You recently received a summons for payment of credit card debt at your parents address in New Jersey but you have lived in Nevada for the past 15 years What are your options?

Answer 1

Is this a collection letter or a court summons? Summons -a legal document issued by a court, addressed to a defentant in a legal proceeding. This will usually announce that the person to whom it is directed that a legal proceeding has been started, a file has been started and will announce a date by which the defendant[s] must appear in court or respond in writing to the court or opposing part[ies]. For a collection letter- Often a legitimate debt collector or someone trying to put on over on the consumer will demand payment on a bill that the consumer is not even aware exists' [either by choice or by accident]. Besides ignoring the phone calls [because the statute of limitations has most likely run out],pull your credit report to see if this debt is reporting as 'past due', 'in collections' [etc]. www.annualcreditreport.com If this debt is not being reported, you can almost assume that the account is either not yours [they may be calling all 'Mary A. Smith's' in a 6 state area] or some junk collection agency bought this account and is trying to collect on an old debt. You can take the time to contact the agency to request a 'debt validation'. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act requires that debt collector issue proof of/for this debt. www.credit.about.com/cs/consumerwisdom/a/123103.htm

Answer 2

Your best option would be to respond to the summons, explaining that you have not lived at that address for the past 15 years and providing proof of your residency in Nevada. You could also consult with a lawyer in New Jersey to understand your rights and options in resolving the debt. It's important to address the summons promptly to avoid any legal consequences.