Finding ALL of your creditors?

[ConfusedinMN]

Hello again-

Second question today -

I had a job loss after 9/11, and couldn't get a decent job until just recently. I received bad advice that I could just ignore the CC debt since they don't take action and in 7-10 years it would be erased due to statute of limitations.

Anyways, I had one agressively try to collect recently, and I think I need to file for bankruptcy. One problem I have, is that I don't know who all owns my past CC balances, since they get bought & sold so often now.

Besides getting my 3 credit reports (which I have done), is there any other way to ensure that I get all of my debts included?

If I call the charged-off accounts which were sold, do they have to tell me who purchased them?

Thank you.

[SinkingFast]

They might, but I wouldn't use a phone unless you wanna be called back on it. Creditors can and do track incoming phone calls and the phone number used.

At the bottom of your Credit Reports is a list of Creditors Names and Addresses. If you still have any of the Collections Letters you were sent, you might be able to match up Creditors with different accounts.

[HHM]

Yeah, this is the toughest part. From a legal standpoint, I think if you notify the original creditor, you should be covered...but you are in for some post BK head-aches as you try to clean up your credit report.

I don't think the creditors are obliged to tell you who bought it (and honestly, I doubt anyone you could get a hold of at the creditor would even know).

In my experience, most of the purchased debt will appear on at least one of your credit reports.

[Spartan]

I have a similar problem with finding out who I owe what to. After I ordered my CRs, I noticed that the credit report would list all of the CC, including the collection agencies that the bank sold their charge off accounts to. The original creditors are listed. Real estate stuffs are not on there. Utilities are not on it. Cable is. Needless to say, it is better off to payback the utilities and the cable, and fix the bridges there.

The CR is the best place to work from. Technically, the BK will discharge all unsecured debts, whether they are listed or not. So, you are protected even when later on, some collectors come knocking. You can show them the BK and if they persist, you have recourse against them instead.

I wouldn't sweat over this too much.

I would bet you anything that all the collection agencies that bought the charge off, have reported you to the CR and are monitoring your CR to see if there is any activities. Mine has been dormant for 4 years and yet I noticed that the inquiries have never ceased. It is all done electronically. They just mass process it to monitor those accounts for sign of activities. It is their business. If you want to risk getting phone calls, you can contact them and ask for info on debt confirmation. They have to provide it.

[ConfusedinMN]

I have a similar problem with finding out who I owe what to. After I ordered my CRs, I noticed that the credit report would list all of the CC, including the collection agencies that the bank sold their charge off accounts to. The original creditors are listed. Real estate stuffs are not on there. Utilities are not on it. Cable is. Needless to say, it is better off to payback the utilities and the cable, and fix the bridges there.

The CR is the best place to work from. Technically, the BK will discharge all unsecured debts, whether they are listed or not. So, you are protected even when later on, some collectors come knocking. You can show them the BK and if they persist, you have recourse against them instead.

I wouldn't sweat over this too much.

Thank you for your insight from past experience. I was particularily worried about the bolded part, so that helps out alot.