Can I get a REFUND from paying Two seperate debt collectors for the SAME account?

by Christine
(Lancaster PA)

(I LIVE IN PA) I opened a tweeter account years ago, i then owed them money (i was young and irresponsible at the time). So on January 29th, 2010 i paid $2305.00 to Apothaker & Associates as the settlement. then on December 24th, 2010 another place Midland Credit Management Inc. contacted me with a generous offer to settle the account in which i had FORGOTTEN i had paid for the account already and couldn't find the paperwork either. I then paid $810.00 to Midland and received a settlement paper for. Do you think i will actually get that money back? or will they not give it to me? I didn't even realize until now october 2011 because i was applying for an apartment and it was on the report they brought up. They requested settlement papers for everything on my credit report...which is ANOTHER story.. SMH.. they have DOUBLES on 4 companies. I have to write to all of them to prove that they are doubles in hopes for them to get taken off of my account.

Reply from DebtCollectionAnswers.com:

Christine - We haven't heard from consumers successfully getting refunds from collection agencies (!) but it sounds like it is worth a try. If you can come up with proof you paid the debt multiple times, then you may want to demand a refund in writing. If the collector doesn't comply, you can consider taking them to small claims court. But without proof, you're probably fighting an uphill battle.