Emergency advice needed ASAP (billing dispute)

[Blue_Tires]

Long story short: I just got a notice from a shady collections firm for a two-year old charge for some medical lab work...For whatever reason, the medical lab didn't run it through my insurance (i was insured the entire time with no interruption), and now that the collections firm has "ownership" of the debt, they are refusing to run it through my insurance...

I did a search of this firm, and the innernettes are full of complaints about their weaselly practices and general fuckwittery (Yesterday they knowingly made me go through a perpetual all-day round robin of phone calls to dig up background info that they had on their computer screen the whole time, and every conversation with them has been full of half-truths, distortions and "playing dumb"...)

I asked the firm for the billing paperwork so I could file it manually, and they get all "Well, derp, we gotta do this, this and this, so we might be able to get it to you in three weeks..."

The amount they claim I owe isn't enough to get an attorney involved over, so what would you do in this situation?? (and yes, when this is over I'm filing a complaing with the AG office in my state and the state of the collector...)

[rug]

1. Send them a letter.

Make a paper trail.

[woodsprite]

4. And I would send all correspondence/payment to them Certified, Return Receipt Requested. n/t

[CBGLuthier]

2. deny the debt entirely

find out the statute of limitations on debt in your state. Never admit to the debt as that can start the clock over again.

Do NOT take THEIR word that you owe this debt. Scream at the lab that turned it over to collections.

That or pay them.

[Blue_Tires]

3. I'm guessing this is an open-ended account?

Oral Contract: 3 years

Written Contract: 5 years

Promissory Note: 6 years

Open-Ended Accounts: 3 years


And I'm pretty sure this is nothing but a fucking shakedown, because in the two years since, the lab that I originally went to service for closed and got bought out by another company...And guess what? This new company doesn't have financial records dating back to 2010! All those were turned over to (or bought by) collection agencies...

It's to the point now where even if I honestly did owe them, I'd fight it to my grave just because of their sheer dickitude over the phone all day...

[Scuba]

5. Go to the lab. Tell them to do their work (filing the claim) or you will ...

... file it for them and bill them $100/hour for your time.

Then threaten to sue them/report them to the Better Business Bureau, etc, if they do not immediately get your account back from the collection agency.

Luck.

[Blue_Tires]

8. I'm trying to track down the ONE lab employee who is authorized to talk about "old" accounts

before the merger...

Once I get her on the phone, if ever, I'll know everything...

[Blue_Tires]

9. OK! Got her on the phone and it's getting dismissed

Even though the charge was originally legit, they messed up the paperwork and filed it to an old insurer I had like 10 years ago, who of course kept denying the claim...

Now how thick should I lay on the gloating snarkiness when I call those collection assclowns back??

[Scuba]

10. Way to go!!

[OriginalGeek]

11. How thick?

If I don't see a headline in my paper reading "Asshole Collections Agency Flooded in in Freak Snarkwave" I'll be disappointed.

[kayakjohnny]

24. !

[elleng]

18. GREAT! Just got 'here,'

and was gonna suggest contacting the Lab!

Lay it on REALLY thick, and let them know that if they hadn't been so 'difficult,' you just 'might have' settled it with them!

[blueknight]

6. send them

a DEBT VALIDATION REQUEST. send it certified mail so you get the receipt. there is a forum at CREDIT INFO CENTER. that will answer all your questions. you can see a DV letter at the foum to explain to you how to word the letter. good luck!

[Blue_Tires]

7. Holy damn THANK YOU for that link...

I need to be better informed about my rights...I think this firm cons a whole lot of suckers with this ruse, and most people just pay it because it isn't a monumental amount, and just assume that if they were sent a bill, then they must owe...

[lastlib]

12. Don't wait til it's over to file a complaint--DO IT NOW!!

[tabbycat31]

13. Have the collector "validate" the debt

Here's a sample validation letter.

http://www.creditinfocenter.com/forms/sampleletter9.shtml

[HopeHoops]

14. Send a certified mail letter telling them to shut the fuck up (in more diplomatic terms).

I've had similar circumstances - for example where they won't even explain what the alleged debt is for, just who they claim referred it. In the letter, demand copies of the original statements from the source and make it absolutely clear that you consider the claim to be bogus without proof. It is valid to threaten them with legal action for harassment and the law is on your side on that. If they've been hit with prior complaints (check the BBB and call the state consumer protection office), you shouldn't have any trouble getting a lawyer to sue the crap out of them for a percentage of the settlement. The "saw it on the Internet" argument won't hold water, but it's a fair bet that they've got a record with the state (and file a complaint of your own immediately, not when it's over).

