If you haven't paid on old debts and start making payments will other creditors see this and try to collect?

If you haven't paid on old debts and start making payments will other creditors see this and try to collect?
What actually happens is that creditors are monitoring your credit report for hits and activity. When you reopen old debt meaning that that old dormant account shows new activity such as a repayment other creditors will pick that up. More importantly than the fact that you have started to pay other creditors is an interest in updated information you may have provided regarding new address, employers, banking info etc you may have given in an attempt to satisfy the creditor that you are trying to repay which is used to locate you and your money in an attempt to collect their debt also.