I disputed back and forth with them for over 6 months. I made the payment in full last week after receiving a written statement that the account would be recalled from collections and that no entry would be made to the CRA. I am just sick about paying this though. What a rip off. I decided today to file a complaint via BBB. This school is a complete scam and they continually lie. They do not even offer the classes that I needed, which I found out when it was already too late. Any other suggestions on who to go to - I would like to expose this school for the awful fraud that it is. *Getting off my soapbox now* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocDon Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 The BBB has no authority to anything whatsoever. The BBB is only good to look up how many people report a bad experience with a company to them.You can certainly file a formal complaint with both your and their State Attorneys General, Consumer Protection Divisions, the Federal Trade Commision, the U.S. Department of Education, and any State Regulatory Commissions that you think would be interested in this online school's behavior....There is no fee to do any of the above, and THEY can take action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divemedic Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 That letter can be construed as a threat of legal action- this would be a violation- it is placing a sense of urgency and overshadowing the 30 day validation period Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ontheverge Posted January 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 Thank for the list of resources I can contact regarding this situation. I would really like to prevent other people from wasting their money like I did. I will draft up the letter and sent them out to the offices you mentioned.Thanks for the advice.Oh BTW - the # of complaints listed on BBB was pretty amazing. Im glad to have found this website. I will not be making the bad choices that I have made in the past anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ontheverge Posted January 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 I was so stressed out about the idea of having another TL placed on my CR that I really just wanted to get it handled. I had been fighting back and forth with them over the last six months over this ridiculous charge. I have made a lot of progress on removing inaccurate information from my CR, but I really could have used that money to pay off some legitimate debts that I would like to settle. Ahhh the credit repair dance - two steps forward - one to the right - and five back... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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