Collectors Stole My Money

by Debra
(Vista, CA , USA)

I paid a collection agency over the phone and they said they would send me the confirmation of payment in the mail after they received the money. But they never sent me anything and now the creditor has filed a lawsuit against me. What can I do? All I have is my bank statement showing an amount I paid to the collection agency. Isn't that illegal?

Reply from DebtCollectionAnswers.com: Debra, we are sorry to hear of the problems you've had. We never recommend consumers give collectors direct access to their bank account, but that doesn't mean you should have to pay the same debt twice.

Do you have any information from the collector that you paid - their name, address, or a collection notice they sent you?

You could try responding to the lawsuit with the response that you have already paid the debt. It would be easier if you had proof of that, but your statement may turn out to be proof enough, especially if this collection agency is one that the creditor regularly uses to collect debts. However, we are not attorneys so we can't give you legal advice.

We recommend you talk with a consumer law attorney for advice on how to handle this. Find out how to get FREE or low cost legal advice about debt collection from a consumer law attorney here.