Need help with very old AAFES debt

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This is also posted in the main credit forum, but someone suggested I might get more help here!

 

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Have a question about a very old debt.

 

Let me preface this by saying that I have worked very hard to get my husband's and my credit good, and we just bought a house in February, and a new car in May.

 

OK -- my husband is retired Army. Back in 1993, he opened a DPP (deferred payment plan) at AAFES. A DPP is kind of like a charge account, I guess. He and I weren't together then, and he's having a hard time remembering the specifics. For whatever reason, the account didn't get paid off. When he and I got together in 1996, there was no mention of any kind of account, so I'm assuming he forgot about it. He never got a bill, never heard nothing else.

 

Fast forward to 2012. About 5 months or so, ago, he opened a Military Star account, which is a credit card that can be used Exchange stores, etc. He got a line of credit for $4,750. We tried to use the card last night, and they said it was blocked because of the old debt from 1993.

 

We called the Star credit office this morning, and they are just completely confused. All they know is that the card is blocked for the old debt. They showed the card was opened in 93, and turned over to collections in 96. They have no date for the last payment, no account number, anything.

 

So I'm wondering what can be done, if anything. His new card is blocked and can't be used anymore. It seems that they are adding the two debts together, because the woman last night gave us a hyper-inflated amount due, even though the man today told us that the two debts hadn't been combined.

 

The man on the phone told my husband that he'd be glad to combine the two debts, but my husband laughed at him and said, "Um, NO, you can't do that." He said "OK."

 

Since we got the new Star card, we've used it to take advantage of a few sales, and like having the card. You get special sales, no sales tax, and so on. We've made our payments on time, and are even worried that, if the two debts are combined, it will reset the statute of limitations on the old debt, because it will look like we made a payment on 20 year old debt.

 

I know (NOW) that the debt is there. I know that while we are under no legal obligation to pay the debt, morally we should pay the debt. That being said, I am trying to figure out if we have any recourse.

 

Thanks in advance.

[sooner37]

^{I am surprised they never took it from your tax return or retirement pay. They will definitely snag it from a tax return..}

[tireredsquare]

I didn't read everything. Pull your husbands (ok tell him to do it) credit reports from EQ, EX, and TU. Once you are done with that, www.annualcreditreport.com and request all 3 credit reports. If I recall correctly annualcreditreport.com is now online. You used to get mail from the credit reporting agencies.

 

Look for the account in question. If it is not there, call AAFES and tell them they are full of it. Kindly ask for proof since maybe, your hubbies credit reports are clean.