<prompt> Human: I just received a final notice in the mail from a collection agency saying I have 10 days to pay the balance or they will take legal action. I have not received any other letters or phone calls from them. Where should I go from here?  <response>: Collection agencies use the final notice and the legal action lines to try to scare people into paying the balance without questioning it. If its legitimate, then theyre a third party whos probably bought the original debt for pennies on the dollar in the hopes of collecting the full amount. Personally, I wouldnt worry too much about a collection company actually suing to win a 168 settlement. My advice is to either ignore them altogether, or call their bluff and tell them to go ahead and take you to court. In the meantime, Id check my credit report and try to find the unpaid debt to see if its legitimate. Whatever you do, never give them electronic access to your fundsbank account. If you decide to pay them, pay by money order and get something in writing saying that the debt is paid in full. 