If the letter is a scam, then no, it won’t impact your credit score. However, if it’s legitimate and you ignore it, it could result in your account being sent to collections. The longer an account is in collections, the more of an impact it will have on your credit. If you suspect that the debt is legitimately yours, it's crucial that you request the debt collector to verify the debt -- even if you can't afford to pay it. Otherwise, you could end up in court -- or even jail.