Same debt presented by two CA's simultaneously

[pushed]

Last week I received a dunning letter from a CA, CA1, informing me that Acme (fictitious name) had purchased my account from Zulu (again, fictitious) and that I had thirty days to respond. Also, CA1 was authorized by Acme to initiate collection efforts to recover the "total amount due." (My emphasis.)

The very next day I received a letter from a CA, CA2, informing me that Acme had purchased my account from Zulu and that I had thirty days to respond. Also, CA2 was authorized by Acme to initiate collection efforts to recover the "total amount due."

Each of these letters refer to the same account, but the first, CA1, states that the total amount due is $20,000 while the second, CA2, states that the total amount due is $40,000, but CA2 will accept $20,223 as payment, and full resolution of this debt.

From the information they have provided, the name that Zulu had used in reference to the account is similar to an account I had with them years before, but I don't believe that it is the exact name. Both CA's used the same name of the account but the amount due is different by a factor of two! The dates on the two letters differ by six days. The CA's have different names and are located in different states.

I am new to this. Can anyone tell me what is going on here? And how should I proceed? Is this a violation of the FDCPA?

Thanks much!

[frogger]

I am new to this. Can anyone tell me what is going on here? And how should I proceed? Is this a violation of the FDCPA?

Thanks much!

What is going on? Sounds to me like the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing. It appears that your debt got submitted to two different agencies for collections. It's not right, but mistakes do happen.

How to proceed? Send a request for debt verification to both of the agencies for starters.

Is this a violation? Even if it was, no one of importance would care........

[BobMango]

Not sure this is all that uncommon. AmEx had 3 different collection agencies working on me at one time. It's like they put out a bounty and pay whoever comes up with a payment first.

[GoingDown]

This is one situation where I actually do recommend disputing the validity of the debt and requesting written verification of it.

And with this one, you do want a paper trail, so go ahead and send the letters by certified mail.

I would also make copies of all the collection letters and send them with a DV and a cease and desist communications letter directly back to the current creditor, not just the collection agencies they are using.

And keep all of these papers in a safe place. It is rare, but I have heard of people sometimes getting sued multiple times for the same debt, because the original creditor or a junk debt buyer will sometimes make a mistake and sell the same debt to various junk debt buyers.