Legally_Worried
New Member
I'm new to the forum and fuming angry about a debt collection situation I am in.
I was overseas most of last year, and my cell phone was cut off around October and put into "pre-collection". I was out of work and, more obviously, overseas, and couldn't afford to pay it. When I returned, I couldn't find any mail that this "agency" had sent me, and had to call my phone provider to inquire as to where my bill went.
So I made an attempt to call this agency and set up a payment plan as I did not want my case turned over to a credit agency and put on my credit report.
I was told first that as long as I made payments, I would not be turned over. Then after making a $200 payment and speaking to a different 'rep' I was told that was not true and if it wasn't paid off within their 120 day limit (that's as long as they hold accounts for) that I would be tranfserred regardless.
I called the FTC and spoke to a consumer help rep who first said that was not true, and as long as I was making payment they could not turn me over to a 3rd party collection agency.
When I called this pre-collection place back I was spoken VERY rudely to (I was screamed at last time) and the woman said I had 120 days to pay period. I told her I spoke to the FTC and that was not true at all (the man with the FTC even told me they are just saying that to scare me into paying). I asked to speak to a supervisor and she told me she would not, because she wasn't going to waste her supervisors time or hers (the former woman who yelled at me told me the same thing, that "she didn't have to do anything."). The last woman I spoke to said, "If you know the law so well why don't you go get a job as a lawyer and earn some money to pay this debt!"
I filed a complaint with the FTC about this agency. The are not with the BBB but have racked up quite a list of complaints against them.
My main concern is if they can transfer me to a credit agency and put it on my credit, because I am returning overseas this month and will not be back until May. I cannot afford to have this on my credit, and am willing to make monthly payments for as much as I can seeing as though I'm unemployed, but they refuse.
The FTC told me to write a letter disputing that I was overseas and just returned, and am making an attempt to pay but with no avail.
Can they turn me over in 120 days, even if I'm making regular payments?
I was overseas most of last year, and my cell phone was cut off around October and put into "pre-collection". I was out of work and, more obviously, overseas, and couldn't afford to pay it. When I returned, I couldn't find any mail that this "agency" had sent me, and had to call my phone provider to inquire as to where my bill went.
So I made an attempt to call this agency and set up a payment plan as I did not want my case turned over to a credit agency and put on my credit report.
I was told first that as long as I made payments, I would not be turned over. Then after making a $200 payment and speaking to a different 'rep' I was told that was not true and if it wasn't paid off within their 120 day limit (that's as long as they hold accounts for) that I would be tranfserred regardless.
I called the FTC and spoke to a consumer help rep who first said that was not true, and as long as I was making payment they could not turn me over to a 3rd party collection agency.
When I called this pre-collection place back I was spoken VERY rudely to (I was screamed at last time) and the woman said I had 120 days to pay period. I told her I spoke to the FTC and that was not true at all (the man with the FTC even told me they are just saying that to scare me into paying). I asked to speak to a supervisor and she told me she would not, because she wasn't going to waste her supervisors time or hers (the former woman who yelled at me told me the same thing, that "she didn't have to do anything."). The last woman I spoke to said, "If you know the law so well why don't you go get a job as a lawyer and earn some money to pay this debt!"
I filed a complaint with the FTC about this agency. The are not with the BBB but have racked up quite a list of complaints against them.
My main concern is if they can transfer me to a credit agency and put it on my credit, because I am returning overseas this month and will not be back until May. I cannot afford to have this on my credit, and am willing to make monthly payments for as much as I can seeing as though I'm unemployed, but they refuse.
The FTC told me to write a letter disputing that I was overseas and just returned, and am making an attempt to pay but with no avail.
Can they turn me over in 120 days, even if I'm making regular payments?
