Here's my story.
20 years ago, I had no credit record, and had to place a $100 security deposit down on a phone account. 6 years later when I closed the account, they lost all record of the security deposit, and would not negotiate with me, so I told them that I was going to let the final bill go to collections.
After about a year of not hearing anything, I recieved a call from a lady claiming to be from a collections agency. She seemed legit enough as she knew the full details of the debt.
Here's the strange part......I told her to mail me a statement or invoice and I would pay it. She tried to get me to pay it over the phone. I said no( several times). She got mad, and very aggressive, and actually told me that I was going to jail, then she hung up.
I never received an invoice, I never heard from her again. And, about a year later, I was approved for a mortgage ( ie clean credit bureau report)
Strange, eh?