Like many others on this site, I was served (today) with a dubious "Summons and Complaint" stating that I was being sued and that I had 21 Days to file a written answer with the court--yet, it was issued six days ago (12-22-2010) and expires 3-23-2011. I say dubious because the seal does not list a specific court, nor does it list a judge or time to appear before one, although the correct district court is listed above with the proper address. Also, it seems to be a photocopy.
The debt was originally $4587.67 with citi cards (aka citibank) but they want to charge me $7241.97. Believe it or not, this was mainly from living expenses: food and gas (was over $4 per gal and I was driving to Texas and back to find a job), a few months of rent when I was having trouble, and a refurbished $700 CPU. Basically I was sent to Iraq in 2004 with the US Army, finished college, then was unemployed off and on during the next four years despite earning a BA. I now work part time, hardly making anything and living with relatives. I just happened to answer my parents' door thinking it was my uncle. Not my uncle. The guy told me I had to call one of the two lawyers (David Denhouten and Andrew Perry; both legit, both working for ASST) and make a deal.
I'm thinking about filing for bankruptcy because I also have a Chase card with a similarly inflated amount (made it much worse by using those damn bank checks during a desperate time when I knew I shouldn't). Just a matter of time before an agency serves me for that one as well. But I will also send a validation letter as suggested on this site. People should pay off their debts, but credit card companies have virtually stolen a good portion of the accrued amount from their customers using shady practices such as raising interest on good accounts, suddenly lowering your credit line so they can charge overdraft fees, and adding hidden fees. The fact that they hire goons to harass people who were once "valuable customers" says it all. These companies make it impossible On top of student loans and a crappy work history, I will never in a million years be able to pay all of it off.
Additionally:
I had a lot of terrible trouble in the past from student loans when the Michigan Guaranty Agency put my unconsolidated and several-times-swapped smaller loans in delinquency: once during Army basic training and again when I was on tour in Iraq. They didn't listen either time, swore at me, and garnished my mother's bank account (I was listed on the account as a second in case of emergency). In fact, I should file a report on them as well.
You can sign a petition against them at: www.petitiononline.com/stopasst/petition-sign.html
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