letter from a lawyer in attempt to collect a debt (UPDATE post 24!!!!)

[Caropooh]

Received a letter in the mail today from a lawyer in Florida (Francine Clair Landau) trying to collect a LARGE sum of money. She claims it's a debt for ACC FINANCIAL. I've never heard of her or the company that claims I owe the money to. I certainly am not aware of any debt I owe for this amount!
My first name isn't even correct on the letter. It came regular mail, not even registered or certified.
Anyone ever heard of her or this company? DH did a google search on both of them, but didn't come up with anything.

 

[minnie mum]

Sounds like a scam. I'd file it in the big circular file cabinet.

Or you could call your local police fraud squad if you're really concerned.

 

[aaarcher86]

A quick google of her name pulled up some attorney info for her. I didn't click through them. Did you reverse look up the phone?

There are credit attorneys that work with collection agencies so I wouldn't write it off without checking it out first. At the very least Id check your credit report.

A collection agency I used to work with had different attorneys for the different states we were licensed in. We would send an attorney letter before we started the legal process to sue the debtor in hopes of it prompting a phone call to work out a payment arrangement before court. There's plenty of scams but I'd definitely just verify things first.

There is an ACC collection company that popped up as well which could be who the attorney is collecting for but not the actual debt. It could really be so many things.

 

[BigAlsGal]

I would call and find out. (Which I'm sure you will) There really is no telling. Someone could have stolen your identity and taken out a loan or opened an account in your name.

Not trying to frighten you. I would just hate for you to blow it off as a scam and it could actually be something affecting your credit.

Don't pay a dime till you find out for sure.

 

[LilyWDW]

Check your credit report. If something is showing on there (and it should be if it has gotten this far into the process) then draft a letter denying the debt and asking for proof that it is yours. Send this certified. You can also have the reporting companies look into it as fraud.

If nothing is showing on your report, then I would be very wary about making ANY contact.

 

[alex9179]

Definitely follow up, without giving these people your personal info. My dad has been mistaken for a real piece of work because they have the same first and last name and live in the same town. This guy has racked up debt several times over the years and a long line of irate girlfriends
He's even had to deal with the IRS because of him and the new collection agencies always fall back on contacting Dad. I've been contacted as well! Boy they never did that again, after I mentioned it to Dad in passing!

Taking care of it now may save you from further trouble, later.

 

[marius97]

I wouldn't trash it without some research. Look at your credit report and see what is on there. Even if you never heard of the company, that doesn't mean you don't owe them money. They may have bought one of your old debts and been adding fees to the total. If you call them, be careful. Do not acknowledge that the debt is yours. That can cause the statute of limitations clock to reset.

 

[joviroxx]

First rule in dealing with collection agencies , do not speak to them on the phone. If you wish to contact them for clarification , do it in writing. In fact, I would write a letter disputing the claim. Google debt verifcation letters . The then have 30 days to answer you. As well, check your credit report and verify that this debt is not listed. If it is, file a dispute with the credit reporting agency.

There are too many unscrupulous collectors out there. Verbally is not the best way to deal with them. In writing , ONLY. Do not accept debt , do not agree to a payment plan until they provide you with the correct proof that this is a valid debt .

 

[Lorelei Lee]

Do not ignore the letter. You can easily verify that ACC is a collection agency and that this person is an attorney.

You need to check your credit report, of course, to see what's there. That is not the end if the inquiry, though, because sometimes collection agencies don't report the debt.


As a putative debtor you have certain rights. Google "unfair debt collection practices".

One of those rights is for more information. Do not give them sny personal information, but ask them to prove you owe the money.

One possibility is that ACC bought a debt you owed to someone else.

You said your name was misspelled. It is possible someone with a similar name owes the debt.


Third possibility is identity theft.




If you ignore the correspondence they may file suit. It's much better to address the situation before a summons shows up.


Credit report first, then contact and make them prove it.

 

[wiigirl]

Check your credit report. If something is showing on there (and it should be if it has gotten this far into the process) then draft a letter denying the debt and asking for proof that it is yours. Send this certified. You can also have the reporting companies look into it as fraud.

