I've received two letters mailed to my home address, addressed to a business that doesn't exist in my area. The letter states that it is a debt collection agency that has been retained to collect a $300 debt from the company. I've never heard of this business, and I've never done business with them. My name is nowhere to be found on the correspondence, and nothing indicates what the $300 debt is for. My home address has always been a residential address and there's no possibility that it could have ever been a business address.

When I got the first letter, my gut reaction was that it was some sort of scam. When I received the second one, I also had that reaction, although now I'm really concerned as to why correspondence for some company I've never heard of is using my home address. I've never received any other mail for this business, with the exception of these two letters from the debt collector.

There is an address, phone/fax numbers, and work hours on the debt collector's letterhead (which is all the way on the other side of the country from me), along with an individual's name and extension to contact in regard to this. I know con artists are masters at making things look legitimate.

Is there a professional place I can contact about this, who can help me determine whether or not these letters are real and just an honest mix-up, or if in fact it is actually a scam?? The Better Business Bureau?? Something like that?? Help!!

By Ginny~moderator on Friday, June 29, 2007 - 10:50 am:

If it were me, I'd ignore it. Any response at all to the debt collection agency might set you up for phone calls and more letters. Just ignore it.

You might talk to your mail carrier and point out that the business to whom the mail is addressed doesn't exist, at least not at your address, and ask could he mark it unable to deliver or some other official post office marking and return it to the sender.

By Yjja123 on Friday, June 29, 2007 - 11:17 am:

I wouldn't even open it. I would write return to sender and stick it back in the mailbox.

By Ginny~moderator on Friday, June 29, 2007 - 11:42 am:

Yvonne, ordinarily that's what I'd do, but because it is a collection agency (or possibly a scam), I wouldn't write on it myself. I'd much prefer to have some sort of official post office marking on it.

By Dancermom on Friday, June 29, 2007 - 01:23 pm:

Ginny, could Anon. get in trouble for opening mail not addressed to her??

Just curious. That would also influence my decision on what to do.

By Mommmie on Friday, June 29, 2007 - 01:37 pm:

Can you post the info about the company and maybe we could do some internet searches and see what we find.

By Colette on Friday, June 29, 2007 - 01:53 pm:

I'd toss it or bring it to your local pd.