First, you need to verify that you do not owe the attorney anything: it's possible, for example, he's collecting on a different legitimate debt, or that the medical company (if they ever did anything for your wife) had sold the lawyer the debt, so that they no longer show it in their system but he is collecting a true debt from them. Ask the attorney to send proof of the debt, which they should be required to do, such as under the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA). If they send you evidence of the debt, then you can decide whether it's valid and what to do about. As a general rule, you don't have to pay a debt that is not yours--but if you are sued, you have to actually answer and respond to the lawsuit, then establish your rights in court, or you will lose automatically. The first step, though, is requesting documentation. Note that if the lawyer group refuses to prove the debt but still tries to coerce or bully you into paying, you may wish to file an ethical complaint against them with the office of your state court system whcih regulates lawyers.