Hey there,
I'm curious to see if you have any updates. I received a letter from Metropolitan Legal Admin from CCL and is exactlly like yours. i ow $2500. I don't know if I should speak with them on the phone or not since I get really stressed out. I am a student at McGill and have really no way of paying not even settling. I wonder if you have any insight on this. I'm just really worried they might actually sue me, I have no way to pay though.

Congrats!!

Finally got this resolved. Thanks to everyone for all the help on here. I would have likely been scammed by these guys if I didn't get on here and educate myself a bit on how they operate.

I went into ICE today and received my Settlement Letter signed in original ink by a Sr. VP. It was surprisingly written very clearly stating the $1800 is in full and final settlement and a full and final release would be issued exempting me from the remainder of the debt. The balances, discounted amount, MBNA account # and etc are all written on there. It also states the credit bureau would be updated to show Settled in Full. After I gave them payment via Money Order, I also received my Release Letter as well which indicated my account was Settled In Full and I am discharged from all actions, demands or claims on this MBNA account.

It was night and day between the settlement I received initially and the one I received today. I am sure they sent out the initial one just to see if someone will bite and send them payment thinking the debt is settled. That would leave them the option of pursuing the rest themselves or selling it off to a 3rd party.

I don't think I got a great deal out of this, but I'm just happy to get it all taken care of and no longer have to worry about it. I hate giving them any more money than I have to, but in the end it's worth it for me to be able to move on.

Ensure it clearly states the proper account number and who the original creditor is.

It must state precisely that this 1800 is to pay off this debt in full.

Leave no room for loop holes or un answered questions....just incase down the road this comes up again.

He was saying that if someone went to consumer services with a scanned copy with a signature showing the settlement that they would get in huge trouble for still pursuing or having a third party collect the remaining balance. I don't know if this is true or not, but he kept saying get a lawyer if you don't believe me and so on. Whatever the case, I'm not taking any chances and am getting the signed original before paying anything.

I'm going to be reading the settlement very carefully for sure. I know the full and final settlement part is an absolute must on there, but how important is them adding that they won't collect the remaining balance or have a 3rd party do it either? I insisted on having this on there, but who knows if he will end up putting it on. The manager I talked to also won't be in tomorrow.

I definitely wish I had dealt with MBNA when I had the chance. My balance was about $2600 when I stopped paying and I likely would have been paying about $1800 in a settlement with MBNA. The interest is just a killer on these kinds of debts.

These people are pretty much vultures. Their reputation is certainly well deserved. Luckily I got on here and educated myself a bit. That's something most people won't do and they are almost certain to get taken advantage if they don't.

Just called in again and stated I needed my demands on the Settlement before sending them payment. I got to speak with a manager and he said that the person sent out an old template and that it was supposed to have the things I asked for on there. Mentioned that they got a lot of complaints about it. My guess is they probably send that one as a default and only send a legitimate one if someone complains.

He said he would send a new one out with that stuff added back in. The part he was unwilling to bend on was mailing out the Signed Agreement. Said he didn't want to waste money sending it registered and have people claim it got lost or whatever. We argued back and forth and finally he said that I could come and pick up both the Signed Agreement and Release Letter by coming and paying in person and this was something I could work with, so I agreed. Hopefully they don't waste my time by not having a properly drawn up Settlement Agreement, but I'm hopeful that this will finally get settled.

I think I'll just be paying by money order. It'll cost a bit more than a bank draft, but is the most private way to pay them aside from cash.

Thanks for all the help, I definitely have a better understanding of how they operate now. Will update everybody on how this progresses.

They made no mention of the payment within 24 hours before sending me scanned agreement today, so I had no idea until I read the agreement. I would have definitely not agreed to this if they indicated this would be on the agreement while on the phone. I'm definitely aware of their tactics, but at the same time am ill equipped to dealing with them having never gone through this before.

I know I could have settled for less money most likely, but just wanted to settle this and get it out of the way. They definitely seemed to have jumped on the fact that I'm willing to settle and are trying to get more money than the settlement amount in the future. I am going to have to switch up tactics on the phone seeing as how they aren't dealing in good faith. I'm going to have to be very strict in my demands and let them know they are getting nothing if they aren't willing to meet them. If they are not willing to make a legitimate offer in writing that settles the debt in full, I'm just going to ignore them and let them keep threatening with their court action.

Thanks, hopefully they will actually agree to add these things onto the agreement and allow me to send payment after receiving it in the mail. They really should if this is a legit settlement as they already stated on the phone that it was in full and final settlement and that I would receive a release letter. The only thing is the 24 hr payment they keep insisting on that I will have to get them to change.

If I was to go in person to pay, would paying cash and getting a receipt be an option or is that not good at all? I'm not sure if they accept cash anyway, but it would be the easiest way to pay as I'm still unfamiliar with bank drafts and money orders having never used them before. I'm not even sure who to write it out to exactly. Payment instructions for those options also weren't very good as they clearly want me to direct deposit into their TD Bank Account.

I also noticed I received 2 e-mails of the scanned copies from different people working at ICE. The agreement was the exact same, but the signatures are totally different when they're both supposed to be from the Sr. VP. which means he likely didn't even sign it himself. Just some more reason to doubt they are being sincere with their settlement offer.

Exactly as you said...get an original document signed before giving any thing. It must state clearly it is a full settlement and no attemps will be made by them or any other 3rd party to try and collect any or all of the balance, If at all possible go in person and get release at same time.