“Debt verification letter” is a letter sent to a creditor or collection agency asking for proof that the debt owed is valid and is not beyond the statute of limitations.
The statutes of limitations for collecting debt are set out in the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and in state laws. Whenever the set timeframe has passed, collection efforts can no longer be pursued, which should be noted in the validation letter.
According to the FDCPA, debt collectors must send you a written debt validation notice. You must receive it within five days after the first contact.
Things to include in the debt validation letter:
1. The amount owed.
2. The name of the creditor.
3. This statement indicates that the debt will be acknowledged by the collector unless you dispute it within 30 days of the first contact.
4. The debt collector can easily verify the debt by mail. This process will take 30 days to dispute the debt or to request more information.
5. A statement that if you ask for information about the original creditor within 30 days, the collector must provide it.
Write a debt validation letter.
There may be more questions in the validation letter than answers.
This means that if you didn’t receive a validation notice or if you never received one, you can request a verification letter that is indeed yours.
In two situations, verification letters are most useful:
• If you’re dealing with a ruthless debt collector: Requesting a debt verification letter will allow the collection effort to be paused and may discourage debt collectors who lack sufficient information.
• If you’re serious about repaying the debt: You should get more information to verify to ensure that you pay the right collector for the right debt if you intend to pay the debt.
You may be ignoring the notice from debt if, for example, the debt has reached the statute of limitations. You may, however, be better off drawing attention to yourself with a verification letter.
Ask for the following details on the Debt validation letter:
1. Why does the debt collector believe you owe the loan?
2. The debt’s quantity and age, as well as the authority to collect it.