What happens after you dispute a notice about a debt from a creditor?

My father has never had a credit card in his life. He recently got a notice from a collection agency (attorney office) asking to pay the debt in full. He doesn't know what it is from but it appears to be from a credit card. He plans on disputing in in writing like the letter tells him to do if he doesn't think it is valid. What happens after he does this? Is it better to just ignore the letter? I will also mention that the letter has an apt number listed for his address. He lives in a house and not an apartment. His wife died last year so if this is hers he is unaware of it but it is in his name and whenever they have tried calling they ask if he has a wife.

What happens after you dispute a notice about a debt from a creditor?
Be cautious about responding at all. This could be an attempt to obtain confidential information from your father such as SSN, date of birth, bank account information, etc. Do not release ANY confidential information.
Reply:Dispute the debt in writing. Send the letter via certified mail with return receipt showing that the letter was received. Ask for verification of the debt, the date of the last payment made on the account (there is a statute of limitations, but many people don't realize this) and the name of the original creditor.





Then follow-up from there.





Good Luck
Reply:Never ignore a creditor. Write back asking them to show the validity of the debt. They say it's yours make them prove it. By the way, make sure to send the response via certified mail because they have 30 days from the receipt of the letter to respond or they have to remove it from his credit report if it goes that far. Hope this helps. If not, go to http://www.newmillcredit.com.