Eatons closed Feb/02. Collection agency is now trying to collect...I'm sure I paid it off..do I have to pay?

Question

I am sure I paid off this Credit Card Debt years ago but no longer have proof. NCO is now trying to collect and is saying if I don't have proof, I will have to Pay Again! I know they have a bad rep...they are calling me at least 10 times a day. Do I have to pay? How do I get them to stop? thank you!.....this is a Canadian question please!

Answer 1

My husband is having the same problem with NCO.  They try to collect anything they can - and they are stubborn as h**l.  The only thing you can do is contact the company (in writing), tell them they are harrassing you, request that they stop and only contact via mail only and to provide you with backup for their claim.

Answer 2

Why don't you contact the credit bureau...Equifax of TransUnion...they will be able to tell you if it was paid off or not.  Could be that the credit bureau did not update your file for some reason.  Or go online to one of those sites and order a copy of your credit report.

Then once you have that and it shows that it has been paid off...mail that in to NCO along with a letter telling them to F OFF and leave you alone!!

I hate collection agencies...especially when they are harassing you!!

Answer 3

Legitimate debt or not it is stats barred.

This debt is more than 6 years old and the creditor can no longer sue you for the amount owing, it can also no longer be reported on your credit report (as they only keep negative entries for 6 years).

You need to request copies of your credit report from both the major credit reporting bureaus in Canada to make sure this is not being reported as a collections account (as sometimes unethical collections agencies report the account as more recent than it actually is - you're in luck here, it's impossible for you to have accumulated any more debt with Eatons after Feb 2002 as they were out of business):

Equifax

http://www.equifax.com/EFX_Canada/consum...

1-800-663-9980

Transunion

http://www.transunion.ca/ca/personal/cre...

1-800-465-7166

(Do this first!)

Then the next time NCO contacts you advise them that you are certain you do not owe this money, and you will not pay unless they can prove to you that you owe the debt (original bills, a contract with Eatons etc etc). If they cannot provide some documentation then you are certain that this is a scam and you will report them to your provincial consumer protection department (each province has it's own consumer protection agency).

Ask for their business mailing address, the name of the person who's calling you and an account number. Then send a letter to NCO advising that you have requested they prove you owe this money, and you want all further communications to be in writing ONLY.

Back to your credit report. If NCO is reporting this Eatons account as a "collections account" you need to dispute it with the credit bureau immediately. If NCO is pulling hard credit inquiries you need to dispute these with the credit bureaus immediately.

Be clear with these disputes, advise them that NCO is attempting to collect on a debt you do not owe and that they refuse to provide ANY documentation to the contrary.

A few phone calls and a letter or two and these vultures will likely concentrate on less informed victims.

Good luck!

Answer 4

you are fine u dont have to pay them nothing..because any dept passed 3-6 yrs depends on your state creditors dont have the right to sue u ...so they dont have the right to call u

the Statute of Limitations may be able to help you. This is the period of time a creditor can prevail in a suit against you. For Credit cards or personal loan this is anywhere from about 3-6 years depending on the state. just specify what kind of debt is it?