I owe money to a collection agency,?

Did you receive a court summons regarding this debt and if so did you show up? If this debt is from 10 years ago it's time barred....It doesn't matter what state you live in for debt this old...it's past the statute of limitations for all states. However, if they took you to court and did not show up, then they will win anyway simply because you did not show up.

This may be a scare tactic....Contact you local courthouse and see if there are any recent outstanding judgements against you. If they are and you never received a summons, then they deliberately served you a summons to an incorrect address to make sure that you were not aware of it. Many bottom-feeder debt collectors have figured out that if they "accidentally" serve you a summons to an old/incorrect address where they know that you won't be there....that you will be a "no show" on the court date because you weren't aware of it...This is how these default judgements occur.

If this is a real judgement AND you never received a summons, then see my answer on how to deal with this:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=201003...

You didn't say where you were.

A letter from whom? Is it really from the court? In order for a creditor to garnish wages, they must go to court and get a judgment. Generally, they can garnish wages and freeze bank accounts, but they can not take your home or support like social security.

Check with the court named to verify the letter. A 10 year old debt *may* be past the states statute of limitations if nothing has been done to reset the clock. In any event, don't acknowledge the debt until you have verified this, that could restart the clock.

Is your credit fine today? Why bother with something 10 years old, after seven years most debts are supposed to be off the books anyway. If you do pay a little, then legally they might have you for the rest. Look at how they put in the house thing, clearly its a letter from a credit slum house that is fishing for sme money from ancient accounts. Ill buy that for a dollar.

Look up the statute of limitations in your state.

Google "your state name" statute of limitations or SOL.

Most states its 7 years, in some less.

These people may not be able to come after you at all.

It depends on what date you last paid or on the last date you acknowledged or agreed to pay.

Check your credit reports today at

annual credit report. com

Print all three out.

The reports are 100% free at this site - don't pay for anything.

See if this item is in any of your 3 reports and dispute it stating "over the sol".

The letter could just be a scare tactic - they may know they don't have a case.

Keep asking questions here.

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Go to thee court and ask them. Collection agencies are generally pretty scummy and dishonest but if you have been sued, you will have to pay. If you did not turn up for a court date, you will have lost by default. If you did not receive notice of the court case, you can fight it.