Need lawyer or legal advice

[sb47]

I am being sued by a third party collection co, for a old credit card debt.
I have no money and have been looking for a lawyer but so far cant find anyone to help me.
I have called all over looking for help but just get refered to someone else.
I have called state agencies and local agencies that are supposed to help but they just refer me to somewhere else.
Cant find a pro bono lawyer to save my life.
If I had the money to hire a lawyer, I would just pay the debt off and be done with it.

Here is whats happening.
I had several credit cards that were at 29.9% interest and they wouldn't come down on it.
So I transferred two cards into another card at an introductory offer of zero % for 12 months.
So I paid them off through another bank and paid the debt off over the next 2 years.
Now I am being sued for 2 credit card debts by a third party collector.
So I called the credit card company that took over this debt asking them for the last 4 digets of the accounts that they took over and I paid off, but they are telling me that they cant go back more then 12 months in there records or there archives.
So they can't tell me what accounts they took over.
Now at this point I cant get any help or answers.


If I loose my case, what can they do to me?
I have no assets for them to go after.
What kind of property can they go after?
Can they come in my house and recover personal items and put them up at an auction?

I am confused about whats going to happen.

 

[svk]

Have you received a court order stating you must appear? Or are the debt collectors threatening you?

 

[LogSawyer74]

I know someone who works in debt collection. And know first hand that they will lie, threaten, and make up whatever story they need to, to try and collect a debt. (even as far as telling someone that there will be an arrest warrant issued if they don't pay). So don't believe everything that the debt collector is telling you. But I'm a firm believer that if someone borrows money, they should do everything they can to pay it back. But it sounds like in this case, you've already paid and it's just a paperwork error?

 

[blades]

if you have not done so pull your credit reports from all three companies. They should go back far enough to see what went down. when you transfer'd the balances did you cancel those cards? if not they could of hooked ya for various fees but you would have still gotten statements. this sounds a bit fishy. Mostly have to get past the first 2 or 3 people to get someone with any authority to get any where with collectors, make them produce a specific statement with name of card, issuing bank, and last 4 digits of said cards. Got to watch out for those loan/debt consilidation companies as well plenty people been screwed by them also.

 

[jack_90125]

if ypu have not used this yet this year you can get free credit reports here no fees and all three issuers here. that will tell you what has gone on. use internet explorer as it works best.
https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action

 

[lone wolf]

I am being sued by a third party collection co, for a old credit card debt.
I have no money and have been looking for a lawyer but so far cant find anyone to help me.
I have called all over looking for help but just get refered to someone else.
I have called state agencies and local agencies that are supposed to help but they just refer me to somewhere else.
Cant find a pro bono lawyer to save my life.
If I had the money to hire a lawyer, I would just pay the debt off and be done with it.

Here is whats happening.
I had several credit cards that were at 29.9% interest and they wouldn't come down on it.
So I transferred two cards into another card at an introductory offer of zero % for 12 months.
So I paid them off through another bank and paid the debt off over the next 2 years.
Now I am being sued for 2 credit card debts by a third party collector.
So I called the credit card company that took over this debt asking them for the last 4 digets of the accounts that they took over and I paid off, but they are telling me that they cant go back more then 12 months in there records or there archives.
So they can't tell me what accounts they took over.
Now at this point I cant get any help or answers.


If I loose my case, what can they do to me?
I have no assets for them to go after.
What kind of property can they go after?
Can they come in my house and recover personal items and put them up at an auction?

I am confused about whats going to happen.

State laws vary google up Texas law regarding this and read up a bit.

 

[blacklocst]

I not a lawyer and don't play one on tv ... so if you didn't do anything wrong and payed your debt then you have nothing to worry about, caller id if your friend and if you do pick up by mistake just say its a bad time and hang up. And lastly don give them ANY info.

 

[bayard]

you can get a call blocker for your phone.it will block any number you want ,or any area code. like all 800 or 866#

 

[NCSteveH]

And don't give them one cent, if you do the it resets the statute of limitations.

 

[stihlaficionado]

www.ehow.com/about_5272985_ texas-regarding-credit-card-debt. html - Texas Laws Regarding Credit Card Debt.

 

[svk]

.
So I called the credit card company that took over this debt asking them for the last 4 digets of the accounts that they took over and I paid off, but they are telling me that they cant go back more then 12 months in there records or there archives.
So they can't tell me what accounts they took over.
Now at this point I cant get any help or answers.

Re-reading the thread and seeing this throws up red flags.

I can go online and get years worth of statements from my card. Financial institutions are required to keep statements and transaction records for 7 years.

