Statute of limitations applies after 6 years if no payment has been made and the debt has not been acknowledged. If you contact the creditor you are acknowledging the debt and the 6 years starts again.
All this means is that the creditor cannot take you to Court to claim repayment. The debt still exists and the creditor can (and they do) put it on your credit ref. agency record to make your getting more credit difficult.
Unless you are genuinely unable to pay it, you should pay.
debts are wiped out when you die, but your estate 'inherits them'.
Banks and cards ussuers etc have loooong memories and constantly swap information about debtors' whereabouts.
So if you 'pop' up somewhere looking for more debt in the future it is likley that the connection will be made.
Unless you change identity of course.
Thanks for the replies.....Im not a bad person you know......lol. This was a small debt which I forgot about when I moved to holland 5 years ago. I have just returned and this appeared and of course 3 times the amount I originally owed. Thanks again :>)