Over the past ten years I had a set of very unfortunate circumstances and accrued some minor debt (my student loans were the only major debt I had). Recently, when the economy took a nose dive my industry (nonprofit work) was wiped out. To ride the storm, I went to grad school to pursue another field. In the process of all of these life decisions, I went to work on the debt issue. When I began paying off any current debt, I began to receive harassing phone calls. Many came from Accelerated. They called my elderly and sick parents, they threatened to sue me, they acted like the "papers" were already being served. At this point, I did not know about any of my rights or the statute of limitations. (this debt was eight years old and in my state the limitation is up at 6 years) I avoided them for a while, but when they began harassing me in January and calling my parents, they then  called me while on the road traveling for school. They threatened a suit. They said to settle (the debt was originally around 400.00, they were asking for over a thousand, but then came down to 600.00) I said all I can give you is 300.00 and I have to take that out of my student aid. They agreed to this. When I returned home and was in a settled place, I ordered my credit report. So many random calls were coming in and I have not accrued debt in over seven years so i wanted to see what was going on. It was then I realized that not ONE of these agencies which were calling me were calling about debt on my report. I called Accelerated and told them that I would not pay anymore to them and they had violated many of my consumer rights by harassing me into giving them a payment out of my student aid because they threatened me with a lawsuit that they could not pursue under the Statute of Limitations. The person at Acclerated told me that  BECAUSE I HAD MADE A PAYMENT to them I Had revoked the Statute of Limitations. When I said that is because you broke many fair debt collection practices and threatened me with a lawsuit. She began yelling VOCIFEROUSLY at me and said I had not recorded their calls and they were now going to disregard my 300 payment and go after me for 2000.00. I told her I was reporting her to the FTC and to the AG. She still yelled and said I had no proof that they had threatened a lawsuit. It was then she sarcastically said, "Did you record my calls?" I called the FTC and the representative referred me to an opinion letter in which it states that a payment can not revoke the statute of limitations. (see the opinion letter on FTC website by Amason) She advised I mail that letter to this company. I told her this was not my only circumstance. That in my attempt to clean up credit and do everything I can to survive this economy, I had somehow triggered junk debt collectors to call me non-stop about debt from ten years ago. When I confront any of these collectors, they go absolutely crazy and begin yelling. So much that I can't even ask them to stop calling me and tell them I will report them, or get a word in to ask for their mailing address so I can send a letter to cease. Also, I have been monitoring my credit and have had  a hard inquiry from a collection agency in LA, Full Spectrum Litigation, that lists NO debt on my report, no account or anything in relation to this hard inquiry. Because they are listed as a debt collector on my report I called them to see what  account this was in connection with. ( I currently have paid off most debt on my report, except student loans). The number provided goes to an anonymous voicemail box, no company name, nothing. I left repeated messages informing them of their obligation to communicate what this matter was about that was posted on my report. No response. When I call now the mailbox is full. HOW DO WE STOP THESE PEOPLE? I have called the FTC and the AGs associated with the state these agencies are in, but they keep coming out of the woodwork and it is unbelievable that consumers can experience this. From all of the complaints on the web, it seems that reporting to the AG does nothing. I did not know that handling debt and doing the best thing you can would trigger this response from predators. I am receiving calls daily from at least three different junk collectors. Also, I have no intention of paying Accelerated anymore money. I am sending them the opinion letter from the FTC, reporting them to the AG and FTC, but I am a full time grad student and can not afford an attorney to dispute them. Online there are varying opinions and some say that by paying them the 300.00 in January I revoked the statute of limitations. What are your thoughts? I will record all calls from them going forward, and I and going to report them to anyone and everyone that will listen. They had me crying on the phone because I had no money to pay them and then threatened and harassed me and now are threatening me more. HELP. Please. There needs to be a class action lawsuit against Accelerated and other agencies like them. Any advice is much appreciated Reply ! 1 2 3 4