Old credit card, medical and loan debts are sold in bulk, often more than once, and the paperwork does not always travel with them. Federal law gives you the right to ask a collector to verify the debt. We examine what comes back and show you what it proves.
These records decide what you owe and who can collect it. They are rarely sent to you, and almost never explained. We request them, examine them and tell you in plain language what they prove and what they do not.
A collector must send you a notice with specific information about the debt. If you dispute it in writing within 30 days, the collector has to stop collecting until it sends verification.
We trace the debt from the original creditor through each sale and document any gap in the chain.
Interest, fees and charges added after default have to be authorized by the original agreement or by law. We itemize the balance and flag what the record does not support.
Every state limits how long a debt can be sued on. A collector may not sue, or threaten to sue, on a debt past that limit. We document the dates that decide it.
A collector generally has to communicate with you about a debt before it reports the debt to a credit bureau.
Many states require collectors to be licensed or registered. We check the collector's status where you live.
We do not promise results, and every file depends on what its records show. When a dispute is documented and pursued properly, these are outcomes it can produce:
This sample is a mortgage file, with every figure made up for illustration. We examine a collection account the same way: each thing the collector has to establish, what its own record shows, and a plain determination on every line.
Open the sample reportIt is a written request, sent within 30 days of the collector's first notice, asking the collector to verify the debt. Once it arrives, the collector has to pause collection until it mails you verification. Send it by a method that proves delivery and keep a copy.
Yes. Debts are often sold in large batches and resold. Each sale should be documented, and a collector that sues should be able to show the chain from the original creditor to itself.
That is your decision, and it can have legal consequences. In some states a payment on an old debt can restart the time limit for a lawsuit. We show you the dates and documents in the record so you can decide with the facts in front of you, and an attorney can advise you on your state's rules.
A lawsuit has court deadlines, and missing one can mean a judgment against you. We can examine the collector's documents and prepare the record for you or your attorney. We do not represent you in court.
Upload your documents and we will send a free summary of what the record establishes, what is missing and why it matters.
