How far back can a debt collector go?

How Long Can a Debt Collector Pursue an Old Debt? Each state has a law referred to as a statute of limitations that spells out the time period during which a creditor or collector may sue borrowers to collect debts. In most states, they run between four and six years after the last payment was made on the debt.

Can an old debt be collected?

Old (Time-Barred) Debts In California, there is generally a four-year limit for filing a lawsuit to collect a debt based on a written agreement. If you think your debt may be time-barred, you may want to consult an attorney. For more information on time-barred debts, see the FTC’s “Time-Barred Debts”.

What does it mean when a collection agency re-ages your debt?

“Re-aging” generally refers to the process by which credit card companies reset delinquent accounts and give the account holder a clean slate. Collection agency re-aging, however, carries no benefit for the consumer.

Can a debt collector still collect after 6 years?

In most states, they run between four and six years after the last payment was made on the debt. This means that even a debt that is older than that may still be able to be collected on if you’ve made a payment sometime in the last four to six years.

Why do I keep getting re-aging debt?

Re-aging debt could also happen because old, unpaid debt gets bought and sold by debt collectors in a secondary market. These collectors often have no idea whether the debt they are purchasing is legitimate, was the result of identity theft, was paid off, was forgiven by the creditor, or is past the statute of limitations.

Can a debt collector Sue after the Statute of limitations has expired?

In some states, a collection agency cannot try to collect at all once a debt is past the statute of limitations. In other states, they cannot sue you, but they may still try to collect the debt, which can include calls and written requests.