I’m being sued over a credit card debt of almost $3,000?
I Live in CA. I just got a phone call from a law firm in PA about a debt from a credit card I had with bank of america worth $2,179. I stopped paying the credit card last year in October when I lost my job. The lady from the firm told me that I had to pay the amount or be sued and that I would be responsible for all the court fees. She said she would let me pay the amount in 4 payments that would be taken from my current checking account. I am married unemployed and a student. I have 2 other accounts with BOFA for a total of 3 accounts that are in debt. (The phone call was only for the $2179) I don’t know how to handle this. My husband asked me to ask her if I could pay it in 8 payments and she said that she couldn’t do that because she from a collection agency.
Blah blah blah, if you can’t afford to pay, send them a cease and desist letter. They most likely will not sue, and they are probably hoping that you will get scared and send them the money. They are a collection agency most likely and not a “real” law firm. If they are serious and they serve you with papers, just file an answer letter with the courthouse and most likely they will drop it there, if it even gets that far. It costs them a lot of money to go to court, so your $3000 is hardly worth it. However, if they are a real law firm (google them and make sure they’re not just a collection agency) they very well may take you to court. In that case, lawyers will usually give you a free consultation. Speak to a lawyer and ask them their opinion, then you may be able to settle with the firm outside of court (but only if you have filed the answer letter within 20 days of being served). If you settle outside of court you may be able to get a better payment plan.
But what they are telling you, that you can “make x payments of $x.xx” leads me to believe they are just a collection agency trying to scare you into paying them. They probably bought your debt for about $300. If you pay them $3000 boy will they be happy!