can they do this?

Question

Today I got a call from a collection agency, the lady said that I owe for some magazines I ordered 3 years ago, and that I owed $2400.00 and that if I did'nt pay $700 of it today that they were gona have the cops come pick me up and take me to court where they are in New York, I live in Minnesota, I talked to my parents about it and my social worker and my friend and the local police department and they all said that they can't do that, that it is scare tactics, when I mentioned that to the collections lady she said they are wrong that they can send the cops to come get me, I don't know who to believe, my friend and the social worker told me and my parents that we should have told the collection lady to send me a bill as proof that I own them that money, my parents had already sent out a postal money order then came here and the social worker called and talked to my mom and told her to get the money order back and hold on to it until I get proof that I really owe that much money

I do remember ordering some magazines back then, I made some payments and they sent the magazines but did not send anymore bill saying I what I still owed them so I thought I was done paying, and I haven't gotten any bills or magazines for the last few years.

I was not selling magazine, I ordered them.

Answer 1

Contact the State Attorneys General office in N.Y., make sure you have the coll. agencies name, phone #, and the person who contacted you, with dates, and times. Next time the coll. person calls, record the phone call,(tell them you are recording before they speak), also get an address to request a copy of the original contract they are collecting, with your signature. It would also be advisable to contact your state consumer complaint division and file a report. Pay then nothing, until you are shown proof it is your bill ! Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Please tell us more about these magazines. Were you selling subscriptions, collecting the money from the subscribers and then turning that money in? Or what? I subscribe to a few magazines, but mine won't send them until after my check clears and I spend maybe $100-150 a year on magazines.

You state that your parents "sent out a money order"--when? for how much?

In all likelihood, the collection agency that called you is the kind that buys questionable debt for pennies on the dollar. Then they hire people to beat the bushes (you) hoping that somebody will pay up. The person who made the call gets paid on commission so they really want you to pay something, anything and many have a history of fudging on the collection process.

No, the police will not arrest you in Minnesota and haul you back to NY. It's not in their budget. The original company could take you to court, but that would start by your getting mail showing you your court date.