busy and meh *EDIT*
Remember a couple entries back when I said I was getting my finances in order and only had one account about which I had heard nothing? Well, the shoe finally dropped yesterday. The account got sent (possibly charged off?) to NES. Google them and see what comes up. They’re awful people-the lady I spoke with was terribly unreasonable, wouldn’t put me on a payment plan, and then wanted me to set up a conference call with someone (mom, grandmother, etc) to get the debt paid off by the end of the day so they didn’t have to send the account back as "debtor refused to pay" and then begin legal proceedings.
After about ten minutes of talking with Nick, with whom I *finally* came clean about all the money stuff, I resumed conversation with the lady and ended up making a ‘good faith’ payment so she’d leave me alone. As it turns out, debtors have rights these days, and this CA never sent me anything in writing verifying their ownership of the debt or even how much I owed. Hadn’t received any information on this account since … September or something, and that was a settlement offer for Chase.
Anyway, as I am wont to do, I came down pretty hard on myself. It’s increasingly clear to me that I am nothing like my father, but times like these I swear I could look in the mirror and see his face staring back. But Nick’s opinion of me hasn’t changed, and he’s been kind enough to look up the company (and like, the four years of complaints about them) and browse the Internets to see what can be done. If people’s comments on forums is any indication, NES is not in good standing with the BBB, and many people AND the state of Ohio have won cases against the company.
Look-I had a bit of bad financial and career luck, and am not terribly experienced with money, but I’m not a criminal, and am not entirely sure I deserve this ensuing nonsense. No one deserves to be called more or less every hour-surely that’s harassment? (Next course of action is to send them a debt verification letter which will also ask them to only communicate with me by mail, and call the original creditor to see if it’s still at all possible to resolve the debt with them.)
In other news, the majority of my Christmas gifts have been sent off. I have to finish the tea towel I’m embroidering for Nick’s mom (who sent me rather a lot of Christmas things considering she’s never met me), and figure out a gift for Lindsay and Mikey, maybe bake something to send off to Nick’s dad. But all of my people have been gifted and Christmas carded, so I feel pretty good about that.
I more or less stopped caring about my American Music history project after my awesome presentation. My paper was supposed to have been due yesterday, but guess what-my concentration was more or less shot by 5pm yesterday. The prof said it was fine if I sent it today, I’m just trying to get myself to concentrate enough to bang out the last few pages. I mean-I didn’t really care ten days ago, but I *really* don’t care now.
Interestingly, yesterday was the Winter Solstice. I think things will only get better from here. Aside from the contents of this diary, I have no more secrets from Nick, and that is a lot more liberating than I had expected.
Anyway, I hope you all are well.
Update:
Under the FTC’s recent Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, NES has to, if requested, provide proof of their authorization to collect the debt, both at all and in the state of New York, as well as the contract between me and the original creditor for this debt.
Well-the card was issued in 2004-5 as a result of an on-line application from a small bank that got sold to WaMu a few months after I moved to New York in 2006. About a year ago (maybe less) Chase bought out WaMu, which means that the likelihood of NES (or Chase, for that matter) having the original agreement/application seems rather small.
I’m not trying to get out of paying this debt, I just don’t want to get strong-armed into doing it by an unethical company.
Good for you for kicking some ass and taking some names. I’m envious of all you’ve accomplished. I sent out no cards. Maybe next year. Happy holidays, missy.
Warning Comment
In our state, if a car is repossessed, a collection agency cannot secure the debt and the go after the debtor. I know someone who had a vehicle repossessed and was being hounded night and day – until someone told her about the law. Once she wrote a letter to the collection agency, they backed off and left her alone. I think most of these companies are dishonest and take advantage of the lack of knowledge of the average joe.
Warning Comment