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My wife used to work for a collections agancy (secretary, not collector). They can and will harass you until you pay up. The agents work on commission and the guy you talked to has your file.

A lot of their cases are deadbeats that disappear without a valid forwarding address. So when they get a live one they sink their teeth in and don't let go.

If you refuse to pay they can get a judgment against you, even for "only" $1k.

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Biggest scam in the world.  Odds are they bought the debt and trying to squeeze any cent they can get out of you.  Never confirm anything over then phone with them nor give them any real info.

Head on over to: https://creditboards.com/forums/   The Arfcom of credit.

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Near as I can tell we have some debt collecting scum on this very board.  They come to these topics like flies to shit, and they stink just as bad through the internet as they do through the phone.

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Do you have a Best Buy credit card?
Do you owe $1K that you haven't been making payments on?
 If so, why not?

Call the bank.

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Sorry this is a bit lengthy. I am not trying to avoid a debt,  I am much happy to pay it to the original debitor which is HSBC Best Buy. I have been working on my debts that I messed up while in college, working on one at a time. Can't do all at once. But this one is now threating to sue me. So I need some suggestions to what is the best next step to resolve this situation.



So I have been getting private number calling me with no caller ID twice,  those time they called I was unable to answer. my voice-mail was full,  They ended up calling my father,  left message with him that it was urgent to call them otherwise they will file lawsuit against me. They left a number 626-346-2851 and case number. No name or company name or anything.



I called them, at first I asked who they were before I gave them my name. His name is Jordan Cohen,  he was very polite and nice, said that  They are Michael Phillips and associates. He said they are law firm based in California. He asked for case number, I gave it to him.  He said that someone was suing someone and needed my statement. I thought to myself if I recalled anyone asking me for permission to get a statement and no one did. He then proceeded and asked if my name was correct which it was. He had me on hold to get paperwork for the statement.



Jordan came back, told me my birthdate, which was correct, then told me if my last 4 social security number was correct. I was like how do you have all this information if it's just a statement you need for someone suing someone. He said that he couldn't say anything until I verified the number they gave me was correct. I said it was correct. His attitude changed right there, from there and on he was very demanding and said that they are suing me for a $1,000 debt with HSBC Best Buy credit card.  I asked if they are debt collector, he said well yeah sorta but more of a law firm. Then he proceeded to tell me that the judge has awarded them and that they won and I must pay the amount of $1,445.00 today and asked me for my payment information. I began to get more suspicious.



I asked him why I didn't get a letter about this first? He said they already did,  I said I never got anything. He checked the paper and said it was 2 months ago. I told him I never did receive a letter stating that I must pay or a lawsuit will be made on me.  He said let me check with my supervisor. Not more than 30 second he says they will settle with $1,000 if paid today with one full payment. Otherwise if I wanted monthly payments it will be a balance of $1,445.00 instead of $1,000.00.



I told him I can't pay that today because I don't have any document in my hands as I'm on the road,  I'm a truck driver. He said it's all legal and that the account was handed to them by HSBC and that I should pay today to avoid lawsuit. I started to get confused there as he said he won the suit, now saying there will be a lawsuit if I don't pay today.



Finally I told him that I will not pay a penny until I get a proof that I owe that debt to you via mail. He started to get agitated and pushy trying to get me to pay today and more threats on lawsuit as we went back and forth about the importance of needing a document before paying anything. He was also like let's save us both the trouble by making payment in full today.



I told him give me the account information and I'll contact HSBC to verify this.  He was like if you let us make out a agreement that you'll make payment in full on Monday 12/14/15 then we'll allow you to discuss with HSBC but we guarantee you they will tell you that it's Michael phillips and associates that is working with them to collect this debt.



So I told him fine and gave him my email to send the copy to me.  Now I have until Monday the 14th to figure this out.  



I did alot of research on the "firm",  can't find much with searching Michael phillips and associates, it only comes up to a medical doctor, so I tried phillips and Cohen associates, found some information on that,  doesn't look good.  Also when he emailed me,  there was another email address for reply to: which is [email protected],  found information on that too.



http://statesboro.biz/News/562/UPDATED-Junk-Debt-Collector-Phillips-Cohen-866-504-9784-You-re-About-To-Be-Sued.aspx



http://complaintwire.org/complaint/uF7916VxXws/beringer-taylor-associates



I refuse to pay a penny until I get documentation that I owe to them, but he is not wanting to do that and keeps throwing the lawsuit on me. So how can I get proof without them proceeding with the suit?

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If the debt is old they probably bought the debt for a fraction of the original debt.  You need to get everything in writing before you agree to anything.  They want your bank account info.  If you pay anything it resets the clock on the debt as well.

Then he proceeded to tell me that the judge has awarded them and that they won and I must pay the amount of $1,445.00 today and asked me for my payment information. I began to get more suspicious.

What does the debt collector have to tell me about the debt?
Every collector must send you a written “validation notice” telling you how much money you owe within five days after they first contact you. This notice also must include the name of the creditor to whom you owe the money, and how to proceed if you don’t think you owe the money.

Can a debt collector keep contacting me if I don’t think I owe any money?
If you send the debt collector a letter stating that you don’t owe any or all of the money, or asking for verification of the debt, that collector must stop contacting you. You have to send that letter within 30 days after you receive the validation notice. But a collector can begin contacting you again if it sends you written verification of the debt, like a copy of a bill for the amount you owe.

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Debt collectors will tell you anything.  They will try to bully and scare you.  If they are collectors, they probably bought the debt for pennies on the dollar.  Offer them 800 bucks, tell them youre broke.

I had collectors calling me after my divorce, they are leaches that feed on ignorant scum.  One guy threatened me with all kinds of b.s., but was speechless when I politely told him good luck garnishing wages from a self employed person who gets no tax refund and currently has no bank accounts in his name. He then accepted 1/2 the amount owed.  I should have offered less.

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When Guido and Vinnie used to collect debts, it was a far better system. Don't pay for your TV, you get your fookin kneecaps whacked.

People tended to pay their debt or better yet, not borrow money for wants instead of needs in the first place.

It really is too easy for people to skate on loans that involve useless shit they don't need to live.

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You need to write a letter to both the collection agency and HSBC and request that they cease and decist under the FDCPA.  

Then you need to take $35 down to the courthouse and Sue HSBC in small claims and request they wipe the debt, remove negative information from your credit report and refund your small claims filing fee.  


Believe me they will call and settle out of court.

I am all for paying debt but when the agency starts making threats you have to push back.  They can make your life hell and if you don't call them on it they will get worse and worse.

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Sue you over $1,000

Yeah right