They keep calling and leaving nasty messages for someone that has same last name. Told them many times they were not address. Finally got to talk to a woman who yelled as soon as I picked up. Talked to the boss or w/e told me God loves me. Said the would stop calling. Probably wont stop calling considering I have done this before. Very annoying very rude to talk to.

I got a phone call from Holly Sommers from a Law Office this evening about 8:58 p.m.  I didn't know what this was in reference to.  First off it sounded like she was in a bar, because I heard clapping and cheering in the background.  I don't have money, I don't come from a family that has money and she wanted me to get the money from my family.  She wanted a credit card number from me in a bad way.  I understand I owe a bill, but I haven't heard from this company in like 4 years and honestly forgot all about it.  She all of a sudden cut me off and a 'gentleman' gets on the phone.  I thought he said his name was Mr. Vince, but it could have been Mr. Davis.  He was the most rudest, ignorant person I have ever talked to in my life!!  He threatened to send out the sherrif/constiable.  He said that I would be getting served papers at my work.  I told him that I wanted them sent to my home and he said, well at work you can't dodge them. He was calling me poor and called me a liar over and over again.  He also said I had a poor attitude, poor spending habits, poor credit and a poor job record!!  I was speechless.  All I could say was "wow".  Then he told me to enjoy my life in my trailer.  I told him thank you.  I was just so shocked.

Caller left message, "Chris van Horn" calling for a name similar to my wife's, left an 800 number and a "reference number". I called back and was placed on hold--van Horn's apparently 'unavailable'--woman asks if there's anything she can help with, asks for my reference number. I ask who they are, where they are, what they do. She asks for the reference number. I ask why she won't tell me where she is and what they do. She says it's an attorney's office. I say what kind of law do you practice and why are you calling my house for a name that doesn't exist here. She says she can't tell me that if i'm not a party directly involved. I say why are you scanning the phone books and making up names similar to the ones you find? I say, you better find another job because it sounds like you folks are scamming people. She says they're not scamming people, they're a law office. I say please take my number off your list. She says have a nice day.

So I get the first letter about a month ago saying that they are attempting to collect a debt for $533.49 from Providian; a credit card company, I thought that my mom and I had taken care of all my debts with credit cards when I was a dumb 18 yr old kid.

I ignored the letter and received another one. So I decided to call and see what the matter was about. I talked to a guy named Steve and agreed to call him back when I got out of work and make a settlement payment of $400. I told him I wanted to check my credit report first before I did anything, so he referred me to freecreditreport.com I signed up and they were going to mail me my password to check my credit. So I didn't call the law office back that day but they called me and I just didn't answer. I told my mom about it and she said, why did you do that? You don't have to worry about that. It's been how long and they just now try to collect from you? She said that they can't do anything to me. So I do some research and find out all kinds of interesting things. Like statue of limitations. That means collectors have so much time after your last activity with the creditor before they can't do anything to collect the debt. The 3 states that I have lived in have all expired. 4 yrs was the most.

So I call the guy back the next day and told him I did some research and I wasn't paying until I checked my credit report. The guy was getting all mad and saying well, we had an agreement that you would pay and blah blah blah. I said, what about statute of limitations? He said that they go by the federal law and it gives them 8 days from the last time of activity with the credit card. I thougt that was b.s I also found out that a lot of debt collectors will settle for more than 50% of the debt. So I tried to talk it down, but the guy was like we already made an agreement for $400, I was like c'mon I know you can do better. He was the best I can do is $380 and that $20 would be coming out of my own pocket. But I told him I'll pay in a few days after I check my report. He was saying if I didn't pay today then when I do pay it'll have to be in full and all this other b.s. I was like, whatever then. They've waited since 2001 and they can't wait like another week. What's the freakin hurry? Are they scamming me?

I forgot to add that before anyone pays anything, they should request a statement of settlement via mail or fax so they'll have some sort of proof of what's going on. What if you pay these so called collectors and they say you haven't. You gotta have some kind of proof. They guy said he would send me a release after I pay. I don't know. I'm feeling iffy about the whole situation. I haven't checked my report yet.

Any advice? Long read I know.

I have read a number of these posting. You have the right to sue them under the Fair Credit law. You just need a lawyer that gets paid by from damages not you directly. They were sued a number of times and lost. It makes for a great Christmas next year.