What can a collecting agencies do?
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If you're employed they could dock your pay, if you own property they could put a lien on it. Hard to say if they would; for around a thousand they might try to hit your paycheck but probably wouldn't bother with your property.
More likely, they will just harass you more and more often about it. Depends on the collector. Some will just hammer you for the money, others will try to get you to settle for a lesser amount.
More likely, they will just harass you more and more often about it. Depends on the collector. Some will just hammer you for the money, others will try to get you to settle for a lesser amount.
Most likely they will just ding your credit. If you feel like paying it you can call the collector and tell them your willing to settle at a lesser amount. Depends on how much time has passed, the more time the more willing they are too settle. I got a 2K hospital bill that I couldn' pay about 8 years ago. About 3 years later I wanted it off my credit (as balance owed) so I bargined with them and only had to pay 900.00.
They will probably drop you a as a patient or require you to pay in full, in advance for further visits if you put it off.
it is not i have no money, but i am just too piss off to pay.
i was jogging and felt, got a cut on my ear and it bleed like crazy. I wait in ER for 5 hours (with blood all over my face) until someone check me out and another two hours before a doctor give me 5-6 stitches. a week later i got a 2000 + dollar hospital bill (after insurance). i paid like half but i don't feel like paying it all
i am leaving US soon so i don't really care about my credit score. the only concern is that i afraid they freeze my bank account
It will show up on your credit report, that's it... I have $50,000+ in medical bills from 1998 and I've never paid a dime of it. They eventually give up, I haven't heard from them in years.
Ok, time to clear some of the stupidity up. Yeah I have been there, been sued, the whole nine yards. I have also done a great amount of US credit law research.
Step one, get educated on the issues and laws at Credit Report Repair Free Debt Consolidation Bankruptcy Counseling
There forum is also top notch.
This is true to a point, the thing you have to realize is that in order for them to do that they have to sue you and WIN first. They can't just take your money - they must get a judgment against you! If they tell you otherwise they are lying and trying to scare you.
Next question is: is my debt still under the SOL [statue of limitations] of my state.
Statute of limitations on debt collection
Some states are great as they have small SOL's like two years. Yes it can be reported for up to 7 years but they only have the right to collect on it up to the point of statute of limitations where the debt was incurred! If the debt is past SOL you can saftley tell a CA [collection agency] to go pound dirt as you now have an affermative defence if you do get served.
Some states just paying on it will Troll your debt. What that means is that it will reset the clock on when it became delinquent thus changing your SOL timeframe..
You should have sent them a DV [request of Debt Validation] to make those blood suckers proove that you owed them anything, you'd be suprised how often these guys have nothing. No proof gives you another afermative defence in the case you get sued [they also have to sue you in your county] - oh yeah it has to be itemized also. If they have no proof you can also start taking action back at them! Disputing with the CBs [credit bureaus] or filing a small claims action suite against them for defimation of character and any FDCPA violations and whatnot.
A good cheat sheet of typical CA violations can be found here:
Sue your Creditors for $1,000s!
Each violation can constatue as much as $1,000 PER VIOLATION! I personaly always tape my conversations with CA's although I always DV them first so that doesn't last long.
There's so much to cover, like for a DV to be utilized to it's fullest it should be sent within 30 days of recieving your first 'dunning' letter for a CA. Then you can also not just demand proof but they never call you or your work place - but if it's past 30 days they really don't have to respond with anythning - but you can still use it going into court and say 'hey I asked for some proof, and they never provided anything'.
Questions?
Step one, get educated on the issues and laws at Credit Report Repair Free Debt Consolidation Bankruptcy Counseling
There forum is also top notch.
This is true to a point, the thing you have to realize is that in order for them to do that they have to sue you and WIN first. They can't just take your money - they must get a judgment against you! If they tell you otherwise they are lying and trying to scare you.
Next question is: is my debt still under the SOL [statue of limitations] of my state.
Statute of limitations on debt collection
Some states are great as they have small SOL's like two years. Yes it can be reported for up to 7 years but they only have the right to collect on it up to the point of statute of limitations where the debt was incurred! If the debt is past SOL you can saftley tell a CA [collection agency] to go pound dirt as you now have an affermative defence if you do get served.
Some states just paying on it will Troll your debt. What that means is that it will reset the clock on when it became delinquent thus changing your SOL timeframe..
You should have sent them a DV [request of Debt Validation] to make those blood suckers proove that you owed them anything, you'd be suprised how often these guys have nothing. No proof gives you another afermative defence in the case you get sued [they also have to sue you in your county] - oh yeah it has to be itemized also. If they have no proof you can also start taking action back at them! Disputing with the CBs [credit bureaus] or filing a small claims action suite against them for defimation of character and any FDCPA violations and whatnot.
A good cheat sheet of typical CA violations can be found here:
Sue your Creditors for $1,000s!
