JCPenney Credit

I was buying new clothes for work at JCPenney and they had one of their “save extra % if you sign up for credit” deals. Given that we were still trying to get better situated – had been unemployed for the better part of a year – it looked like a great deal… So I signed up and bought about $220 in clothing for work. And my mother got seriously ill and it was, in general, a very hectic and difficult time. But we never saw a bill and never received the card. And, out of sight out of mind – yes, that part is my fault. I would think about it and life would interfere. The first time anyone contacted me at all was months later when they hounded my wife on the phone and she made a payment. I thought she had paid it in full – she said, “I paid it.” So still no card, still no bills… And then we started receiving calls from a collection agency stating we owed over $600. I tried contacting JCPenney about this then and they pushed me to GE’s collection department who refused to budge. Do I have any options, given that we have never once received a bill? They have my correct address on file. .