[Rickiro]

I have a question about my credit. I had a Sears account and Sears Master Card that was canceled in August 2007. A company called me about collections, I was in a panic. I called sears about the company to find out if they were legitimate. Sears could not give much information but confirmed that they do work with that company. The company was easy to work with and I paid my debt for my Sears Card and Sears Master Card in 2 payments.
The only thing is when I was done paying the company gave me a conformation number BUT no statement. I did call Sears and of course not too much info was given to me how ever It did seem legitimate. (that was the end of 2007)

In 2009 a collection company started calling me about my Sears Card, They called me between 30 to 40 times a day even on weekends. I told them that I already paid my debt over a year ago. They threaten to tell my job, they threaten to call my husbands work, they told me that they will contact my family... they were so upsetting that I even cried. I had NO one to turn to about this NO one to contact for help, I gave-in and set up a payment plan with them Only with one condition that they send me a statements so I may have some sort of evidence that I paid.
Three things happened they sent me a statement... then they called and made a deal with me about the amount I owed and the harassing phone calls continued, even when I made a payments.

So I paid a big payment then smaller payments for 4 months. At the end of that, I told them that my husband who worked part time wasn't going to work in the summer that I can continue to pay them in September... they said they understood, however I made two small payments after I talked with them .
In September I called them to start up my payments again, However I told them Im NOT going to pay unit then send me a statement ( I only received 1 statement in the beginning but noting to show that I had made any payments and I was little more then halfway done. They told me that they were going to do that by mail and email. I paid a bigger payment and waited. NOTHING... I called them the end of October and told them I still haven received a statement... the man I was dealing with the whole time got really up set and started saying that he was going to contact my job if I don't start paying. I was really confused. HOWEVER I paid over the phone... After that it got really bad with the harassing. I didn't pay in November or December I was trying to hold my ground.

In January they called me as if they never talked to me before... THEN and statement came in the mail from the same company that was the same amount of money that I started with as if I nevered pay a thing ( February). The campany with out telling me took a small payment out of my account in January.
I contacted them and he said that I needed to pay $400 dollars that day or else... I had only $200 left the agreement he and his boss made with me, he was floored and said that he had access to my account anyway.
I hung up and my Husband called him and told him that we will give him $200 right now if he can email us the receipt... HE refused. We put told my bank to block that company. The company called a couple times, I told them I will give then the $200 left on my account or nothing and they refused, they stopped calling.
About 2 and a half years later I'm starting to get calls again from anther company trying to collect... NOT the $200 I offered NOT the $400 they wanted BUT the full amount.
A friend of mind had a similar situation and talk to her lawyer. The Lawyer gave her the advise not to have any contact with the collection agency and that after 6 years it will be off her record.
What do I do? So do I have right?

[JudyKayTee]

You paid the debt in total but have no receipts to prove it? Phone payments are credit card payments, right? Direct withdrawal? There should be records.

They are NOT allowed to threaten you (loss of job, calling your husband at work). It's against the law. Notify your State's Attorney General.

If this is within the Statute (and your payments have extended the Statute) "they" could get a judgment against you, immediately vaid for 10 years, renewable for another 10 (in most States). Do you want this on your record for 20 years?

And I never take legal advice from a friend who got it from an Attorney - unless you are sitting there, you don't know.

[AK lawyer]

If a bill collection agency harasses you about what they claim you owe some company they work for, notify them in writing that they are not to call you about it again.

If they do so again, they are violating federal law and can be punished.