Quote from maxpi:
They can go to collections. Whether they can really collect, I don't know. My personal experience with credit card collections is that they can't do diddly really if it's under $30-40k. Above that it's worth it to sue. Once something goes to collections and they are not going to sue the worst thing to do is to pay them. It puts another mark on your record and delays credit rebuilding and eventually some sleazy people will come back collecting the bill you already paid threatening your credit. Best to just have a separate phone with an answering machine and no ringer for the collections people at that point.
Sounds like a smart plan.