Friday, October 25, 2013

Disputing Collections and other Stories

**DISCLAIMER: This is NOT advice. This is a narrative of experiences that I have had. I repeat, this is NOT advice.

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I am pretty vigilant when it comes to my credit report. Both the husband and I watch it like a hawk. I think if more people were aware of how easy it is to watch your credit, we would have less businesses wanting to do this service for us. Normally, when I receive a "collection notice" I research the claim.

RESEARCHING THE CLAIM
Q. Does this organization have a valid claim against me? In other words, have I contracted to do business with this entity?

A. If it is a collection agency, almost 100% of the time, you have not contracted with the agency. What I suspect happened is that the collection agency purchased the debt from another company you or I have contracted with. For instance, I just received a letter from XYZ Collections. Normally, collection agencies send a half page letter with required legal verbiage along with a claim. Their claim looks something like this:

I may have done business with 123 Company and I may, in fact, owe $15 dollars to 123 Company. So the next step would be to attempt to settle the debt and/or dispute it. If it has gone to collections then you will be doing both.

SETTLE THE DEBT
Q. How do I settle the debt?

A. If you find that you do, in fact, owe 123 Company $15 dollars then contact 123 Company to arrange payment. Speaking only for myself and not attempting to influence you, the reader, I am not going to pay XYZ Collections for this debt. I will contact 123 Company to settle it. I do it this way so as not to acquiesce to XYZ Collections that we have a contract because we do not.

DISPUTE THE DEBT
Q. How do I dispute the debt?

A. Contact the Collection Agency in writing. I normally write a letter in direct response to the notice they sent me. I indicate key factors:
  1. Ask them for proof that there is a binding contract between you and XYZ Collection
  2. Set a time limit for them to respond and the result of not responding within the time period.
This is an example of a letter I wrote recently:
This is as simple as I can explain the process I use. Sharing my process for dealing with collection agencies was actually not what I intended to write about. This was just the back story.

The letter above was also sent to the Federal Trade Commission since they are tasked with protecting consumers. In my attempt to search for a mailing address for the FTC, I came across their Organization Chart, which is a downloadable pdf. What blew me away is on page 6. The Human Capital Management Office! What is the capacity of the Human Capital Management Office?
Position Titles:
Chief Human Capital Officer
Deputy Director
Assistant Director for Employee and Labor Relations
Chief Learning Office for Employee Development and Training

It just sounds all wrong! I am assuming that this is now the new title for Human Resources. All of it just makes my skin crawl. I am a human so this department probably applies to me. However, I do not agree with the government thinking that I am "capital" to use as they please.

I attended a conference several years ago that featured a workshop on the social security number that most American's are required to sign up for and willingly comply. In that workshop, the keynote speaker discussed the fact that the enumeration of each person is essentially a way that the government monetizes the labor of a human. Our Birth Certificate becomes a paper that is publicly traded on the NYSE and in the world markets. There are several videos on youtube that talk about this. I would advise looking them up. Because this information is not new to me, I am not blown away by their information but you might be and this might help you begin the research to counter what you learned in government-sponsored school.

The way the money system works in this world is based on paper trade/fiat currency/debt. I am pretty sure that all currencies that are traded are fiat and have been taken off the gold standard meaning that it can be manipulated by the IMF, as they please.

The reason I bring this forward is so that the average reader can be empowered and understand the true goings-on of this world and at least start opening your mind to what is. Some of us prefer to walk around with blinders so as not to have to deal with reality. That's not me! Hopefully, you can start searching on your own and start acting locally to make REAL CHANGE because the powers that be truly do want to reduce the population on the earth DRASTICALLY.

**DISCLAIMER: This is NOT advice. This is a narrative of experiences that I have had. I repeat, this is NOT advice.

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