To pay or not to pay that is the question.  Personally I would never pay a collection agency.  Yes I have had to deal with them and I have never paid a single one after I became an informed consumer.  I have actually had collection agencies pay me for their violations of collection law.

I do not know your personal situation.  There are a few rare situations where I feel it would be ok to pay a collection agency if it is stopping from buying a home and obtaining or keeping a professional license.  But even then you need to be careful how you pay them.

Horror stories abound where collection agency employees use consumers credit cards and checking information for illegal purposes or an attempt to hit the next level in their bonus plan.  There are also stories of collection agency employees committing Identity Theft.  Just think many times if you speak to a collection agent they are not even using their real name or will refuse to give their last name and they have all of your personal information right there in front of them.  Things such as your social security number, Credit Report and date of birth, items that would allow a dishonest person to steal your identity in a heart beat.

If you must pay a collection agency make sure that you never give them a credit card or checking information over the phone.  This is just asking for trouble.  While many that work at collection agencies would never misuse your financial accounts why take the chance.  Use money orders or bank drafts.

To answer the real question of this article you are under no obligation to pay a collection agency.  If you owe money to a company that has turned you over to collections try to work it out directly with them.  There is no legal requirement that says you owe a collection agency anything.

If they are a Junk Debt Buyer they may own the debt now, but even then you are not obligated to them.  If they try to sue you you have so many different valid defenses that their lawyers will run if you put up a fight.  Do some due diligence if you are worried about a collection agency, but remember you are the one ultimately responsible for your actions so like anything unknown tread lightly and learn as much as you can.  I would not pay them a dime.

I am not an attorney make sure you read My Disclaimer.