Anyone on today familiar with collection agencies?
 

If so contact me (see sig) or leave details in thread.

No I am not talking about them hunting you down either, I'm talking business side.

not what you want....but....


im being sued by one

for an ER bill last year...

ok, ill tell the story...

went to the ER for antibiotics last year, I had an abscessed tooth. i was afriad of dying from leeching the toxins into my system... they told me it would be under 100 bucks.....so i get a bill 3 or 4 months later.....they charged me 480 dollars for 10 minutes of their time... shit you not. 1 purple glove, .04 oz of ink, a prescription paper, mopping up my footprints, a percentage of the filtration system....all counting up to 480 bucks.

so i ask them for an invoice or whatever telling me what im paying for.

instead they sent a collections agency to me.

I told them i just wanted an invoice.

they said fine, i waited.

ANother collections agency came to me.

all together they sent 3 agencies to collect. I asked every one for an invoice.

I called the ER multiple times. they would direct me to billing, billing would never answer their phone nor return my calls...more than 15 calls, 5 or more left messages and nearly a year have gone by...

So now i get a bill for 560 bucks right... from the 3rd agency...

I say fuck all this stupid shit and give in.....I make a payment....100 bucks...send it in the mail...they send it back...

"dont worry about paying us, were suing you"

stupid fucks....so I call them up...they say, "make a payment, we want half or youre being served"... I say fine, in the meantime get me an invoice, thats all i ever wanted...I have a right to know what im being charged for since last I knew i was being charged no more than 100 bucks...they agree

I send a 286 dollar check out that day...next morning im served and officially being sued...

and to top it off....

I got my invoice finally... more than a year later...

mind you... they told me, no more than a hundred bucks...then my first bill I get fromt hem is 480....anod now its up over 560.....right...

so the invoice says 136 dollars ....



am I wrong for being slightly upset?

am i missing something?

Canadian collection agencies or American ?

Their rules are different for both countries and then in the state its different from state to state

I use to work for a few of them and some america clients like nextel and amex.

I'm on the deadbeat side of the equation

Good friend of mine runs one... hit me up...

US one, California as specialty.

btw deej no your just getting fucked.

my thoughts exactly..

and man, you should talk to this guy at this 3rd agency...he is such a fucking moron....

when i ask him questions all he has go in return is...uhhhh errrr, or pure silence, shit you not...


only thing he says is give me money...i ask him things like, what hes getting told im being charged for, what his invoice says...who i can contact at the ER....etc etc


all he does is sound like hes just hit the fucking bong or something...

makes me want to write a letter....infact i already have...its going to all the agencies...the er...medical board (or whoever deals with this sort) ...the newspaper....congressman even...

I developed software used by collection agencies for about 13 years. I might be able to answer your question.

Pff, you said oh I don't need an ebook i'm all good.

Lair! :P

My wife has been in the business for 7 yrs, is fully lisc. I collected for 1 yr.

She's actually thinking about starting her own office.

I hit you up on ICQ as Platinum Jerrott. What do you need to know?

Deej - Its illegal for a collection agency to deny a payment and still try to collect after payment has been denied.

really? Im in Oregon, would that stand up here?

so youre saying, since I sent a payment and they sent it back, that when i called them and he said he would call off the lawsuit if I sent in a payment and we agreed to those terms and i sent it, that he broke the law?



if so Ill throw this in...im still in limbo if I want to let it go to court...i just have no faith in this system...

thats why i said fuck it and sent the payment...

"first off you should have gotten the invoice right away...it is actually illegal for a collection agency to continue collecting after you asked for an invoice. In collection world that is a validation letter....as soon as someone asks for a validation letter the agency should have stopped collections and asked the original creditor for the original invoice....i recommend you research the FDCPA (fair debt collections practices act)... just google it you will find many hits...then search for the ministry in your area to find out more about this agency."

From my wifes colleauge

JayDeeZee, Excellent information I am logging it into my little black book. Thank you

The next time you deal with a collector. Just mention the F.D.C.P.A. (fair debt collection practices act) They will show you so much more repect.

They will likley give you an awesome settlement offer at least (.25 on the dollar)

Know your rights. http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fdcpa/fdcpact.htm

I'd be taking THEM to court!
I'd call em and tell them you have the invoice and that you want the difference back... and hope they take you to court.. The judge will see the invoice, and what they are trying to say you owe... They may be doing something the judge could see as illegal...

This is exactly my plan. The letter is written up and im sending it to them and a few other people that might find my story interesting (cough cough Local media cough)

Here's a bump for you...