What should we do regarding bill?

**themartins903** · 02-27-2008, 10:54 AM

I received a bill made out to my husband and he couldn't think of what it was regarding so I called the collection agency. The charges in question are from 1996 and he doesn't even REMEMBER what it was for. I guess they did an address search on him and found him at our new address.

The collection agency offered a 50% payoff, but I told her that I didn't feel comfortable making ANY kind of deal with my husband not know what it was for and it being so far back that they could do what they want with it.

If we do consider paying it... would it hurt our credit? On our recent credit report, I don't even see it listed.

My thinking is if it's not on our Equifax report, don't bother because it's so old???????

Any comments/advice would be GREATLY appreciated.

**sdrjeolsen** · 02-27-2008, 11:03 AM

It sounds a little shady to me. If Its not on your credit report I wouldn't touch it. Especially not remembering it or knowing waht it is. Maybe its a scam??

**Izzy0906** · 02-27-2008, 11:12 AM

The same thing happened to me. They are trying to charge me for a bill back in 1997. last year was the FIRST time I had ever heard of it. I requested a ocpy of the bill, never got it. Told them I wouldn't pay without a copy (keep in mind it is NOT anywhere on my credit report and never has been) and I never heard from them again.

**themartins903** · 02-27-2008, 11:15 AM

Advice well taken. Just like the above poster put it... "sounds fishy".

Thank you!

**happimommi** · 02-27-2008, 11:44 AM

That is from a long time ago, I had a collection agency call me a couple of years ago with a bill I was sure I had paid. They wanted to take a payment on the phone, but when I told them I only did business through snail mail and that they could send me the bill, never heard from them again.

**prairiewife** · 02-27-2008, 12:37 PM

I agree with the other posters, sounds a bit fishy. I wouldn't pay unless they can produce a bill and prove it wasn't paid. Maybe it wasn't even your husbands bill. I had a bad debt show up on my credit report once and when we researched it, it belonged to a another woman with the same name.

**dkhd** · 02-27-2008, 01:41 PM

nope.

no way jose.

don't pay them a cent.

if they can't prove it...you don't owe it.

And it can't be reported after 7 years anyways.

**julieb** · 02-27-2008, 01:57 PM

It does sound odd. If it is a credit card they should be able to itemize what it was for and send you a copy. Personally stuff like this makes me mad, I ask who they are, address, I want an itemized bill and if I know it is a scam I report 'em. Dang right I report them because I may not fall for the scam but someone else might. Nothing makes me madder than people getting scammed out of money.

**FrugalMomof3** · 02-27-2008, 02:10 PM

I think you should forget about it, it's an old item... 12 years old to be exact and if it's not showing on your credit report than dont make a single payment on it.

If you do decide to make a payment, it will go back on your credit report as a collection account and it will stay on for the next 7 years.

MY OPINION: Dont pay it, let it be.

**PB&J** · 02-27-2008, 06:21 PM

There is a statute of limitations on debt collection and I am sure it has long passed. In Texas, it is 5 years. We had a hospital bill that the hospital neglected to file with our insurance. Then 10 years later, a collection agency tried to collect it from us! I told them the SOL had passed and never heard from them again.

**Michelle68** · 02-27-2008, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by FrugalMomof3

I think you should forget about it, it's an old item... 12 years old to be exact and if it's not showing on your credit report than dont make a single payment on it.

If you do decide to make a payment, it will go back on your credit report as a collection account and it will stay on for the next 7 years.

MY OPINION: Dont pay it, let it be.

--Michelle

**halloweenfreak** · 02-28-2008, 10:16 AM

exactly, the sol is up and theres nothing they can do about it. my husband keeps getting calls about a debt from.... gimmee a sec. to think.... 11 years ago i believe. 11 years! who buys out an 11 year old debt and thinks they can bully someone into paying it. if i could ever talk to an actual person, they'd get an earful. but yeah, i wouldn't pay it and would just ignore them.

**della92** · 02-28-2008, 03:49 PM

Yahoo News has a current video about this called Zombie debts.

Collection companies will buy bad/written off debts from other business for next to nothing and then they will harass the individual for the payment, regardless of whether it is legitimate or not.

I hope the link works.