Can a collection agency contact you about an 8 year old bill?

**tigger4** · 10-02-2007, 10:33 AM

My husband and I have lived in WA state for over 8 years. We lived in Ohio before that. Yesterday, I received a letter from a collection agency regarding a bill from May 1999.

I thought there was a statute of limitations on how long a bill could be collected upon. And I actually think we paid this bill off 8 years ago.

It is for an electric company. Does anyone know anything about this?

**Advertisement** · 10-02-2007 10:33 AM

**newmommie** · 10-02-2007, 10:42 AM

I know that after seven years you they are not suppose to be able to come after you for the bill any more. But they have found a loop hole in the system. For example you owe the electric company $75.00 they can collect for seven years on this but before the 7 years are up they sell the debt to a collection agancy so now the have 7 years to collect and before there seven years are up they will sell to a different collection agancy. I know from doing with my ex hubby. It suck but they can legal do that. I talked to a lawyer about it and this how he explaned it to me.

**magenta** · 10-02-2007, 10:43 AM

I guess they can. About 2 times a year my DH will get a collection letter for an engagement ring he bought an old girlfriend. He bought it in 1988. Almost 20 years ago.

He still refuses to pay for it. She cheated, he took the ring and traded it w/ a friend for a camaro. The car lasted longer than the girlfriend. He doesn't have either anymore, LOL but the letters keep coming. He will never pay it. LOL.

**veesalazar** · 10-02-2007, 11:27 AM

Yup, they can. Like newmommie says they sell the debt to another collection agency and then they try for another 7 years and so on and so on. It wont leave your credit report. Also my advice is never pay a debt that has already gone into your credit report, it will stay in your credit report for the whole 7 years anyway and even though it will say paid off it will be a "late charge off" and will still reflect badly on your report and score. We learned the hard way after paying off a debt and it didnt help our credit it stayed for 7 years.

**MsLynn** · 10-02-2007, 11:29 AM

i got one for a 7 year old bill, (in ok the statute if 6 years), i sent the bill back saying the statute of limitations is up. and haven't heard from them since.

this is a trick bill collectors use. the statute starts from the LAST PAYMENT MADE. thats why that info is usually on the bill. if you make a payment the statute starts over.. DO NOT MAKE A PAYMENT,

http://www.fair-debt-collection.com/...mitations.html

CHECK IT OUT HERE FIRST...

**dv8grl** · 10-02-2007, 11:31 AM

I haven't paid two of my credit card bills in over 10 yrs., make that I never made a payment to 2 credit card companies in over 10 yrs., And I have excellent credit & own a home.

**tigger4** · 10-02-2007, 11:55 AM

Thanks for the link.

I spoke to this company and explained that the statute of limitations was up. The lady said there was no such thing. I explained to her that yes there was. I told her I would need to speak to a lawyer regarding this. She told me I didn't know what I was talking about and I could talk to the King of Siam if I wanted to the statute of limitations didn't exist. Then she said I should do my research before I called her and hung up on me.

I am going to send them a letter with the statute of limitations on it and tell them to stop contacting us.

This isn't even on my husband's credit report.

**EricsnKy** · 10-02-2007, 11:59 AM

OMG ... LOL

NO NO NO ... The SOL is not reset everytime a collection agency sells a debt.

If you want some accurate advice hop on over to

www.creditboards.com/forums

**bribella** · 10-02-2007, 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by EricsnKy

OMG ... LOL

NO NO NO ... The SOL is not reset everytime a collection agency sells a debt.

If you want some accurate advice hop on over to

www.creditboards.com/forums

excellent advice!

**MsLynn** · 10-02-2007, 02:08 PM

ericsnky is right, the only time its reset is if you make a payment when you get a letter from one of the collection companies

**justme23** · 10-02-2007, 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by newmommie

I know that after seven years you they are not suppose to be able to come after you for the bill any more. But they have found a loop hole in the system. For example you owe the electric company $75.00 they can collect for seven years on this but before the 7 years are up they sell the debt to a collection agancy so now the have 7 years to collect and before there seven years are up they will sell to a different collection agancy. I know from doing with my ex hubby. It suck but they can legal do that. I talked to a lawyer about it and this how he explaned it to me.

This is NOT a loop hole and it is an ILLEGAL practice! Do NOT fall for this under ANY circumstances!

My husband works for one of the 3 major credit bureaus and I know for an absolute fact that this is illegal. If it is over 7 years old and it is still on your credit (even if it appears as a "new" debt) you can contact the credit bureaus and dispute it. They will investigate it and 9 times out of 10 it will be removed from your credit. If you honestly believe you already payed it, do NOT offer to pay them anything else on it. If you didn't pay it, it has been 8 years and if you do pay it then it CAN sit on your credit for 7 more years, so my advice would be to fight it w/ the bureaus.

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