As for "ownership of the debt", that's bullshit. If they're legitimate, they only get their commission if they collect. Not being willing to provide documentation stinks of corruption and paying them anything would only encourage their tactics. I wouldn't worry about your credit report because you can always attach a rebuttal to a negative entry. Also, if it is only a small amount, contact the lab directly, ask for documentation from them, and pay the lab directly (if you believe the debt is valid). The collection "agency" has no recourse if you take that approach and if they continue to contact you document everything and go for the throat. They're vultures.

[Blue_Tires]

15. Thanks for this

Happily, it's all been taken care of now...

But for the record (for anyone going through the same thing in the future), this underlines the importance of knowing your rights and arming yourself with information...I've dealt with various types of bill collectors before, but these folks set a new low in assholishness...As long as our conversation yesterday was moving in the direction he wanted, the rep was clear and concise, but he could flip a switch and immediately go to "dumb and powerless" when I tried to get more information...He repeatedly on purpose 'misheard' me or tried to act like my legit questions were just some random gibberish from right field:

Me: "I don't understand how these charges could be accurate..."
Jerkoff: "So you're admitting that you refuse to pay? That's your right, and you still have a little time left before it hits your credit report..."
Me: "I just spoke to my doctor, the lab and my insurer, and they can find no record of this bill..."
Jerkoff: "Uh, DERP, what am I supposed to do about that? It's not my problem"
Me: "Since you are collecting for XXX Labs, I'd think you'd probably want to contact them and reconcile the error in the paperwork"
Jerkoff: "That has nothing to do with us...You actually expect us to get payment for YOUR debt from the lab?? I don't get it -- What do you want from us??"
Me: Is there an itemized list of charges?
Jerkoff: Yes, it's here in front of me...
Me: Fax me a copy, please
Jerkoff: "*DERP* I gotta file an official request with the lab for your info; should take them two weeks to get it back to us if they process it quickly, and another week for us to get it to you..."
Me (by now my hands are shaking and I want to reach through the phone and cleave his fucking heart out): "It's on your screen -- Can't you just print it out?"
Jerkoff (now in epic jerkoff mode): "Something something derp derp official channels derp, etc..."

And the circular back-and-forth bullshit went on like that all day, with every response being a veiled threat, half-truth, or his playing dumb, "I dunno/What do you want me to do?" So of course I had to chase my own tail in circles all day calling five different offices just to dig up information this assclown had on his computer screen and neglected to tell me...I'm just so glad it's over now...

NEVER, EVER rely on a collector's word for accurate information -- It's their job to scam you for what they can regardless if you owe it or not, and the more they frustrate you and get under your skin, the more likely you'll be willing to pay whatever just to make it go away...Lesson learned...

[HopeHoops]

16. I'd still contact XXX Labs and ask for written verification that everything is reconciled.

As I said, collection agencies are vultures. I got one from a "law firm" (letterhead and everything). The hospital they were "acting on behalf of" had never heard of them and there were no outstanding charges. Random mailing list is my best guess on that one.

[Blue_Tires]

17. Yeah, I asked for that too and it's coming...

and by coincidence these people are the collection wing of a "law firm", too...And a quick search on justia shows they have a few pending lawsuits against them, as well...

[HopeHoops]

19. Don't be shocked if they call again.

[blueknight]

20. and IF they do call again

send them a CEASE AND DESIST letter. also send it certified. if they call you after that, SUE THEM! i have collected several thousand dollars sueing junk debt buyers for violating the FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT.

[Blue_Tires]

21. if they do, i'll be ready...

I was taken off guard at first, but I know how their little game works now

[Kali]

22. EXCELLENT!!! please don't forget to file a complaint

it could help some other poor victim

[dropkickpa]

23. Wouldn't happen to be CBE group, would it?

I've now had 2 fraudulent debt collection attempts from them. 1st disappeared when my insurance company sued them for fraud, second they sold off lickity split when I called them frauds and quoted my previous dealings with them (the new collection group who got that one was told by me that they bought a bad debt that was a fraudulent collection attempt. Haven't back from them either).