[akihabro]

I have a family member who opened a credit card with Mervyn's who used the creditor GE capital. She was contacted by a Gillette & Paul Law Offices in Salt Lake City, UT. She was advised the debt was $2,000 and they would settle for $500. According to them Current creditor is Aztec financial services. We have yet to get in contact with Aztec. We were told payments were made till 2003.
I read there is a statute of limitations of 4 years in California. Does this apply to store credit cards?
I don't see anything on her credit report about Mervyn's, GE or Aztec. Could this law office be a scavenger debt collector? Does the statute of limitations apply to the state where the credit card was opened or where the headquarters for the creditor is located? We all know Mervyn's is gone. Does Mervyn's being gone have anything to do with this? Any info would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[Mr. Knowitall]

Of course they could be a junk debt buyer. The statute of limitations will be that of the state in which the suit is filed, unless that state has a "borrowing statute" that brings in the statute of limitations of a different state (such as the one in which the account was opened).