"Other consumers may make a small, token payment, perhaps hoping it will make the whole matter go away. Instead, Sommers said, it restarts the clock: "In effect, you've waived the statute of limitations, and you're liable once again."
Altho I do think that people should be responsible for their debts,lets face it many people get into these situations with nothing but good intentions and then because of things beyond their control, (getting laid off from their jobs, losing medical benefits, divorce,ect,ect) get behind in their payments and eventually have to either come to an payment agreement with the original creditor or let it lapse completely. Either way they payed the price already, it ends up on their credit report for seven years and by the way I interpret this article maybe a lot longer then that!
I put these companies right up there with those latenight info.shows that explains one how to take advantage of those that lost their home to foreclosure's or tax liens
I guess the moral of this story is 'if you get contacted by this LLC attain a lawyer and attack first.
And by the way, don't most of the original creditors write this sort of things off as 'bad debt' to their stockholders and the IRS? How does that work?

a good site for help in fighting these bottom-feeders:
www.budhibbs.com