Question regarding debt collection

[tishtash]

I can pull my credit report at work using Kroll Factual Data and have recently done so to chekc things out because I was trying to buy a car.

I had 2 accounts from debt collectors on an old Sprint account that I had. One of them is from Cavalry Portfolio Servies and the other from NCO Financial, both for the same amounts. I called Cavalry and they told me they own the account as of 12/05 and they bought it from NCO. I managed to update and get NCO to show account paid/transferred. I asked the girl at Cavalry to fax me info regarding my account, ie: the balance and how they came to this.

After 2 days of the runaround from her, I finally got the fax this morning. All they sent me was a letter stating I owe $220.74, and giving me options in paying it in monthly EFT installments or paying the balance in full. She also faxed me a barely legible copy of the agreement between Sprint and them.

I have read so many horror stories about this and other collection companies and I am worried on how to pay this debt. Should I request proof that I signed something stating I'd pay (as in the original contract with Sprint). I'm afraid to pay over the phone or even send a check with my bank account information, but I want to get this cleared up!

[nervousinohio]

Did you try contacting Sprint and telling them you want to pay it in full?

I would do this first.

Yes I would request validation with your signature on contract with Sprint. Send it certified mail today. If they can come up validation....and you are going to pay them. DO NOT PAY with a personal check or over the phone. Go to the post office and get a money order. Send it certified mail to them. NEVER EVER provide them with your bank acct info.

I had an old debt...Calvary got a hold of. They did provide me with validation. I did pay them and they did update/contact credit bureaus after I paid them. A friend of mine though dealt with them and made a payment once by check and then defaulted in agreed payments (she sent less as she could only afford so much one month) and they garnished her bank account!!! (They had her bank acct info from the two payments she did make to them) So whatever you do get a money order. I find the Post Office offers the cheapest money orders...your bank may even charge you for a MO. Plus you dont want your banks name on the MO you send them either. Be careful...Calvary is NASTY.

[tishtash]

The problem I thought with sending an MO is that there is no way to prove it has been cashed, so if I pay (I plan on paying the amount in full rather than setting up a payment plan) and I later have to dispute it if they don't mark it as paid I'll have no proof other than a little MO receipt which doesn't show anything.

I have sent the letter today asking them to validate, and I am keeping a very thorough timeline of all my dealing with them and other CA's.

I haven't tried settling it with Sprint themselves because I've read so much about not doing that because then the CA can remain on your CR as unpaid because you didn't pay them, or something to that affect. I would LOVE to just contact Sprint and pay directly through them, just scared either way!

[nervousinohio]

Not true. The post office can tell you if it has been cashed. I think you can even look it up on their site! Ive done it. And any bank you get a money order at can tell you if its been cashed etc. Who ever you buy it from can tell you and give you proof its been cashed. PO provided me proof on a money order Collect America said they never got. They cashed it and I proved it.

Would you rather them have your bank account number, routing number etc.?

[nascar]

She also faxed me a barely legible copy of the agreement between Sprint and them.

How could Cavalry have a bill of sale from Sprint if Sprint sold the account to NCO? CAs lie.

[tishtash]

Nope, I will send a money order, once they send me verification. Thanks =)

[tishtash]

How could Cavalry have a bill of sale from Sprint if Sprint sold the account to NCO? CAs lie.

exactly! NCO shows on my CR as "10 SPRINT PCS; TRANSFERRED TO CAVALRY PORTFOLIO SERV(0002) XXXXXX (Cavalry's acct number). Cavalry shows "Sprint Pcs; 11 SPRINT PCS; Placed for collection; Unpaid; Closed 02/07"

The BOS I got from Cavalry says Sellers are Sprint Spectrum, LP, a Delaware Corp., Phillie Co, LP, a Delaware Corp. and Sprint (next word I can't make out), a Delaware Corp on 12/30/05.

[Madkison59]

I also had 2 accounts on my CR from Sprint; one from NCO and one from Calvary. I was able to dispute the NCO one with the CR by indicating it was a duplicate and that Calvary now owed the debt and they removed it from my CR. But can I still request validation from the CA even though I didn't respond to their collection letter within 30 days?

[tishtash]

I also had 2 accounts on my CR from Sprint; one from NCO and one from Calvary. I was able to dispute the NCO one with the CR by indicating it was a duplicate and that Calvary now owed the debt and they removed it from my CR. But can I still request validation from the CA even though I didn't respond to their collection letter within 30 days?

I never got any notice from Cavalry, until I pulled my credit at work I had no idea about them. I did manage to get NCO to say transferred to Cavalry, but it's not off, it just shows paid. Should I be able to have this removed completely? And again, how can Cavalry provide proof from Sprint if they bought it from NCO?

[MadinKS]

I did manage to get NCO to say transferred to Cavalry, but it's not off, it just shows paid. Should I be able to have this removed completely?

Definitely re-dispute. The NCO might drop off.

I'd like it noted that I posted before SecretAgentWoman:IThankYou:

[MissaFraQ]