how do i resolve a debt with a debt collector who will not talk to me?
its from a credit card debt, which was turned over to Arrow Financial Services (a debt collector), they in turn had Mann Bracken LLP (a national collection attorney network firm) contact me to settle the debt. I made arrangements to pay the debt, and was making monthly payments, directly taken from my checking account. After paying 00.00 over several months time, I received an "Agreed Judgment" from Mann Bracken in which Arrow Financial Services is the plaintiff and is seeking a judgment against me. I was in communication with Mann Bracken and was told to sign the Agreed Judgment and they would agree to not execute, abstract, or otherwise seek to enforce the agreed judgment during the term of our temporary agreement, as long as I (the defendant) complies with the payment terms. I agreed to pay 0.00 monthly directly from my checking account for 9 months, then the parties agree to review the matter again and attempt to negotiate a final settlement agreement.
This was in Sept of ‘09, in which I was dealing with my daughter and my grandson who were in crisis and our family was occupied with their issues, so I had every intention of signing the agreed judgment, but I got distracted and didn’t sign it, so at the end of Oct ‘09, a "Final Default Judgment" was issued against me. I of course called Mann Bracken and was told that after our agreed 9 month period of consistent monthly payments, they would have the judgment taken care of.
So I made my monthly payments every month, but in Dec ‘09 the money was never taken out of my account, so I called Mann Bracken, but the phone # was no longer in service. I tried several different #’s and all were disconnected, then I read on line that Mann Bracken had been investigated/sued and went into bankruptcy! So I then contacted Arrow Financial Services, spoke to a representative, explained the situation, and was told that a new debt collector attorney will be contacting me, but that has been 6 months now, and no one has contacted me.
What do I do? How do I settle the debt, I am more than willilng to settle, and what do I do about the Final Judgment? I’ve pulled my credit report from all 3 credit bureau agencies, and there is no judgment listed. I contested the debt with Arrow Financial, but after the investigation, the debt still stands in effect on all 3 credit bureaus.
Do I need to hire a lawyer?