u/Neurotic-Palindrome

My $1,600 AMEX CC has been unpaid since June 2025. By December, I got letters from both AMEX and Transworld systems inc. (well known debt collector) saying the debt was sold. I did as I should and requested a validation letter by certified mail. It was later validated by transworld with extensive documentation.

Now all of a sudden on my credit report AMEX owns it again. This behavior is deceptive and unfair and clearly designed to get me to pay quicker (it didn’t) but of course I lost the fuckin validation letter and the letter from Amex saying the debt was sold.

What would you do!? I feel like I had my golden ticket but put it through the shredder two months ago.

hello everyone,

To start I should mention I am writing from Massachusetts where the median income is $85,000-$88,000 depending on the county. Also, please be advised I am NOT soliciting legal advice in any form, simply sharing my current situation in hopes someone may identify and perhaps share his or her own experience... not give counsel.

I am a gay male who has, for the past seven years, produced a more-than-decent amount of income through sex work (average $15,000 a month) and reported practically nothing over the years. But unfortunately while I was producing all this income I was also navigating the dangerous world of drugs and other illicit behavior, and have absolutely NOTHING to show for it. Yes, if I were smart I'd have a lot of money, but alas I have none, just bank accounts showing a LOT of deposits and withdrawals and no balance.

I attempted to get clean and start working a "normal" job last Fall. With $25,000 in debt I could not pay, I attempted to file Chapter 7 in November pro se through Upsolve. I did not know what I didn't know about bankruptcy at the time, and I got overwhelmed by the process and 11 days after filing I motioned to voluntarily dismiss. I did not end up getting a job.

I relapsed a bit and saw clients here and there until March or so, and now have been on the straight and narrow for a couple months, which I feel great about! What's even better is I've secured full time employment which I am about to start. But I will be making not much more than $50,000 a year which in my state is still very low... so paying off my credit cards would take a LONG TIME, and I'm still well below the median income, so Chapter 7 bankruptcy (with an attorney this time) is VERY appealing to me.

My problem is, I am dead broke but have this awful paper trail of deposits and withdrawals that would make any trustee raise an eyebrow. Yes I had a lot of income recently, but in the present day it is totally IRRELAVANT because I was on drugs and acting like a fool and blew it all. I've consulted with a couple attorneys, one suggested Chapter 13 which I am not interested in. The other advised me to wait several months, don't see clients, don't deposit anything other than my modest $1 k per week via direct deposit in an effort to show the court I am capable of being a citizen.

I agree with the second guy completely... I just really really don't want to wait 6 months because I fear legal action before then (I have not paid my credit cards since June). So I am not eligible for a (successful) bankruptcy yet and am just going to "wait it out" which for me is utterly painful.

So without giving legal counsel please let me know what you think of my situation! Perhaps by sharing your story or opinion or past experience, what has worked for you in the past, what you see work for others. Are there other options I'm not seeing? Knowledge is power!