Hope you're right, but in my case I found it on my credit report before the collection agency even sent me a bill.

If you want to do it by the book, send one cease and desist letter sent by certified mail to both the collection agency and apartment complex, with your supporting stuff. Be clear and to the point that the debt has been paid, stop all collection attempts, and that any adverse reports to the credit agencies or other 3rd parties will blah blah blah [find endless templates on the webs]. Request written confirmation of the same.

There's definitely a part of me that would want to pay another $13 and be done with it, but my experience says to nail these things down firmly. I've had a condo association try to collect a prior owner's debt from me for a year. In another case a title company never sent me my paperwork after a refinance and I let up out of frustration and laziness - I shouldn't have because turned out later that they never actually closed that mortgage. Had appliance insurance when I was like 20 and they stiffed a guy who fixed a washing machine, causing a mess...probably a couple more over the years I can't remember.

My advice would be to assume this apartment complex doesn't have their **** together enough to assure that even paying again would be a permanent solution. You don't want to check your credit report 2 years from now and find something stupid because they're a mess, and if you do you'll be in a pretty dominant position to address it the hard way.

Well I have my final account statement from the complex showing zero balance. I think on that end they certainly aren't disputing the money was paid, and I could prove it was paid regardless.

Certified letter with receipt confirmation sent Friday - it was cheaper than the actual debt, which surprised me, but then I've never sent anything certified before. It was a formal letter citing federal law, requesting debt confirmation, requesting no contact other than debt confirmation, and telling them not to report the debt as it's in dispute, or if they have, report that it's disputed immediately. We'll see what happens. I'm keeping hard copies and electronic copies of everything.

I've gotten those and ignored them since I already paid the bills. They eventually stopped coming. I assume they were just behind in their paperwork.

Got a call from a debt collector a few days ago. Didn't answer because who answers a call from a number you don't know in Florida, but they did leave a message. It was for Sarah Somebody-Not-Me. They had this gem of a line in their little script -

"If you don't hang up or disconnect within three seconds you agree you are the person we are trying to reach"

Debt collectors are scum.

lol i have lots of debts but i just ignore them. one is 12k for some accident from a snowmobile crash, that wasnt my fault imo, at an intersection with a car. they basically wrote their car off for like 2k in damages. they put a "lean" or something on me so i cant even get a drivers license... but jokes on them i dont drive. suckaaaaaaa

been like 3 years now, i still tell them when they call to literally suck my cock. its fun+ they call less.

its a strat im going to employ til it goes away, or it doesnt, i really dont mind! but aint paying 12k. they cant take from my bank, sluts!

Um, they actually can. I'm surprised they didn't get a judgement yet if it's been 3 years, $12K is not a trivial amount

unless you have nothing in the bank, then carry on

I worked in collections for years.

All you have to do is provide two letters, and either fax or mail them to the company trying to collect from you.

1) Cease and Desist Letter, stating you paid this, and enclosed you are showing proof. Also tell them you are faxing this info to the credit bureau and if it effects your credit rating you will sue. Tell them if they ever contact you again trying to collect they will be hearing from your attorney.

2) The document showing proof that you paid the debt. Whatever receipt or bank statement you may have.

Also you need to contact all 3 credit bureaus and inform them of the situation and tell them to remove any negative mark on your credit as a result of this.

Make sure you keep a copy of your correspondence. If they contact you again you can sue them.

Not all jurisdictions allow for garnishment of wages OR financial accounts even when there IS a judgment. But the interest clock continues ticking and the judgment can often be renewed at least once (a decade or so down the road from the original date of judgment).

Not sure if the restriction on license would ever fall off. I cannot imagine not driving...but then again, my travels have me logging roughly 3-5K miles per month.

i got over 10k but less than 30k in there, its impossible to have my wages garnished. i already looked into it.

so yea, trololo to their insurance.

yeah michelle apparently after a certain # of years it falls off. they said 7, 8, 10? i cant remember. so theoretically if i needed to drive i could then. i work from home doing a whole range of different jobs, so im totally cool with it.

Update - I sent the form letter Gregorio linked (thank you again for all the information you provided). I got a letter this past week acknowledging that they were given my account in error and that they would clear it from the credit agencies if previously sent. I’m going to give it about a week then check all three of my credit reports and make sure it’s not on there, if it is I guess I’ll have to deal with that but I’m hopeful this is over and done with.

Good result hopefully RJ

Never mind

It's a good thing that they didn't **** you in the ass...uhh, nevermind.

Nothing on any credit reports. Just not there at all, so I assume it was never even sent, which would be the correct legal thing to do but I sort of assumed this outfit was shady given the results when you googled them. Maybe they are shady but also lazy. In any event, this turned out to be pretty much a non issue, which I know is a lucky break for me.