kidaboo94
Jul 29, 2011, 02:11 AM
Will I be taken to court over a cancelled payment arrangement for a credit card debt with a collection agency?
I had this credit card in college approximately 9 years ago. I had no idea that the statute of limitations for the debt had passed and I was concerned about getting the debt paid after having it count against me for so long. I was worried about being taken to court and my wages garnished. I made payments over many months; I had a small payment arrangement and ended up paying a little over $500 towards the $1900 debt. In the last few months I've experienced some difficulties, including losing my job of nearly 4 years. I was on unemployment for 1 month, then I got a job hostessing at a restaurant for a couple of months, and now I am finally in a more long-term position. I'd called several times to change my payment due date as the dates which I was receiving income changed several times. The last time I called the agent was horribly rude and demeaning and was quite a bully to me. It was the most upsetting call I've ever experienced. He refused to let me speak with someone else. He was very nasty. I got online and looked up the company, and saw that they have a history of such behavior towards people. And then I also read that the debt may've never been legally collectible anyway by the time I started paying on the account! I called and cancelled the payment arrangement. The lady said that the account would be turned over to "the partners" (a law firm I deduced) and I would be facing wage garnishment. I thought she was threatening me but I looked online after the call and found a concept called re-aging debt, which stated that since I acknowledged the debt by making payments that it had been brought current and was now legally collectible for another 7 years, plenty of time for me to be taken to court! I am so nervous and worried that I've made a horrible mistake. I'm sure that the collection agency will refuse to work with me now and allow me to continue payments for cancelling the arrangement. I had no idea about any of this, and now I am so worried I will pay for this ignorant naïveté. What should I do? Please help! I live in Virginia by the way.
I had this credit card in college approximately 9 years ago. I had no idea that the statute of limitations for the debt had passed and I was concerned about getting the debt paid after having it count against me for so long. I was worried about being taken to court and my wages garnished. I made payments over many months; I had a small payment arrangement and ended up paying a little over $500 towards the $1900 debt. In the last few months I've experienced some difficulties, including losing my job of nearly 4 years. I was on unemployment for 1 month, then I got a job hostessing at a restaurant for a couple of months, and now I am finally in a more long-term position. I'd called several times to change my payment due date as the dates which I was receiving income changed several times. The last time I called the agent was horribly rude and demeaning and was quite a bully to me. It was the most upsetting call I've ever experienced. He refused to let me speak with someone else. He was very nasty. I got online and looked up the company, and saw that they have a history of such behavior towards people. And then I also read that the debt may've never been legally collectible anyway by the time I started paying on the account! I called and cancelled the payment arrangement. The lady said that the account would be turned over to "the partners" (a law firm I deduced) and I would be facing wage garnishment. I thought she was threatening me but I looked online after the call and found a concept called re-aging debt, which stated that since I acknowledged the debt by making payments that it had been brought current and was now legally collectible for another 7 years, plenty of time for me to be taken to court! I am so nervous and worried that I've made a horrible mistake. I'm sure that the collection agency will refuse to work with me now and allow me to continue payments for cancelling the arrangement. I had no idea about any of this, and now I am so worried I will pay for this ignorant naïveté. What should I do? Please help! I live in Virginia by the way.