Afni Collections Trying to collect on an 11 year old Bell Atlantic, Version account previously unknown to me Bloomington Illinois

I got the collection notice letter from Afni, Inc back in December of 2007 informing me I owed them $346.21. I read it, let out a sign and threw it in the back seat of my car intending to deal with it later. It since got buried under several stacks of paper and books and my wife found it this morning.

The phone number on the account; the one I apparently owe money on is from the area I lived in from 1994 to 1997 when I was in the Army. It was Watertown/Ft. Drum, NY. I don't recall having any phone service in my barracks room.

It is also interesting that the letter I got states the original creditor is Bell Atlantic, but when I checked the account on their website it says Verison. I have since learned the discrepency might be due to thier merger some years back.

I pulled a credit report just in case and can't find any public records of myself being attached to that phone number.

After reading several similar stories, I feel confident this is a fraudulent collection attept and plan on writing several letters to them, the Attorney General, and possibly notifying my lawyer to get his input on the matter.

I just wanted to put in my two cents to help strengthen the case against this collection agency.

Michael
New Bern, North Carolina
U.S.A.