RJM Acquisitions Funding, New Creditor of Fingerhut, I'm not a customer of them! Offers 40% off if you pay now... RIPOFF! Syosset New York

I received just such a letter last fall (Oct 2006). I opened the unfamiliar envelope to discover such a scam from RJM Acquisitions Funding LLC, 575 Underhill Blvd. Suite 224, Syosset, NY 11791-3416, Fax # 516-714-1310, and a toll phone number. They were/are supposedly collecting on behalf of Fingerhut.

Yes, I did order some items through Fingerhut when I was in college, about 15 years ago. I think the bill was in the neighborhood of $79, which I paid immediately. This bogus company, RJM, suggested that I now owe them on this account approximately $972. They were so generous as to offer two payment options to settle the account for 60% at $58/mo, or 100% of that amount for $29/mo.

On the letter there was toll-free number and a file number. I'm sure that most people have the same impulse I did, which was to call and find out what this letter is all about. However, thankfully, I resisted that impulse, knowing that even if such a debt is not active or even mine, such a call may give them all of the leverage they need to activiate or assign it. Instead, I called the supposed original creditor--Fingerhut--to find out if/why they had transferred my ancient paid account to this out-of-the-blue "company".

At Fingerhut, I spoke to this hilariously uninformed and uninterested young woman who told me that the original account number was an "old" number and that all accounts were sold four years ago to a company called "CompuCredit Corporation." She did not have a phone number for them, but did have a fax number and an address in St. Cloud, MN.

So, there is an "old" Fingerhut and a "new" Fingerhut. (I don't like to engage in speculation, but perhaps "Old Fingerhut" was hurting financially, and decided to make some fast bucks by selling old account numbers, regardless of their payment status?)

I googled CompuCredit, and found out that they have been similarly reported as a scam company many times, as well as reported to the Better Business Bureau in New York state--and probably elsewhere. RJF started popping up in those complaints, as well.

I decided to write and complain to the National Consumers League, 1701 K Street, NW, Suite 1200, Washington, DC 20006, (o) 202-835-3323, (f) 202-835-0747. However, I got busy with my life, and writing them became part of a stack of things to do. Although my indignation was high, my concern was low: I don't owe this money and it is not on my credit report now, nor has it ever been.

Just the other day, I received a second letter from them, six months later. This time, they were so generous as to offer three payment options to settle the account for 50% at $40/mo, 70% at $20/mo, or 100% of that amount for $10/mo.

Now, since I didn't jump at the bit the first time, on the letter there is a large box, which draws attention to a toll-free number "For Payments or Inquiries Only" and a file number. This time, I had no impulse to call. Instead, I decided to re-activiate my research, and came upon this site.

My questions are plenty. Among them is: why, if RJF has had this supposed delinquent account information for four years, they are just now attempting to collect? Because it's a random scam, that's why.

I will maintain my personal policy of not even acknowledging RJF's letters to them--even to dispute their bogus claim. I will also maintain my personal policy of pulling my credit report randomly to make sure there are no mistakes on it. If I find RJF or CompuCredit anywhere on there, it will be a mistake that they will want to remedy as fast as possible. I will dispute it to the three credit bureaus. And this time, I will write to the NCL.

Strength in numbers, strength in knowledge...