Afni and Zombie Debt

Have you been receiving telephone calls or letters from a collection agency called Afni trying to collect on an old Verizon telephone bill? Most likely, the debt is what is called "zombie debt" and doesn't exist. With a "zombie debt" an unscrupulous collection agency (such as Afni) will attempt to collect on a debt that is not valid, either because it is past the statute of limitations or has already been paid. It is called "zombie debt" because you think that the debt has been dealt with, but it keeps rising from the dead, continuing to haunt you.

With most, if not all, of the Verizon debt that Afni attempts to collect, the consumer has already paid the debt in full (as acknowledge by Verizon). However, Afni will not take no for an answer, continuing to harass the consumer and violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).

As with any collection agency, the best way to deal with them is (1) not to talk to them on the telephone, (2) get the full name and address of the collection agency, and (3) demand that the collection agency provide you with written verification of the alleged debt.

If you find that a collection agency is harassing you and/or not abiding by the FDCPA, you might be able to turn the tables on the collection agency and file a lawsuit against them. An attorney who handles consumer credit/debt issues would be able to discuss these issues with you.