When negotiating with the credit card companies about your debt it is always important to understand that you are the one in control and do not be intimidated by the credit card company.
They like it when you make your minimum monthly payment and do not want you to stop that so they will be willing to negotiate your debt so to make it easier to make those payments.
It is important to know that you have rights and the credit card company has to play by the laws or they can be sued by you.
It usually does not come down to this but it is important to understand the way credit laws work so that you don't end up being scared and intimidated by the credit card company.
You always want to respond to their communication with you about any debt you have with them.
It is good if you can reply by mail because they can be difficult yo talk to over the phone because they can make you feel like a criminal and say things that will scare you into giving them whatever they want when in fact you need to be in control of this situation.
Also any agreement that you reach needs to be in writing never just agree with there word because it can come back later to haunt you and cause you to owe much more money than you should.
Remember that to get the debt relief that you need you are in control of your credit situation and you may want to get some free professional advice to help you get through this experience.