SOL = Statutes of Limitations

The law with regards to activities only lasts for so long. So, with regards to collection agencies, they can only collect a debt for so long after the date of last payment, ( or what ever the Act/Statutes say)

IE if the statutes of limitations for collections is 2 years, then collection agencies can only collect a debt for two years after the date of last payment/activity.

Can someone please explain the SOL to me? Thanks.

Tell them that you assume their phone call means they have managed to locate and send the requested information. Indicate that you have not yet received it so you would suggest they wait a few days til you receive it or resend it. Then hang up.

There is no reason to talk to anyone you don't want to, and I will never understand why most people don't simply just hang up.

OK, another question. What do I tell them when they call me and harrass me and try to get me to say that I am refusing to pay?

I prefer to get the bureaus by mail, as it gives you your revolving credit ratings . Buying a copy online doesn't show them.

Thanks, everyone for the awesome assistance you are giving me. This is making this problem definitely easier to handle.

How is it legal for a company like MJR to carry on like this, with the phone calls, bogus letters from so called lawyers, and general harrassment...if these debts are indeed not even on my credit report anymore?

Is it normal to go through so many obstacles just to get a copy of my credit report? Between Equifax and Transunion I have been online at least a dozen times, all to no avail. I am now going to try the old fashioned "snail mail" technique, lol.

Thanks for the tip! I didn't realize that public libraries charge much less to send faxes than a post office in the local drug store. My collection agencies are all based in Ontario so it's LD for me.

As for asking friends and family to send the faxes...never! They know nothing about my financial problems and I intend to keep it that way. Lord knows they already worry too much about my health.

But this isn't about me so, yes, if you can afford to bombard them with faxes, Scooter, then go for it.

P.S. Jamie - I'll ignore the comment about "younger people" and what is common among them re: printer/copier/fax. LOL.

That's up to you. If you can find a friend who may have one, they are pretty common among younger people as they come as printer/copier/fax.

Public libraries also send them for $.25 cents (as it doesn't cost any more to fax long distance than a long distance call). And I can't see it costing anything if Mississauga is in her local calling area.

But if you want to mail it then there is a probable guarantee it will "get lost" ala Canada Post.

Jamie,
I appreciate the fact that you agree with me about #4 but you also need to realize that not all of us have fax machines. Some of us have to go to the post office to send faxes and we simply can't afford to pay the $ to "clog" them up, as much as we'd love to! In my case, I'd have to cut into my food budget to do that.
*smiles*
Sher

AFAIK Bell Mobility/Sympatico & Home Phone do not report on your bureau. Express Vu does, however.

And SOL is determined on individual accounts. You paying your cell phone bill will not effect any other debt you have (with any creditor, including Bell) even if it was reported on your bureau.

Your letter is fine. I agree with Sher871, state that you are demanding a Cease and Desist to any phone numbers they have for you including any new numbers they may find for you.

And remember, when you fax -- send it several times. Hell, clog up the fax machine for a few hours :D

FYI, MJR's fax number is:906-671-2225.

And as a collector, I know that the agency may contact you once more after you request a cease and desist. So if/when they call, just tell them you expired your one chance and hang up. If they call you back, then they are in violation of the Act and go from there. Remember to save all your fax transmission reports as well as proof of receipt.