If nothing is showing on your report, then I would be very wary about making ANY contact.

 

[Happy 2 B Me]

Be very careful in contacting the debt collection company. There is a statue of limitations on debt. check to see what it is in your state. It maybe that just in contacting the debt collection co. may start the statue over. I would make a copy of the letter you were sent ( this is so you have a copy). Then send it back. Once a debt is so old the company that was the original debt sends it to collections. They do this so they can write off the debt. Debt collections co. buy these contracts for penny's on the dollar. If they can get just a few people to pay the amount that is asked -- they make good money.

Debt collection Co. can not call you at work, call once you have told then you have no idea what they are talking about, call late hours or early morning hours, and they can not dial you back to back for hours on end.

Best is to look up statues in your state.

Having an attorney write a letter for you stating there is NO debt owed.

 

[Caropooh]

OP here! Thanks for all the information! I just pulled a copy of my Credit Report with Experian (my 1 free a year!) and I see nothing showing that is odd or incorrect. Also no debt in the amount they are trying to collect. Looks like I'll be contacting them by mail. I think I'll use this as a template for the letter:
http://www.creditinfocenter.com/forms/sampleletter9.shtml

 

[aaarcher86]

OP here! Thanks for all the information! I just pulled a copy of my Credit Report with Experian (my 1 free a year!) and I see nothing showing that is odd or incorrect. Also no debt in the amount they are trying to collect. Looks like I'll be contacting them by mail. I think I'll use this as a template for the letter: http://www.creditinfocenter.com/forms/sampleletter9.shtml

Pull the other 2 as well in case they don't report to all 3.

 

[low-key]

better give her your checking account number and social security just to be sure
(btw, one time I got a letter wanting me to pay my dads parking ticket he received in Cleveland, he must have gotten it about 3 years after he died)

 

[Lorelei Lee]

Be very careful in contacting the debt collection company. There is a statue of limitations on debt. check to see what it is in your state. It maybe that just in contacting the debt collection co. may start the statue over. I would make a copy of the letter you were sent ( this is so you have a copy). Then send it back. Once a debt is so old the company that was the original debt sends it to collections. They do this so they can write off the debt. Debt collections co. buy these contracts for penny's on the dollar. If they can get just a few people to pay the amount that is asked -- they make good money.

Debt collection Co. can not call you at work, call once you have told then you have no idea what they are talking about, call late hours or early morning hours, and they can not dial you back to back for hours on end.

Best is to look up statues in your state.

Having an attorney write a letter for you stating there is NO debt owed.

CONTACT does not revive an expired statute of limitations. Partial payment may revive the debt, but demanding proof that a debt is owed cannot revive it.

 

[Lorelei Lee]

OP that template is perfect. Send it certified mail to create a paper trail.

 

[Caropooh]

OP that template is perfect. Send it certified mail to create a paper trail.

Thanks! It's printed, signed and in the envelope! DH works right next to the Post Office and will bring it tomorrow.

 

[Colleen27]

You've gotten good advice - check your credit report, request verification, and DO NOT provide any personal information in doing so (classic scam - "Just verify your SS# for me..."). It is entirely possible that it isn't your debt and you received the contact by mistake. When faced with a lack of updated contact information for a delinquent borrower, collection agencies often turn to public records like tax rolls and phone books. We've gotten collection notices for strangers that have the same last name, for relatives, for former residents at this address and the former owners of our landline number, etc.

 

[Cupcakey78]

The debt validation letter was really good.

I would check out the message boards at the my fico website. The people there are super knowledgeable and helpful.

 

[Jaya]

It's a possibility that she's reaching out to everyone she can find with that name in the hopes that she'll reel in the correct one. My former son-in-law had a terrible time proving he wasn't the _______ _______ that owed a debt. They had his name, but said he lived in a state he's never even been to, had the wrong birth date, the wrong place of birth, and the wrong social security number but still hounded him unmercifully for months. I can't remember who he finally filed a complaint with, but it eventually stopped them.