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Feb 02, 2010 19:00

Here's what's going on. My boyfriend was in a fraternity for all of a month back in 2006. He was one of the founding members and paid founding dues before he quit (personal stuff, not relevant to the suck). Now, apparently, the fraternity is going into debt. That sucks for them, right ( Read more... )

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Comments 47

nandexdame February 3 2010, 01:11:12 UTC
I've never been in a frat or sorority, but did your boyfriend ever sign any kind of paperwork? There may have been something in there that would make him liable for something he wasn't expecting.

That second e-mail sounds shady because they never really say what he owes for, just that they need some money and "have you down" for owing something. Ask for the bill but make sure you tell them that you only want it in order to determine if he owes anything, and that its not a promise to pay.

I really don't think you'll be able to know what to do without seeing what they're charging him for.

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uncreative_user February 3 2010, 01:16:27 UTC
He didn't sign a contract. The only thing he signed was a credit card receipt. I told him that if the head of Greek affairs still says he has to pay, he needs to ask them for proof that he does.

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nandexdame February 3 2010, 01:21:55 UTC
I see. I was thinking that maybe the frat collects dues twice a year, once during the fall semester and once during the spring. And that even if your boyfriend dropped out and paid, say, for the fall, that somehow he had agreed to be on the hook for the entire year no matter what.

In that case, I agree--go to the Greek affairs and contact the national organization. They really need to give you that bill so that you can actually dispute the charge, because how can you fight against it if you don't know what's owed?

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This amigoid February 3 2010, 16:24:09 UTC
Without a written contract, they do not have any means of holding your BF to any fiscal obligation. If he has not, I would send a registered letter to both the local Frat and the national office. State the information you have shared here. Repeat that you quit the organization 3.5 years ago and that you did not sign any contract to pay. Insist that they provide a written record justifying the charges, or remove your name from the collection list. Once you have the proof from the registered mail receipts and whatever they can dig up, contact the collection agency. (Use a public phone and/or throwaway email if you think they will try to harass you.) Tell the collection agency that you have notified the debtor that the debt is invalid and that they need to remove your name from the collection list. Then check your credit report to make sure that any dings related to this are removed. If they fail to comply, there are legal escalation routes.

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kimerastorm February 3 2010, 01:11:56 UTC
This sounds like a shakedown, I would contact the national office, with a cc to the 'treasurer' of the local chapter, containing all three emails and a repeat request for information.

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uncreative_user February 3 2010, 01:17:29 UTC
That's pretty much what I think. It sounds like they're in deep shit and want to find a way out that doesn't involve THEM paying more money. So, they're going to scare college kids with the threat of collections to get the money.

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kimerastorm February 3 2010, 01:19:07 UTC
that's why I like my idea. Not only does it repeat the request for information about what he owes and why... it also clues the national board into what's going on at this frat.

Hmm my bad, it should have read email the treasurer and CC the national board, not the other way around.

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uncreative_user February 3 2010, 01:25:47 UTC
Yeah, I have a feeling it will come to that with these people. I think it's really "convenient" that "all of a sudden" he owes them this money. We'll definitely go over their head when/if it comes to that.

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the_lest February 3 2010, 01:19:33 UTC
They haven't answered the question. Your boyfriend should ask them for a full inventory detailing the missed/uncollected payment(s) and dates that they should have been paid, and ask for a copy of the contract/agreement where he agreed to make this payments. If these aticles don't exist then I don't believe they have a leg to stand on.

tbh it sounds like they're trying to pull some kind of a scam.

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tigress666 February 3 2010, 01:22:22 UTC
Sounds like a scam to me as well. I'd be interested in knowing how this turns out (and hope to hear that they get in trouble for these kind of shenanigans).

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gothstar February 4 2010, 00:08:33 UTC
also... if they were dealing with a real collections company, they would have sold off the debts to them and they wouldn't know the account numbers.

they're totally trying to scam.

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nmgirl98 February 3 2010, 02:11:36 UTC
Greek alum here. He needs to go over their heads now and contact the national office and let them know what's going on. That office will have (or should have) financial reports on file for each chapter, including who owes what to the chapter.

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