Maxie Justice of Fayette County took one look at the letter from the First National Collection Bureau and figured it was a scam.

In the upper right hand corner, the company listed its address in Sparks, Nev., its toll-free phone number, its office hours and a 10-digit account number. It then said he owed $189.24 to NCO Financial Systems, an amount it said initially was owed to Allegheny Power.

Unlike the threatening you-better-pay-up bills sent by some collection agencies, First National's letter was reasonable. It said in the body of the letter that Mr. Justice had 30 days to challenge the debt or it would be considered valid. It also said it would provide proof of the debt if he asked for it in writing.

And, if he couldn't pay it in full, First National said he should call its toll-free phone number and one of its "specially trained representatives" would help him "customize a repayment plan."

Mr. Justice, 64, a retired heavy equipment operator who lives in Point Marion, called the number, spoke to one of the company's less specially trained representatives and was more convinced than ever that the bill was a scam.

"When she said the company was trying to collect an unpaid electric bill owed to Allegheny Power, I asked her to tell me more about it. I wanted to know the date of the bill, the street address, the town and the state.

"She said she didn't know.

"When I started asking more questions, she said the bill probably was too old to collect because the statute of limitations had expired. Well, I said, if that was the case, why did they bother sending it out? She said she didn't know."

Mr. Justice, an Allegheny Power customer who said he prides himself on paying his bills on time, asked me to warn people who might receive such letters, especially the elderly, "because they might be frightened into paying them."

I called Dave Neurohr, a spokesman for Allegheny Power. I also faxed him a copy of the letter First National sent to Mr. Justice.

I then called First National. I was transferred from Heather to Eric and then to a man who identified himself as Mike Loadholt who said he was the company's director of operations.

Mr. Loadholt said his records showed Mr. Justice owed the money from 1999 when he was living in Bruceton Mills, W.Va. He also said the statute of limitations in West Virginia for such a debt was 10 years, a statement confirmed by the state attorney general's office in Charleston.

Mr. Neurohr called back to say Mr. Justice's debt was one of many Allegheny Power sold to debt collection companies from 2003 to 2006 to raise badly needed revenue.

"We wrote off this debt, but then sold it along with a number of others," he said.

I called Mr. Justice. He said he had lived in Bruceton Mills, but left after a divorce. He said his ex-wife was responsible for paying the electric bill and other utility bills after he left.

I suggested he send that information in writing to First National, perhaps with a copy of his divorce decree, and see what could be worked out.

Mr. Neurohr said Allegheny Power customers who receive similar letters, or have any questions about their current bills, can call the company's customer service center toll-free at 1-800-255-3443.

Don't get rung up
If your cell phone company contacts you with an offer of any kind -- a new phone, an upgrade in service or a "one time only" discount -- ask the always friendly customer service representative if acceptance of that offer automatically extends or renews your contract for another millennium or two.

If the rep assures you it won't, ask her or him to put that promise in writing and mail it to you along with a written copy of the offer. Don't agree to any changes until you receive -- and read -- that written promise and accompanying information. And, of course, always get the name and phone number of the person who contacted you.