Collection agencies will settle debts all the time for pennies on the dollar. I know it's too late now, but you should always get this agreement in writing first. Also, never pay them with anything that has your bank name on it. By the way...you can tell them to quit calling you and your friends/family and they have to abide. You should never talk to them on the phone either. Do everything in writing and send your letters certified receipt. Look up the Fair Debt Collections Act. It contains a wealth of information to use against creditors.

Someone mentioned bankruptcy staying on your credit for ten years. True, but there are ways to get it removed. I filed bankruptcy in 2004 when I got sick and had to quit working. Successfully got it removed from all three of my credit reports and two of my husband's in 2008.

Yeah, get everything in writing.

I did get it in writing, and Fauxie yes you're rite bout the address. That is what made me leary after I mailed the money out. Cuz, the fax they sent me with everything in writing said to mail the money to the P.O. Box. I did, and called the lady I'd been dealing with to give her my tracking number. Then she asked me if I mailed it to the address, YOU have listed and I said no the Po Box and she started going on that I had to somehow call the post office and get it rerouted to the other addy cuz theres no one there to sign for it at a po box. So I called the post, and the dude said it was gone already but prob in Pottsville, he called pottsville and they waived the signature required and signed it for me. Sooooo I call the lady back and tell her its still going to the po box but no one has to sign for it. She got like really panicky about it and said that if its NOT in their office by (today now) at noon (the north course address) all deals are off and I have to pay the full amt.....

TotalANXiousNESS said:

Cool, well I hope you're able to get the money rerouted without much trouble.

PS I'm not Fauxie, lol.

FauxReal said:

Oh.

Well what do u look like?

If noone signs for it how are you gonna prove it arrived?

tinaz said:

I guess when they cash the money orders.....???

TotalANXiousNESS said:

Let's be honest here. This is what you get for not paying your bills.

Lest you think I'm being too harsh, let me say that I've been there, myself. I had terrible credit in my 20s - mostly due to unstable employment and some really bad decisions. I never declared bankruptcy, but it took me seven years to dig out.

It is so important to protect your credit. If you don't, it can screw up your life in more ways than you can imagine.

TotalANXiousNESS said:

My pictures are on a few threads here. I'd just post a new one, but i'm posting from my phone right now.

I look nothing like Fauxie though. I'm lightskinned with less facial hair.

You should read this before you send money to anyone else.

http://www.collectionagen...rocess.htm

Some people will disagree, but I say fuck those 2nd and 3rd party collectors. (Funny, when I was logging in, I wrote GetAwayWithIt instead of GetAwayFromMe). LOL!

I hear ya Genesia. I had fabulous credit till my divorce and it didn't take long. at. all. to screw it up. I'm trying to fix it and know its gonna take forever.

GetAwayFromMe....Ya I read a site similar to this, adn it taught me a lot of tools to use with these agencies and what to do and yada yada. Very helpful.

I actually just hung up on a lady over my GAP card. I'd rather deal with the original creditor, but sometimes they just won't deal with you anymore, cuz they sold your acct. Once its with collection, who the hell knows who your sending your money to, and its really not fixing your credit anyway.

UGH

Pay your bills on time!!!!!

Fauxie has light skin. I'm confused.

TotalANXiousNESS said:

Yes, it's going to take a long time. But you're doing the right thing, trying to make good on the debts. It'll be worth it, trust me. When creditors see those accounts marked "paid" on your credit report (make sure they do that!), they'll be a lot more likely to give you another chance.

TotalANXiousNESS said:

Well he's white. I meant lightskinned as in not white, but not of a particularly dark complexion either. Specifically I am black and white, thus a shade of beige.

FauxReal said:

Feel free to post pictures here. I don't know what you mean.....


Genesia, so tell me what you suggest here, cuz I'm not quite sure what to do.

So, I've settled on my two major credit cards.

Now all I owe is petty little department store ones. Althought their not so little anymore. They're wayyyyy overloaded with late fees and interest. They are all already with collections now too with the exception of Victoria Secret. I kept paying on that one.

Ok, so do I also settle with these ones and just pay them all off at once??? Or do I just pay little by little each month. I just don't think it's a smart idea to spend almost my entire divorce settlement on credit card bills, yet, I just wanna start fresh with a clean slate. What do ya think??

TotalANXiousNESS said:

Pay everything off as fast as you can. That way, the phone calls will stop - and you can start rebuilding right away.

TotalANXiousNESS said:

See if you cant pay a chunk and then have them reage your account so it doesnt still show that your past due on your credit report...

TotalANXiousNESS said:

Sorry for the momentary threadjacking but these three here have been posted on the org before.

FauxReal said:

Oh.

Helllllo!

Hi