mnnance3 Posted December 4, 2007 Report Posted December 4, 2007 A CA contacted me saying I owed money to verizon. The cited the OC as verizon and gave a phone number I know is not and never has been mine. I sent a validation request per the sample on the website. The CA has replied with the following:11/26/2007 Acct # XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXCreditor acct # XXXXXXXXXXbalance due $200.23We have received your dispute but we are unable to confirm at this time. You have provided insufficient data to substantiate your claim. We will complete our investigation within 30 days of receipt of the following information:- The Specific information you dispute- An explanation of your dispute- All supporting documentation to substantiate your claim. Examples may include but not be limited to, photocopy of your drivers license, the identification page of your passport, proof of residency at the time of service, receipts, etc.- A valid phonbe number to contact youplease contact our office to resolve this matter (office hours toll free number)This is an attempt to collect a debt. Any information obtained will be used for that purpose. you have the right to inspect your credit. this is a letter from a debt collector. Sincerely,ETc...----------------It seems they are attempting to buy time and trick me into dealing with them without verifying the debt.So far there is no report with the CRAsShould I reiterate the validation request and point out that under the FDCPA they may not contact me again until the validation is done.I assume I am under no obligation to provide them the data they requested. I also assume that the point is to have them validate the claim against me, not have me prove the dispute is valid.Suggestions???
lolah Posted December 4, 2007 Report Posted December 4, 2007 Did you request validation or an investigation?
Amerikaner83 Posted December 4, 2007 Report Posted December 4, 2007 they obviously have your correct address if they mailed this crap to you!I might send them another DV, informing them that they are wasting their time - you will not make thier case for them, if they can't validate they must delete.
mnnance3 Posted December 4, 2007 Author Report Posted December 4, 2007 I used the specific wording in the sample letter:This letter is being sent to you in response to a notice sent to me on *****. Be advised that this is not a refusal to pay, but a notice sent pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 15 USC 1692g Sec. 809 ( that your claim is disputed and validation is requested.
Amerikaner83 Posted December 4, 2007 Report Posted December 4, 2007 copy and paste the form letter?ugh. Send them another one (NOT copied and pasted) - you won't do their job for them. Validate or delete.
lolah Posted December 4, 2007 Report Posted December 4, 2007 copy and paste the form letter?ugh. Send them another one (NOT copied and pasted) - you won't do their job for them. Validate or delete.Yep. This is an attempt to get YOU to validate the debt. That's their job - NOT yours.
mnnance3 Posted December 4, 2007 Author Report Posted December 4, 2007 Copy and paste isn't quite true... I changed all the relevant places reguarding the CA, Myself, accounts, dates etc...
Feel violated Posted February 26, 2008 Report Posted February 26, 2008 Especially with cell or land line phones, you may be a victim of very sloppy skip tracing. They could have incomplete data and just found the closest match they could find. And lucky you, it was you.Question, have you ever had a verizon account? Have you perhaps gotten a new phone number recently due to moving or some other reason and perhaps received a recycled phone number that used to belong to the owner of the phone that defaulted? I tend to agree that its best not to just paste and copy recycled letters, but if you think you are the victim of bad skip tracing, put that in your response letter. I would DEMAND TO KNOW why they think its you. In other words, tell them in no uncertain terms the burden of proof is on them. With a rather implied dire warning of what could happen to them if they are wrong.This also sounds like typical behavior of junk debt buying CA's.
debtorshusband Posted February 26, 2008 Report Posted February 26, 2008 We have received your dispute but we are unable to confirm at this time. You have provided insufficient data to substantiate your claim. We will complete our investigation within 30 days of receipt of the following information:- The Specific information you dispute- An explanation of your dispute- All supporting documentation to substantiate your claim. Examples may include but not be limited to, photocopy of your drivers license, the identification page of your passport, proof of residency at the time of service, receipts, etc.- A valid phonbe number to contact youI agree with those who have said not to rely on the form letter too much. You should personalize it as much as possible. Now, there's no harm in playing their game to some extent.In answer to their first two points: tell them what you posted here - this isn't your debt, you don't owe Verizon any money, you've never had the phone number they listed in their letter.To the third point: either ignore it, or tell them that in order to protect yourself against identity theft you have no intention of sending photocopies of your driver's license or passport to anyone.To the fourth point: tell them you are not obligated to provide them with a phone number, and you prefer that all communication be in writing so that you have copies for your records.Last, you might add that is their responsibility to produce information to prove they are dunning the right person, it's not your responsibility to prove you are the wrong person.DHPost Script:Oops, didn't realize I was responding to an old thread which apparently got "bumped" accidentally.
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