Question about debt collection agencies--you there Mike?

[scrub]

I feel pretty dumb about this.

I rent an apartment, but I live with my girlfriend and don't spend any time there. I get almost all of my mail sent to her apartment.

Right when I moved into the other apartment (about 5 months ago) I set up local phone service and internet. I gave the company a check card number and a cell phone number, and I thought they were going to automatically bill the account for the service. The statement for the account that I thought I was billing it to still gets sent to my parents' house in Connecticut, and I never really checked to see that the bill was getting debited.

Anyway, I went up to the apartment today (both units in the house have the same mailbox) for the first time in a while and discovered that my neighbor has been getting past due notices from the phone company and holding them for me. It looks like they referred the account to a collection agency.

The amount of money involved is trivial for me, but I'd prefer not to mess up my credit any more than it looks like I already have. Speaking of which, does this mean I've messed up my credit? I take it explaining that I'm more of a dumbass than someone who was running from the debt won't make a difference if I have?

Anyway, is there a difference between paying the debt collection agency and paying the phone company? Is there anything I should do in addition to sending in a check?

scrub

[slickpoppa]

If there is a debt collection agency after you, that means they own your debt now, not the phone company. Just pay them ASAP. It probably hurt your credit, but probably not that much as long as your credit record is otherwise clean.

[scrub]

[ QUOTE ]
If there is a debt collection agency after you, that means they own your debt now, not the phone company. Just pay them ASAP. It probably hurt your credit, but probably not that much as long as your credit record is otherwise clean.

[/ QUOTE ]

I called and paid it right after I posted--I still feel pretty dumb about it, though.

I'm surprised the phone company never called the phone number I gave them...

scrub

[Mike Gallo]

George,

Anyway, is there a difference between paying the debt collection agency and paying the phone company? Is there anything I should do in addition to sending in a check?

Pay the agency. Carbon copy the phone company to explain what happened.

Shoot me a pm if you need any more help.

Michael

[Mike Gallo]

If there is a debt collection agency after you, that means they own your debt now, not the phone company

Not true, most agencies work for a contigency. In other words when we collect it we charge a fee, if we do not collect it we do not make money and the creditor does not pay a fee.

[pokerjo22]

At what point do you break their kneecaps?

[Hermlord]

I got scammed on Ebay once -- yes it was dumb, but I was also mislead by several involved financial corporations regarding my liability. But that's not the point. I hired a debt-collection agency (I traced the scammer to Belgium so the agency was also over there) but they were unable to collect; apparently he moved and they could not find his new address. Impressively, because of this I never owed the agency a cent.

My question: who should I contact to help me hunt this scumbag, vigilante-style, to the ends of the earth if need be, likely spending thousands more than the actual value of the debt, solely so I may exact my revenge personally? I have his last known address and a very blurry copy of his passport.

[eric5148]

[ QUOTE ]
My question: who should I contact to help me hunt this scumbag, vigilante-style, to the ends of the earth if need be, likely spending thousands more than the actual value of the debt, solely so I may exact my revenge personally? I have his last known address and a very blurry copy of his passport.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds like a job for Ice: