Credit Card - Summons, Complaint

[ladybookwerm]

About two weeks ago, I received a summons from a law firm representing Chase Manhatten. I had a credit card with them three years ago. Then I had some serious health problems and lost my job. My only income now is $643/monthly in Social Security benefits. I own my home but it's under homestead exemption.

I am absolutely terrified of what is going to happen. I know I owe them but at $643 a month, I'm just barely getting by as it is. Also, I believe I'm supposed to make some type of response to them. What would I do? Write and tell them "hey, I know I owe you but I'm broke" or just not do anything?

Somebody told me that they could freeze my checking account. Is that true?

Thanks for any help anybody can offer.

P.S.
The balance on the credit card is $2386.

 

[Michael Wechsler]

Contact them and try to work something out. Ignoring never helps as it doesn't go away by wishing it. Good luck.

 

[billybankruptcy]

credit card summons

Lady - If they get a judgment, they can freeze your account, but Social Security benefits are exempt from seizure by creditors under federal law (42 USC 406?). The problem arises when your Soc. Sec. check is directly deposited, and you previously made payments from that account. The creditor will direct the court officer (again, after judgment) to freeze the account. If that happens, you can file a motion with the court to unfreeze the account, but that may take several weeks, you'll incur a $100 or so bank charge for the levy, and checks you may have issued in the meantime will bounce, resulting in further bank fees. The simple way to deal with this is to change banks.

 

[marisolsings2]

I just received a summons today to appear on 11/13/07, I was truly shocked to get this, yes, I know I owe the money, trust me if I had it I'd pay them off to rid them out of my life as the stress is something I do not need.

I was laid off on January 11th of this year as well as lost my home and have struggled ever since, I did manage to pay of some as well as my old school loan, unfortunately not enough money to go around.

I have no money and still looking for steady work, haven't had to look for work in a long while, I have this summons over my head and a $143 court fee I cannot afford, this is a nightmare and now I know why people just crack, the stress is too much.

I cant contact the lawyer and say I have no steady income and live with family , they wont care, the guy asked if I could pay in a couple checks ($1,000 now and the rest later), I dont have it, I politely ended the call and cried, I want to contact the attorneys office and ask if they'd take small monthly payments however I think they wont unless its like $100 or so, and my friend advised not to contact them again.

I'm lost and scared, what can I do?

 

[DAVISK]

Go to court and state to the judge that you are on a very limited income . It sounds like you are in a very hard spot . I know my mother ended up with a judgement from a phone bill , in the amount of 1400. She did tell the judge yes she owed the money but she was on a very limited income . She does not work and only has her SS benifits . He did make payment arrangements that didnt leave her out in the cold . Just beg him to let you make some sort of reasonable payments based on your current income level .