Journal Stargoat's Journal: Stargoat Versus Collections Agency, Part II 5

The gentlereaders of my column know that I have been most improperly solicited for collection on a minor indiscretion while I was in college. AFNI sent me a letter which arrived on October 27. I have been in constant communication with the good people since.

AFNI and I had agreed that the people there would be sending me a letter stating that they removed the collections notice from my credit bureau, TransUnion to be specific. Interestingly, the people at AFNI did not know what credit bureau had been viciously ill-informed. Fortunately, our hero got a credit report (making this escapade even more expensive) and knew how his credit had been affected. But fortunately, our hobbies should involve some expense.

On Monday, November the 5th, I contacted AFNI after waiting a week for the agreed upon letter. I spoke with a delightful young lady named Crystal. Crystal was dismayed to hear that I had not received the letter AFNI and I had agreed upon. She said her records reflected that the letter had been sent out on the first day I called. She told me to call back on the 6th, which would be more than a week after the letter had been sent.

On Tuesday, November the 6th, I called my new friends at AFNI again. This time, I spoke with Lawrence. Lawrence was a liar. He told me that no mark had ever been put on my credit bureau. I informed him that it had. He questioned this. I explained that I would be happy to fax him a copy.

Lawrence said that despite the arrangement I had with Christine, I had to pay right away. I explained that AFNI had not held up their end of the bargain and that I did not agree to pay until they did. Lawrence was impolite, but did not raise his voice. Finally, he agreed that he would fax me a letter.

If we recall, Sue had told me that the Credit Delete letter could not be faxed.

Lawrence attempted to fax the letter, but his "system" would not let him do this. I was distressed. But he told me he would look into it, and personally fax me the letter.

I called back two hours later. The letter had not been faxed. This time, I spoke with a Maurice. Maurice told me that he would not send me a fax or letter, and any conversation I had with Crystal, Shevan, Sue, or Christine stating that this would be happening did not take place. I told him that my extensive notes and impressive memory stated that it did take place. Maurice then stated that he would try and fax me the letter. But alas, once again the "system" would not permit a fax and that he would be unable to send me a fax, as I had not paid yet.

So Maurice transfered me to his supervisor as he appeared to be out of options. His supervisor was Jason. Jason tried to fax me a letter as well, but could not do so. However, he promised me that he would do so immediately after I hung up, as it would take him some time away from the phone to accomplish this. I received the fax an hour and a half after the phone was hung up. Very prompt over at AFNI.

I purchased ANOTHER credit bureau last night, the evening of November 6. I confirmed that the pernicious charge from AFNI had been removed. But when I examined the charge more closely, it turns out they bald-faced lied, err, mistaken mentioned, to me about the date it was put on. I had been told it had been placed in March of this year, but it was actually September of last year.

All that is left for me to do now is pay. And obtain a letter of apology for all the mistruths that had been propagated. We'll see what happens. I will be calling my new friends shortly, and together, AFNI and Stargoat can boldly march into the future!

Ironically enough, it turns out that I did not read the fine print of the law carefully enough. It appears that if I did not acknowledge this debt, I could have simply not paid. The debt was over five years old, and in the great state of Illinois, non-collectible. Let that be a lesson to me.