I recieved a summons for small claims court for 1600 including. 1200 they say I owe plus court cost and lawyers fees. The plaintiff is listed as Atlantic credit and finance inc successor to interest to HSBC. ACFI seems to be a collection agency that buys bad debit.
While it is true I owed HSBC money when I first got a letter from a collection agency I sent in a despute letter since 1200 is about 300-500 over what I owed. I'm not sure if the company now suing me is the same on or not since I never got a reply to that letter just more notices. I sent the letter regular mail unfortunely
Now i'm not sure I should contact there company lawyer and try to settle with them or try and go to court. There is no way i can pay the amount at once and while I know there is interest it seems awfully high. I was on disabilty when I went into default with HSBC and had a balance of around 800-900 due to late charges and interested even though I had paid $3-500 on the orginal debt.
So my questions are pretty simple. Should I file answer to the court and try and go though mediation myself? Should I try and settle with the collections for less than they claim? Or should I just get a lawyer and fight. Anyway I go there is no way I can pay this all at once so payments are a must. I have no idea if this company is the orgianal debt collector I sent the letter to and even if they are I really have no prof. I don't mind paying my debt but i don't like being ripped off. Thanks for any help.
Robert
Ocean County, NJ
While it is true I owed HSBC money when I first got a letter from a collection agency I sent in a despute letter since 1200 is about 300-500 over what I owed. I'm not sure if the company now suing me is the same on or not since I never got a reply to that letter just more notices. I sent the letter regular mail unfortunely
Now i'm not sure I should contact there company lawyer and try to settle with them or try and go to court. There is no way i can pay the amount at once and while I know there is interest it seems awfully high. I was on disabilty when I went into default with HSBC and had a balance of around 800-900 due to late charges and interested even though I had paid $3-500 on the orginal debt.
So my questions are pretty simple. Should I file answer to the court and try and go though mediation myself? Should I try and settle with the collections for less than they claim? Or should I just get a lawyer and fight. Anyway I go there is no way I can pay this all at once so payments are a must. I have no idea if this company is the orgianal debt collector I sent the letter to and even if they are I really have no prof. I don't mind paying my debt but i don't like being ripped off. Thanks for any help.
Robert
Ocean County, NJ
