Good stuff all, and thank you very much. I am the base of the mountain having had just two calls so far in the past two days from a nasty bloke at AIC who intimated that he was acting on behalf of AmEx on the first call, when I thought it was a call from the debt management company that AmEx told me they were putting me in contact with! I guess I am a virgin in this game. Anyway, this guy basically called me a liar on the first call, threatened me with bankruptcy, and then asked me what my salary was. I was so shook up that I honestly could not remember, so he gave me more abuse. I am over 40 and should know better. This forum has taught me lots in just one day. I will not call them tomorrow as they requested via text and I will deploy those simple but excellent techniques described on this thread. Thanks a bunch guys & gals. Suddenly the world seems a safer place because of you all. E.D.