Collection notice about 12 year old gym bill???

Question

I recently paid off several outstanding debts and thought I was all caught up.

Today in the mail I received a notice about an outstanding balance on a Bally's membership that is over 12 years old! I had completely forgotten about this.

Is this still recoverable? I read the statute of limitations in Virginia (where I live) for a contract is 5 years and a judgement 10 years.

Why are these people even trying?

Answer 1

Just forget it but you should request your free credit reports from annualcreditreport.com or call them toll free @ 1-877-322-8228 for all 3 free reports.

Answer 2

The above answers about ignoring it entirely may not be the best adivce.  You should  call your state Attorney General's office or the state consumer protection office.  You did a good job looking up your state statute of limitations, and that helps you out with this one, but there is also a question of which state's rules govern the transaction, yours or the creditor's. That's a very gray area, and your attorney general should be able to help clarify this.  Some states have up to a 25 year statute on debts, and there is no federal statute.  You should NOT make a payment on it yet, until you are sure that this debt is valid.  any new payment might be interpreted by a court as a reassumption of the old debt.

Hope this helps, and good job paying off all of that old debt!

Answer 3

You should just ignore it entirely.  They have no basis to try to collect a this point, and anything you do, such as negotiating with them, making  partial payment, whatever, could possibly make it valid again.  Just make sure you check your credit report before too long and make sure they dont put anything on there- since the statute of limitations is up, they cant legally do that.

Why are they doing it?  Why not, its a shot in the dark, if you pay them, they get money they otherwise would not.

Answer 4

call them  and ask.

Answer 5

Your old debt was sold to a collection agency --- If it's 12 years old just ignore them.  It's dead and off your credit report already and has no effect on you -- If you attempt to resolve it and start paying it off it re-activates that debt.