Each violation can constatue as much as $1,000 PER VIOLATION! I personaly always tape my conversations with CA's although I always DV them first so that doesn't last long.
There's so much to cover, like for a DV to be utilized to it's fullest it should be sent within 30 days of recieving your first 'dunning' letter for a CA. Then you can also not just demand proof but they never call you or your work place - but if it's past 30 days they really don't have to respond with anythning - but you can still use it going into court and say 'hey I asked for some proof, and they never provided anything'.
Questions?
i tried to look for an answer in the link that you gave me but didn't find it
can they touch my bank account?
Like I have said in my post, no not legally unless they have a judgment against you. Have shady CA's done it in the past, yes - but then you could sue their asses off.
They can't even claim they can do it:
Sue your Creditors for $1,000s!
Viloation: Collector cannot claim to garnish your wages, seize property or have you arrested
Protection: Consumer protection afforded by the FDCPA
Fedderal Law: FDCPA Section 807
Amount you can get for violations: $1,000
They can't even claim they can do it:
Sue your Creditors for $1,000s!
Viloation: Collector cannot claim to garnish your wages, seize property or have you arrested
Protection: Consumer protection afforded by the FDCPA
Fedderal Law: FDCPA Section 807
Amount you can get for violations: $1,000
It' surprising how little most people know of the collection process. Rage9 at least brings some proper perspective to what and what not agencies can do.
As in most things, make sure you have all the information possible. Know what the laws are federally and in your state. As Rage9 said there is a statute of limitations for different types of debt that vary by state. When speaking to a CA make sure that you never recognize or admit that you owe anything! This is important, because it could RE-START the time on the SOL, and then you'll be SOL until time runs out again.
Always request debt verification, and then immediately after by way of certified mail reqeust a cease and desist of ALL TYPES of communication. It is very important to keep detailed records of all communication both verbal and written. Record conversations if you can by using a landline with a recording device, or internet phone with recording software installed on your computer. Have all written correspendance certified with return receipt requested.
The collection agency will not try to process you legally without meeting certain criteria. Which is a job, bank accounts, address and more often then not, they want you to own a house. If they are never able to verify any or all of these, especially address. You will most likely not get sued. They can't even serve you if they don't have a physical address they can send someone to to give you a summons.
There's lot's of information out there to help inform the consumer such as yourself as to what you can do to protect yourself from shady collection agencies, which there are many. Don't let them bully you or intimidate you, learn your rights and what you can do and just stand firm. Basically the collection agents can just fuck off. Most of them are jerks anyways. I used to work as a bill collector for three months, after that it just got too draining on the soul lol.
As far as the hospital goes for services, he probably isn't going back to that one again, and even if he did it wouldn't affect any future emergency treatment, if like I said he even goes back there. Which I'm sure he won't.
As in most things, make sure you have all the information possible. Know what the laws are federally and in your state. As Rage9 said there is a statute of limitations for different types of debt that vary by state. When speaking to a CA make sure that you never recognize or admit that you owe anything! This is important, because it could RE-START the time on the SOL, and then you'll be SOL until time runs out again.
Always request debt verification, and then immediately after by way of certified mail reqeust a cease and desist of ALL TYPES of communication. It is very important to keep detailed records of all communication both verbal and written. Record conversations if you can by using a landline with a recording device, or internet phone with recording software installed on your computer. Have all written correspendance certified with return receipt requested.
The collection agency will not try to process you legally without meeting certain criteria. Which is a job, bank accounts, address and more often then not, they want you to own a house. If they are never able to verify any or all of these, especially address. You will most likely not get sued. They can't even serve you if they don't have a physical address they can send someone to to give you a summons.
There's lot's of information out there to help inform the consumer such as yourself as to what you can do to protect yourself from shady collection agencies, which there are many. Don't let them bully you or intimidate you, learn your rights and what you can do and just stand firm. Basically the collection agents can just fuck off. Most of them are jerks anyways. I used to work as a bill collector for three months, after that it just got too draining on the soul lol.
As far as the hospital goes for services, he probably isn't going back to that one again, and even if he did it wouldn't affect any future emergency treatment, if like I said he even goes back there. Which I'm sure he won't.
Unfortunately even when you pay off things that have been on your credit report, their very presence there is still damaging. Especially if you settled. The best deal to make is a written promise that they will completely remove the entry if you pay a certain amount. Do you know if on your report it was marked settled in full or paid in full?
That's speculation I think. Lots of CA's will make a move on you regardless, they love to look for an easy default judgment.
You have to realize much of the debt CA's handle are bought for pennies on the dollar and some are really more sleazy then others on how they collect. It really depends whom your debt lands with. You can check out Bud Hibbs Helps America Hold Debt Collectors to the Law! Bud specializes in exposing the worst of the worst CA's out there.
A great point, but many won't go that route - there are always other ways to get them off...
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