Most Debt Collection Agencies are actually just Debt Scavengers. These are companies that target innocent consumers who weren't able to pay a bill - or often times weren't notified about a bill.
These companies will go to a Bank, like a Vulture, and purchase a spreadsheet of Debtors Information. They’re just buying an Excel spreadsheet with names, phone numbers, address and the listed amount of accused Debt. They aren’t actually buying any of the paperwork that really validates this debt. They are not buying the debt for the full price, often times they get discounts of up to 95% of the amount. So if they claim you owe $1,000, the collector could have purchased it for $50 (or less). Then they add on fees, interest and they start to harass you.
Even if you DO owe the original debt, does that mean you owe a Debt Collector? Did you sign a contract that allows the original creditor to send your account to a debt collector? Did you volunteer your personal, private information to a 3rd party company? Most likely, you did not. So you may want to watch the video below.
This is why I recommend you NEVER talk to, or pay a Debt Collector - before you seek professional advice and request a full validation (not a verification). Talking to or paying a Collection account can potentially reset the statute of limitations clock - meaning that even if you pay the debt in full, it's still going to report on your credit report.
You can watch this quick 2 minute video here:
You can learn more here: https://www.bettercreditguaranteed.com/debt-collector-secrets-credit-repair/