The Home Depot card is also provided by Citi. You can certainly call Citi and try to settle this.

In my experience some creditors with settle with you while others will refer you back to the collection agency.

When you call Citi make sure you insist on settling this debt with them directly. They will try to refer you back to the collection agency. You will have to so some work and find a person who is able to settle the debt. Someone higher up then just the agent you answers the phone.

Let them know that $3000 is all you have and you may not have this later as you have other bills and expenses to take care of.

You will get somewhere between $3000 - $4800. Good luck!

Let us know how it goes.

More than the 10%, I have offered them almost 33%!
My credit is at 646 even with the two accounts on file - one is Citibank M/C and the other is Home Depot.
I have not mentioned the desire for a mortgage to Aktiv, just said I'd like to clean these up.
So bottom line, should I go back to the original creditor, or can I even do that now that Aktiv owns the file? I'd like to get these clear so we can pursue a mortgage before the end of the summer.

You can offer then 10% but but they will most likely not accept it.

What kind of a debt is this? Who is the original creditor? Don't call them back in the next few days. They will think you are desperate to pay because you need this cleared this off your credit report for a reason (i.e. mortgage).

You need to have a plan. When do you want to get the mortgage? What is the highest amount you are will to pay to settle this?

If Aktiv Kapital has a credit inquiry on your credit report then they know what other credit lines you have. Was this debt with another collection agency(s) before Aktiv Kapital?

Also, what is your credit score? Do they know if you have a job and how much you make?

Knowing all this info will give you the upper hand when negotiating a debt settlement.

Here is what I would do, offer the 10% again and tell her the one time lump sum payment can be in here office by this Friday. I bet if you stick to your guns tomorrow you will get the settlement. The collection agency wants to close out the month with good numbers. I would make sure if they accept you get the agreement faxed to you before you hand over the money.I would not give them any ideas that you want to buy a home or else they will not want to settle.Who was the original creditor? I hope things work out and keep me posted.

Having recently been denied a mortgage due to two outstanding collection items on my bureau, I have set about to clean these old items off.
Both accounts are owned by Aktiv Kapital, so I contactcted them and asked to open a discussion about settling.
At first they tried to demand that I pay their interest (which thanks to this site I knew I didn't have to). I calmly kept saying that I was not willing to discuss any payment that included their interest. Finally moved past that and I offered them 10% of the original debt (total of $9600 combined) or $960 to settle and clear things up. She accused me of 'lowballing' my offer, so I said we were 'negotiating' and this was my first offer. She offered my $6900 to settle saying she couldn't drop any further, then began lambasting me about how it was 'people like me' that had brought on the collapse of the north american economy by irresponsibly borrowing and then defaulting on my debts.
I upped my offer to 20% or $1920 and she 'absolutely' could not accept that. She again began a tirade on y fiscal wrongdoings, then out of the blue offered me $4800 to settle. When I asked her how she could offer that amount after stating that she 'absolutely' couldn't go below $6900, she was stumped for a minute, then came back and said this was her final offer, take it or leave it.
I ended the call saying I'd have to talk with my wife. I called back and offered them $3000, paid over the next 2 months. They are saying they cannot accept that, the offer of $4800 stands.
Question - these items are due to drop off my bureau in Nov/2010, but I'd like to pursue a mortgage before then. Should I wait a few days and re-submit my offer to Aktiv, or should I go back to the original creditor and try and settle through them?