Why won't collection agencies give you their address?

Question

On one of these posts, someone recommended that I send the collection agencies a PAY FOR DELETION letter. To do that I need to send them the letter but they make all these excuses about not having "authorization" to give me their address. Why is this?

Answer 1

Probably so you cannot request validation since they more than likely cannot provide it.

If they are reporting on your credit reports, their address should be listed on the credit reports. If it isn't you might either look them up on the BBB website or send a dispute of the account to the credit reporting agencies (CRA's) and request that they provide the address of the company that verifys the tradeline.

Legally, if the collection agency contacted you by phone, they had 5 days to send you something in writing concerning the account.

You should always send a debt validation letter before even thinking of sending a pay for delete letter.
You also should check to see if you are still within the collecting SOL for your state. (if they are ducking the validation issue by refusing to give you their address, it's quite possible that you may be out of SOL and no longer legally reliable for the debt)

You should also check to see if your state requires collection agencies to be licensed and/or bonded in your state - then look to see if the collection agency is licensed and/or bonded.

Answer 2

Chances are that they are not licensed and bonded in your state, and therefore cannot legally collect from you.

If this is the case, ignore them. Do no give them any bank information. They will steal all your money.

Answer 3

They probably don't want to give up their physical address for security reasons or they don't want to admit they are in India. You should ask for a fax number.