And that’s the problem - it can’t be certified as delivered if they don’t sign for it. It just shows up on the USPS website as “Out for Delivery.”
Ah, yes. It won’t be delivered if they won’t sign. Not certain how to resolve that… I suppose that failed attempts are still in your favor.
Have they shown good records of the debt? So far, your only action has been to formally dispute it?
A google search suggests that I try sending another certified letter, as well as a non-certified letter with a receipt of the certified letter I had tried to send.
I would send it Fedex or UPS then.
It sounds like the line item is fairly comprehensive and breaks down specific charges, as opposed to just “2000 Ford, @ViceFleeble, $1000”.
If it’s specific and detailed, that isn’t great news. Collection agencies often just get lists of names and debts and maybe a short description of the debt, which is easy to dispute.
If it were just the principal then I wouldn’t put up a big fight. It’s the fact that they waited 10 years to tell me and slapped on interest and collection fees which were more than double the principal. My letter asked for proof that they even sent me the bill when it was due. If I never received it and they waited 10 years to pursue the matter then how should I be expected to pay all that interest? I’ll work with my lawyer cousin if it gets to that point - he could probably negotiate it down.
2 Likes
Probably two dumb yutes running this debt collection company.
Regarding the certified letter . . . USPS should have a date associated with it where they accepted the letter. If collections is saying they never got it, then it’s an issue for USPS to demonstrate attempts at delivery.
I would look to file a harassment suit against them if they’re still persisting to “attempt to collect the debt.”
Their state probably has some kind of statewide consumer protection hotline that would be my first stop. Very likely the quality of said hotline depends on the state. Not sure if this is something to escalate to the CFPB, but complaints to such are fairly easy IIRC from doing it to a bank.
I bet if you offered them a fraction, they might take it.
I’ve had two interactions with people like this. Once when I was about 18. Signed up for some mail-order thing and foolishly ignored it, because young and stupid. They called. I offered like 10 or 20 percent. They took it.
Second time was about 20 years ago. I filled out something at a tradeshow booth. They proceeded to advertise me on some website, without me being aware. After two years, they put thousands on my credit card all at once. I objected. After a lot of back and forth, I offered the credit card company (not collections) 10 percent of the bill just to get rid of them. They took it.
Agree
I’m going to PUT A GIANT-ASS DISCLAIMER HERE
Do research and consider if a lawyer is worth it before doing this. My understanding is that this treads very closely to admitting the debt is yours.
I’m sure you can do as @SpaceLobster and @twig93 said, but be very sure you’re wiping the debt clean, and before such time NEVER admit that the debt is yours.
2 Likes
The lawyer is my cousin, so worth it whether he charges me or not. I’m not denying that I owe something. Based on conversations with a CT resident in this thread, it may have been a tax bill that applied to my final year living there, but I never received it because I had moved away and despite mail forwarding it never reached me. Or maybe it did reach me and I assumed it was a mistake because I no longer lived there. Whatever the case, my objection is to the fact that they waited 10 years to chase after me, presumably because the town wanted to make a few bucks by offloading their unpaid tax bills to a collection agency.
I get that. I’m just worried the moment you say “I recognize that this bill wasn’t paid, but that’s only because I never received it, so I think these penalties are unreasonable” - well, we’re now starting on the foundation of “I recognize the debt” as opposed to “If that debt turns out to be valid, it’s news to me”. I am just recommending that you not give an inch until you get the resolution you want, or accept you will pay it all.
“I’m not willing to admit this debt is mine, but you’re annoying AF and my time is worth more so I’m willing to pay you X to stop bothering me about this.”
1 Like
I’d do some research on Google but that’s how I’d approach it. “I still believe I don’t owe this debt. However, I am willing to compensate you $[the original bill] for the time you spent if we can consider this resolved, and you will erase the debt and never contact me again.”
And get that in writing. Take that letter and stuff it in the safe deposit box or whatever.
1 Like
100%, I’d get a wet signature from the aholes.
They ought to send it to you Certified Mail with Return Receipt.
1 Like
Had a nice chat with my cousin. Looking at the letter there are actually two addresses listed. I sent the letter to one on the letterhead, but that may just be a front for the municipality. The payment instructions show a FL address, so my next step is to send a letter certified mail to that address and hope that gets them off my back.
Not the tax authorities, but here’s a weird one about an old debt:
I got an email today from a dentist saying I have an outstanding balance of $48. Appointment date in 2014! WTF.
Even worse, I was a victim of dental malpractice from these clowns and I had to go to an out of network dentist to repair the damage they did. I had to have a root canal+crown because they nicked the root filling a cavity, and another crown where they either cracked the tooth themselves when they did a half assed job on a filling there or didn’t notice it while doing so. After I complained about the pain in the tooth where they nicked the root, they told me it was fine and nothing was wrong. I decided I was never setting foot in that place again at that point.
I’m going to ignore it and see what happens. I imagine I’m probably past the statute of limitations to threaten them with a malpractice suit.
1 Like