Pinnacle Finacial Group I'm Filing a class action Tried to get me to settle a debt that I do not have from half.com Minneapolis Minnesota

be sure to put the certification number ON THE LETTER ITSELF to prove what was contained in the letter ...

What Debt Collectors Must DoThe debt collector must disclose in any written or telephone communication to the consumer:
Its identity and business address
The name of the person making the telephone call
The identity of the person or company for whom the debt collector is attempting to collect the debt.

In addition, under FDCPA, debt collectors must follow up an initial phone contact with a written communication within 5 days containing the following information:
The amount of the debt
The identity of the person or company for whom the debt collector is attempting to collect the claimed debt
A statement that the consumer may make a written request within 30 days that the debt collector identify the original creditor, if different from the current creditor (this provision is intended to identify the original source of the debt if it has been sold or assigned to a collection agency)
A statement that the consumer may notify the debt collector in writing within 30 days that he or she is disputing the debt, and that the debt collector must furnish the consumer with documents verifying the disputed debt or a copy of any judgment against the consumer
A statement that if the consumer does not notify the debt collector within 30 days that she or he disputes any or all the claimed debt, the debt collector will assume that the debt is valid.

Debt collection practices, whether by creditors, collection agencies, or attorneys, are a frequent and often emotionally charged source of consumer complaints. Many people finding themselves subject to debt collection may already be experiencing a broad range of financial and personal difficulties. Debt collection is an added indignity. Although debtors are bound to honor their contracts (with a few exceptions for bankruptcies), they should not find themselves subject to harassing and deceptive collection practices. Overzealous and occasionally unscrupulous debt collectors have given the field of debt collection a history of abusive practices. Some of the more common abuses include:
- Repeated phone calls late at night or early in the morning
- Abusive or threatening language
- Contacting friends, neighbors or employers about a debt
- Using deception to obtain information about a consumer (such as pretending to do a telephone survey)
- Using deception to force payment, for example, by pretending to be a lawyer, claiming to have initiated a lawsuit, or using stationary designed to look like official court or government communication In response to such abuses, both New Hampshire and federal statutes regulate and control the time, manner, and substance of collection procedures, and provide consumers with remedies against abusive collection activities. THE LAW
Debt collection practices are governed by the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (15 U.S.C. 1692-1695) (FDCPA). In addition, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has guidelines for the collection industry describing specific acts and practices the FTC considers to be in violation of the FDCPA.

GO TO privacyrights.org and google government sites for collection agencies abuses - there is a long list of don'ts that collection agencies routinely illegally do ...

You might even ask for documentation such as
What the money you say I owe is for;
Explain and show me how you calculated what you say I owe;
Provide me with copies of any papers that show I agreed to pay what you say I owe;
Provide a verification or copy of any judgment if applicable;
Identify the original creditor;
Prove the Statute of Limitations has not expired on this account
Show me that you are licensed to collect in my state
Provide me with your license numbers and Registered Agent
* copies of every charge and payment made by you. Remember the burden of proof is on the collection agency....


Your Name
Mailing Address
City, State, Zip

Date

Name of Collection Agency
Mailing Address
City, State, Zip

Re: Dispute of Collection Action: Case # ________

[If the collection agency has sent written notice, your case number is likely in the letter. If you have not received a written notice from the collection agency, tailor this line accordingly. For example, show the date you were contacted by the collection agency and/or identify the creditor by name if you can.]

To [person whose name appears on agency's notice to you]:

On [date] I was contacted by [name of person who called you] of your agency, who informed me that [name of collection agency] is attempting to collect [amount of claimed debt]. This individual is collecting on behalf of [name of creditor]. [OR] This individual would not tell me for whom you are supposed to be collecting.

[OR]

On [date] I received a written notice of the claimed debt, a copy of which is attached.

This is to inform you that I dispute the debt because [insert reason for dispute, e.g. the agency has confused you with someone else or the debt was paid. Include copies, not originals, of any correspondence that proves your point]. I am hereby requesting that you confirm the fact that I owe this debt as required by any applicable state and federal laws. Please contact the creditor to obtain verification.

In addition, under the provisions of state and federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and related consumer statutes, I am hereby instructing you that you are to cease collection of the debt while efforts are made to obtain verification. Until you resolve this error with the creditor, you should neither contact me nor anyone else except the creditor about this collection.

Furthermore, any reporting of this matter to a credit reporting agency is premature. Until you have investigated my dispute, you should not relay negative information to a credit reporting agency. If negative information has already been reported, you will need to notify the agency to remove said report until the investigative process is over so that my credit report remains accurate, or at the very least, my credit report should be updated to reflect my dispute.

Your next contact with me should be either notice that the creditor has failed to provide verification of the debt and that the matter has been closed or that you believe that this debt is valid and are providing proof of my responsibility. If the former, please confirm that I am not being held responsible for the debt in writing and also that if the account has already been noted on my credit report, that you will contact the bureau(s) in question to have the account removed. If the latter, I expect that you will provide me with an explanation as to why you have decided not to remove this account from collections and a copy of all documents relevant to the debt such as the application, bills, records of communications and payments, and any other data that indicates my responsibility.

I am instructing you not to contact any third parties such as my employer, neighbors, friends or family members. In addition, you may not contact me by phone at work or at my home about this collection activity. All future correspondence should be sent to me in writing.

[If you want to still speak to a collector by phone, indicate times when it is okay to contact you or note the name, address, and phone number of your attorney, if you have retained one.]

I look forward to your acknowledgement that you have received this notice by [date that is two weeks from date of letter].

Sincerely,

TYPE YOUR NAME - DO NOT SIGN BECAUSE THEY CAN COPY YOUR SIGNATURE ONTO FAKE DOCUMENTS ...