Asset Acceptance LLC help please?!?

Question

Has anyone ever heard of or dealt with this company. they are located in warren Michigan. Once or twice a year they send me a letter telling them I owe for an old phone bill from 1998. I admit that I did owe on that bill and my phone was shut off. But that was so long ago. times have past and I have moved on to a different city. I happen to belong to the same phone company now so how can I still owe on a debt and belong to the same exact phone company? also, wouldnt the phone company NOT let me have a new account with them if I owed so much? Could this company start taking money out of my bank or garnish my wages? Im afraid. Everyone says just ignore them. Also, whenever they send me a letter they want me to sign up with some credit card company with them and settle for half the amount. does this sound a little funny for a debt collection agency or what? I know i have friends that tell me they owe thousands to debt collectors and to just ignore it. Need advice please

Answer 1

Do not talk to them at all!! The buy old bills and try to collect on them. Fortunately, most states have a statute of limitations and bill collectors (or zombie debt collectors) cannot collect after that time HOWEVER if you talk to them and agree to a pay plan, you automatically reage the bill to todays date and you are liable for it. If you settle for half it looks bad on your credit. If it isnt on your credit report- ignore them. I am sure that a bill from 98 is well off your credit report and there is nothing they can do about it.

Just continue to pay your current bills on time and dont respond to them. Check into the statute of limitations fo your state.

Asset Acceptance by far is the WORST bill collectors in the world. so unless the bill is OBVIOUSLY not yours- dont pay them any attention- pull a credit report on yourself and check into what is on there.

Answer 2

I live here in Michigan, and Asset Acceptance is the largest (and biggest pain in the As*e) collection agencies in Michigan. Asset Acceptance is a Warren, Michigan-based company that purchases charged-off consumer debt from credit issuers, and then uses proprietary methods to collect on bad debt.

Debt collectors have to mind their p's and q's; it's the law. You may owe, but you still have rights, so use them!

If you reside in the State of Michigan, the statue of limitation for the collection of the debt is 6 years on "Written contracts, Oral contracts, Promissory notes, Open accounts (including credit cards). Since the bill is from 1998, you do not have to pay. If you do not live in Michigan, click on the below link and find your state to let you know what the limitations are.

Any debt collector who threatens to: Sue you, Garnish Your Wages, Take money from your bank. Over a debt that is beyond the statute of limitation in your state is in violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

Source: Fair Debt Collection, a brochure for consumers from the Federal Trade Commission

A collector may contact you in person, by mail, telephone, telegram or fax. However, a debt collector may not contact you at inconvenient times or places, such as before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., unless you agree. A debt collector also may not contact you at work if the collector knows that your employer disapproves of such contacts

Within five days after you are first contacted, the collector must send you a written notice telling you the amount of money you owe, the name of the creditor to whom you owe the money and what action to take if you believe you do not owe the money.

A collector may not contact you if within 30 days after you receive the written notice you send the collection agency a letter stating you do not owe money. However, a collector can renew collection activities if you are sent proof of the debt, such as a copy of a bill for the amount owed.

No harassment:
Debt collectors may not harass, oppress or abuse you or any third party they contact.

Debt collectors may not:
Falsely imply that they are attorneys or government representatives.

Falsely imply that you have committed a crime.

Falsely represent that they operate or work for a credit bureau.

Misrepresent the amount of your debt.

Give false credit information about you to anyone, including a credit bureau.

Send you anything that looks like an official document from a court or government agency when it is not.

Debt collectors may not state that:

You will be arrested if you do not pay your debt. They will seize, garnish, attach or sell your property or wages unless the collection agency or creditor intends to do so and it is legal to do so. Actions, such as a lawsuit, will be taken against you when such action legally may not be taken or when they do not intend to take such action.

No unfair practices

A debt collector may not engage in unfair practices when they try to collect a debt from you.

Debt collectors may not:

Collect any amount greater than your debt, unless your state law permits such a charge.

Deposit a postdated check prematurely.

Use deception to make you accept collect calls or pay for telegrams.

Take or threaten to take your property unless this can be done legally.

Answer 3

I agree with the first two posters. You are long past the collecting SOL on that account. Don't ignore them or they will be a thorn in your side for a long time.

Go to the link I've provided and send the "first" letter to Asset
http://whychat.5u.com/nottoca.html
The letter is free to use. Be sure to follow the directions notated in red. Also, be very sure to send the letter certified mail return receipt - paper trail

IF Asset is reporting on your credit reports then they have re-aged the debt, which is an actionable offense should you decide to persue it. If they are reporting, send the CRA letters, on that page I've linked, to the CRA's.

Answer 4

I would need some additional info about this You should be able to get the venue changed on this debt. It depends on what type of debt this is As for the SOL, again, it's going to depend on what type of debt this is, and what state you live in. Follow Crazy's advice and see if you can locate a local attorney that specializes in consumer debt issues I think you can get this taken care of. Finally...what is this nonsense about them publishing the suit in the newspaper? The only time they can do that is if they are posting the case as a public notice because they were unable to locate/serve you. Unless this is a huge debt they rarely do this! So what is up with this case?

Answer 5

debt collectors say they own this debt. i have filed a complaint to the OREGON attorney general,ftc. my point is, this company can not hurt you because they DO NOT REPORT to any credit bureau, no debt collector to this day has proven legally that they own this debt. it must also report any interest you pay. in the courts view this as a legitimate debt collector. but has never proved any legal ownership to any debt. please call the internal revenue service THAT WILL SHUT THEM UP. plesae note i have not paid my debt in 10 years. and still have done nothing. please also call the Comptroller of the currency. that will slow them down or put them out of business