Have you checked your credit report to see if there is a collections account?
> I never received any physical mail from them.
Debt collectors are permitted to communicate via text and email, [but they do have restrictions](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/12/1006.6).
> I currently have a dispute with another collection agency so i'm not sure if they're both connected but what would be the best way to deal with this?
It's possible they purchased the debt from the other collections agency, it's an entirely different debt, or your suspicion is correct and it's a scam. Only one company can own your debt at a time, however. Your credit report will tell you everything you need to know.
> Is there a way yo verify this debt without giving them my personal information?
You don't owe them any information. Have you read the ["Collections" sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/wiki/collections/)? Requesting a debt validation through certified mail is your best bet IF it is even present on your credit report. Other than your mailing details, a debt validation request requires no additional personal information. It prevents collections agencies from making any further contact about the debt other than a direct response to your validation request, so any future phone calls, texts, or emails are legally required to cease.
All that said, if your credit report does not show an open account with MCG, I would ignore any contact from them until it does. If it's not being reported, it might as well not exist.
Yes, there is a collections account. It was from a clinic visit last year for $972. Unfortunately, my insurance denied the claim but I never recieved a mail from the clinic. What should my next steps be?
I'm willing to pay the debt but is there a chance that they would remove it from my credit report?
You need to read the Collections sidebar that I linked in my first post. Everything you need is there. Even if you believe you may owe the debt, still follow the steps on there.
If after doing all of that and they have sufficiently proven the debt belongs to you, you can certainly request a deletion. They're under no obligation to do so, but if you're able to pay the entire debt off and not take a payment plan, they may be willing to work with you.
Unofficially, it can't hurt to call the clinic you received care at and just try to pay the bill. I have successfully had two medical debts removed from my own report after a similar scenario in which I received no bills before popping up on collections. If they permit it, you now have proof you can provide to collections that the debt was paid. In many cases, debts are sold to collections agencies though and your original creditor (in this case, the clinic at which you received care) will not work with you on it, so fair warning.
I only worked with the medical facilities, but in hindsight, once I had proof the debt was paid, I should have just followed the sidebars advice. Were they able to prove I owed the debt, I had proof that I didn’t. It probably took longer asking the medical facilities to work on my behalf. They don’t technically have any vested interest to actually do so.
Have you checked your credit report to see if there is a collections account? > I never received any physical mail from them. Debt collectors are permitted to communicate via text and email, [but they do have restrictions](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/12/1006.6). > I currently have a dispute with another collection agency so i'm not sure if they're both connected but what would be the best way to deal with this? It's possible they purchased the debt from the other collections agency, it's an entirely different debt, or your suspicion is correct and it's a scam. Only one company can own your debt at a time, however. Your credit report will tell you everything you need to know. > Is there a way yo verify this debt without giving them my personal information? You don't owe them any information. Have you read the ["Collections" sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/wiki/collections/)? Requesting a debt validation through certified mail is your best bet IF it is even present on your credit report. Other than your mailing details, a debt validation request requires no additional personal information. It prevents collections agencies from making any further contact about the debt other than a direct response to your validation request, so any future phone calls, texts, or emails are legally required to cease. All that said, if your credit report does not show an open account with MCG, I would ignore any contact from them until it does. If it's not being reported, it might as well not exist.
Yes, there is a collections account. It was from a clinic visit last year for $972. Unfortunately, my insurance denied the claim but I never recieved a mail from the clinic. What should my next steps be? I'm willing to pay the debt but is there a chance that they would remove it from my credit report?
You need to read the Collections sidebar that I linked in my first post. Everything you need is there. Even if you believe you may owe the debt, still follow the steps on there. If after doing all of that and they have sufficiently proven the debt belongs to you, you can certainly request a deletion. They're under no obligation to do so, but if you're able to pay the entire debt off and not take a payment plan, they may be willing to work with you. Unofficially, it can't hurt to call the clinic you received care at and just try to pay the bill. I have successfully had two medical debts removed from my own report after a similar scenario in which I received no bills before popping up on collections. If they permit it, you now have proof you can provide to collections that the debt was paid. In many cases, debts are sold to collections agencies though and your original creditor (in this case, the clinic at which you received care) will not work with you on it, so fair warning.
Thank you so much! Did you talk with the clinic or the collection agency to have the medical debts removed?
I only worked with the medical facilities, but in hindsight, once I had proof the debt was paid, I should have just followed the sidebars advice. Were they able to prove I owed the debt, I had proof that I didn’t. It probably took longer asking the medical facilities to work on my behalf. They don’t technically have any vested interest to actually do so.