If they cant tell you the dates of transactions, they are a fraud, period.

Ask them for a physical address of their office, so you can pay in person. They will probably hang up on you.

 

[stihlaficionado]

Re-reading the thread and seeing this throws up red flags.

I can go online and get years worth of statements from my card. Financial institutions are required to keep statements and transaction records for 7 years.

If they cant tell you the dates of transactions, they are a fraud, period.

Ask them for a physical address of their office, so you can pay in person. They will probably hang up on you.

In Texas the Statute of limitations on debt is actually 4 years.

Google " State by State Statute of Limitations on Debt"

 

[Philbert]

"If you are illegally harassed or threatened by a credit card company or third-party agency representing the company, or if the credit card company engages in any of the collection methods listed in the Texas Finance Code, contact the Texas Attorney General's Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-621-0508 or the Consumer Assistance Hotline of the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner at 1-800-538-1579. You can also file a complaint against the creditor with the American Collectors Association of Texas."

 

[zogger]

Sounds like you are being conned.

 

[stihlaficionado]

Really, the guy needs legal counsel and/or needs to speak to someone in the Texas agency that oversees this type of issue.
The Texas AG may have had complaints about the company that is threatening him.

 

[svk]

In Texas the Statute of limitations on debt is actually 4 years.

Google " State by State Statute of Limitations on Debt"

What I meant is financial records must be reserved for 7 years. Going after debt is a different issue.

Debt collectors are thugs and there are also offshore operations pretending to be debt collectors to scare people into coughing up cash by making hollow threats.

 

[svk]

Really, the guy needs legal counsel and/or needs to speak to someone in the Texas agency that oversees this type of issue.
The Texas AG may have had complaints about the company that is threatening him.

Start off by google searching the number that called you...theres a database maintained to track fradulent organizations.

 

[Toxic2]

I dont know how it works in the states but in canada they just keep hounding you untill eventually they say well if you pay 6000 on your 11000 owed we will call it even.. dont fall for the first offer even tho its tempting. i got my wife out of 11g by paying out 1200 bucks. they just keep re offering a buyout at a lower amount. here in canada nobody will be able to take your house over unsecured loans like a credit card. tell them to take a hike and start making changes to your lifestyle so you dont get in this bind of over spending again..take it from someone who is bankrupt and has nothing and owes noone anything. its a great feeling..and yea i do still own my house and truck...lol

 

[sb47]

After I transferred the accounts to the other company I did close out both accounts with the original lender.
I agree and am upset with the company that took it over and they are the ones telling me that there records only go back 12 months.
I asked them....Then just how do you defend yourself in a law sute when you don't keep the records in some kind of data bank.
There response was that they would come into court and say that they didn't keep those records on file.
This blows my mind when they said that, They also said that the account numbers could have been changed for security reasons.
That to me is just unexceptionable. And the thing is the company that took them over is a highly regarded company.
Yes it a real law sute with its own case number.
I have responded to every letter from the court in writing and sent by them by registered mail return receipt.
The judge has granted me with the power of "DISCOVERY" witch I admit I have no clue as to what that really means.
I also sent by registered mail to the company that is suing me requesting any and all evidence that they will bring to court.
I know they can't ambush me in court so they have to send me all there records and what they plan to bring to court.
I have not received a response from them yet. Under the power of discovery, they the suing party has to supply me with all there evidence.
Man these legal terms are complicated. Trying to read legal speak is difficult for this old drop out.
At this point I can not determine whether this is a dept that was paid off or something else I have over looked.
The original lender is not cooperating because it has been bought out by a third party collections.
The third party has not given me the detailed information I need to prove it is a ligament dept.
I think the judge has read my response and has given me the benefit of the doubt and is giving me an opportunity to find out through the power of discovery.
I do plan to pull my credit report but haven't done so yet.
I did make the third party an offer and they rejected it.
It's all a frickin mess that is eating up all may time.

 

[sb47]

I dont know how it works in the states but in canada they just keep hounding you untill eventually they say well if you pay 6000 on your 11000 owed we will call it even.. dont fall for the first offer even tho its tempting. i got my wife out of 11g by paying out 1200 bucks. they just keep re offering a buyout at a lower amount. here in canada nobody will be able to take your house over unsecured loans like a credit card. tell them to take a hike and start making changes to your lifestyle so you dont get in this bind of over spending again..take it from someone who is bankrupt and has nothing and owes noone anything. its a great feeling..and yea i do still own my house and truck...lol

I only keep one credit card for emergencies only. I pay cash for everything and have done so for the past 4 years.