My wife has a very old credit card account that was not paid in full due to medical problems we had with our child. We were contacted by the Burgess Law Office out of Niagara Falls, NY last November with an immediate demand for payment. We owed approximately 2400 according to them. We paid them a little over $900 before I found out that this is one of the bottom feeder operations that use a lawyer as a front only for a debt collection agency. I refuse to pay anything else. They are now calling again and threatening to take us to court, etc. to pay the debt. I realize they could do this, but would appreciate any advise on what to do here. Should I send a cease and desist letter to them? I don't want my wife going to court on this but I don't feel we should pay these scum anymore money then we did. Thanks for the help!

You did owe them the money but truth be told, they are scum and will say and do anything to get more money out of you. I would not send them a letter, or return calls, if you have the fortidue just ignore them, (and I know I am probably going to get lambasted here for saying this). I am talking from experience believe me. But in my case they couldn't produce proof, my lawyer said show the proof, I said show the proof and they couldn't produce so I made their life hell on earth. And every time they called, they ended up hanging up on me.

Hello seneca:

Look, I don't disagree with either of you. They are scumbags. But scumbags can get judgments and scumbags can make your life miserable.

IF they win a judgment because you're too good to deal with them, they'll probably win at least twice as much as they're asking for now, when you include attorney's fees and court costs. Plus, they'll have a free pass to your bank accounts and her paycheck.

Therefore, if you have SOME cash, hold your nose, call 'em up, and make an offer.

excon

Well first, you made a big mistake by paying the $900. By doing so, you restarted the SOL given them the opportunity to take you to court and get a judgement.

So you can't tell them to cease and desist. The best you can do now is try and get them to settle the account without going to court.

However, all correspondence should be done via mail.

I hope this isn't too rude to ask, but if the debt is yours and it appears you are able to pay it now, why don't you? It is your debt even though it has been passed to a different collector.

Scott is right had you not paid them anything, then you would have sent them the letter to go away and jump off the falls. But you did not, and you paid, now they can get a judgement, and so on. So at this point you either pay or risk a law suit.