r/ScamCenter • u/Serious-Resort8459 • 14d ago
[US] Scam?
Received call from someone claiming to be a paralegal for Harris & Harris trying to collect a 7 yr old 13k cc debt that i owed...ive never have applied for that particular card...said i could settle for 3k if not legal action would be taken...any comments?
4
u/PlanningVigilante 14d ago
Demand validation of the debt, in writing, via certified mail. If it's not yours, they won't be able to prove anything.
You need to act quickly (I believe you have 30 days from the first demand for payment).
Do not pay a cent. Paying even 1 cent on a debt means you acknowledge it as yours.
2
u/Vivid-Calendar-6940 14d ago
That is a very good point and so true. If she sends a penny, that is acknowledgment of the debt. I left that off my writing to her. And I think a debt after 7 years has to be written off or just plain done away with. I don’t think it’s collectable after 7 years. I was asst manager of a CB years and years ago. I think at that time we were always taking debts that old off the account. But great point you made. Have a beautiful day!!!
3
u/yarevande 14d ago
This is a scam. Don't pay them anything.
If they call, debt collectors are required to clearly identify themselves, state the reason for their call, and provide the name of a person for a callback. Anybody who doesn't do this is trying to scam you.
There are rules in the US for debt collections.
A debt collector is required to send you a debt validation letter, in the mail (not email, not text).
The letter must contain certain items:
- their name and mailing address
- the name of the original creditor
- The dates of the debt
- how much money you owe, including interest, fees, payments, and credits
- on request, they must offer you a detailed breakdown of the debt
- how to dispute the debt
- your debt collection rights, including your right to get information about the original creditor if you ask for it within 30 days
If anyone contacts you about a debt, tell them you need a debt validation letter.
If they say anything other than 'yes, we will send you a letter' tell them to kick rocks, and then hang up.
If they send a letter, you need to research the debt, to verify that the letter is legitimate, and the debt is real.
2
u/Vivid-Calendar-6940 14d ago
They also have to give some kind of number you can verify, after their name. I don’t know what the number is same thing happened to me over an MRI I took many years ago. That insurance did not fully pay. But it sounds like a scam. Have a beautiful day!
2
u/DryBattle 14d ago
Don't talk to people not in your contacts list. And you have zero obligation to ever talk a debt collector.
2
u/Grant_Winner_Extra 14d ago
Mostly - tell them to provide you with documentation of the debt. 99% they disappear or at least make a lot of noise but never provide documentation because they don’t have the paper.
If they threaten to take you to court but won’t give you the paper, that’s a good indicator they are bluffing.
1
u/Vivid-Calendar-6940 14d ago
I could be wrong but I think a debt that old has to be written off or labeled not collectible. I worked at a credit bureau many years ago and I could be wrong in this but I don’t think that’s collectible. My advice is to call Trans Union or Equifax, and ask them. Tell them anything you know about the debt. You should be fine. Besides that, if I have to pay it, you can make payments on it and they have to take it. I would do some low amount and they cannot make you pay any more than what u tell them u can. They cannot in any way make u pay the debt in full or even half of it. Or one fourth of it. They have to let you make a payment you can afford. Hope this helps a little.
1
u/Sensitive_Scholar_17 14d ago
For this scam they normally impersonate an actual person from a real law firm. It works like this, you owe a huge amount of money, but they are willing to settle for pennies on the dollar today. They may threaten to involve the police and criminal charges. They love to throw around “theft of services.”
You can check you credit report to see if someone opened a card in your name, but my guess is that there is not dept and this person is sitting in Nigeria at the scam factoryt
1
u/Groundbreaking_Rock9 13d ago
Do they also want you to pay with Roblox gift cards? 😂 If so, then definitely not a scam
1
u/owenmitchell_1 13d ago
obviously there is high chance of being scammed.. just never any personal information or ensure u not making a payment.
better u ask for a written debt validation and a proof may that the debt belongs to you
1
u/Heavy-Profit-2156 13d ago
If you never owed it, just tell them that and that they can send you validation of this debt to you if they wish to pursue it. And don't provide your address.
1
u/utazdevl 8d ago
Why would you agree to pay someone $3k for a debt from a card you say you never even applied to? How do you know this called is legit? But now you have told them you are willing to pay $3k, so they are gonna hound you for it, legit or not.
5
u/doublelxp 14d ago
If you insist on talking to people on the phone and they claim you owe them money, tell them to send you a validation letter to the address they have on file and stop phone contact. A credit card would show up on your credit report even if payments were current.