Gotta love those lyin' collection agencies

[Kelvin Mace]

They are SO misunderstood.

:sarcasm:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/27/AR2005072702473_pf.html

As Debt Collectors Multiply, So Do Consumer Complaints
Washington Post

Embarrassing calls at work. Threats of jail and even violence. Improper withdrawals from bank accounts. An increasing number of consumers are complaining of abusive techniques from some companies that are part of a new breed of debt collectors.

They are debt buyers, outfits that acquire unpaid bills from credit card firms and other credit providers for pennies on the dollar and then try to collect. Some of these companies go after bills so old that consumers can no longer be sued for them in court or punished for them on their credit reports.

Francis Buselli of Amherst, N.H., told the FTC that a debt collector called him repeatedly about a debt the company said his daughter owed -- even though she had moved out 15 years before. On Nov. 26, 2004, the company called about six times in 15 minutes. On the final call, the debt collector recited Buselli's Social Security number, mentioned his wife by name and threatened to send thugs to get him, according to Buselli's FTC complaint.

So, we have bill collectors threatening to beat people up for debts they don't owe.

And what's their excuse? The usual: "Bad apples", "just a small percentage of our transactions break the law", etc.

I love this quote:

Manny Newburger, a Texas attorney who represents many collection firms, estimates that the average collector makes between 40,000 and 50,000 calls a year. Multiply that by the 100,000 collectors that ACA International, the trade association for debt collectors, says are in the business and that comes to 4 billion phone calls a year. By comparison, the 58,687 complaints filed at the FTC are quite small, Newburger said.

OK, let's do the math.

40,000 calls a year works out to 160 calls a DAY. Yes, you do get a lot of "no answers", but if we set the average at seven minutes a call (a number I got from someone in the biz), that over 18 hours a day. They use autodialers a lot, equipment that if a human answers, tells them to "hold for a very important call".

Realistically, they speak to sixty people a day, or 15,000 a year, or 1.5 billion calls a year. Comparing that to the 58,687 complaints is still spurious since many people DON'T complain because they don't know their rights.

These people are parasites.

[Mari333]

1. Just wait til October when people cant file for bankruptcy anymore

Bullying and meanness rule this country.

[Raster]

2. can people still file for bankruptcy?

i thought the new law took effect.

[wicket]

3. they can still file, but the days of a clean, wiped slate will be over

And corporations will still be able to file with no repercussions. Grrr....

[Kelvin Mace]

22. Plus it will cost more and you will

have to jump through hoops to file.

[ironman202]

4. when you answer the phone...

tell them that "Mr. Smith is serving in Iraq"...

[blueknight]

7. never talk to them!

do everything by mail! CERTIFIED MAIL! and demand validation of the debt! federal law says they have to provide this. if they cant provide it, you dont owe it

[blondeatlast]

24. You can also insit on doing business only with the entity you owe.

In effect, you can fire the collection agency--and should at the first opportunity.

[ohio_liberal]

26. Absolutely

Send them a cease and desist letter by certified mail. Anyone can do it, just do a google search for the proper wording.

[blondeatlast]

28. I'm always surprised that more people aren't aware of this.

You get the added pleasure of sticking it to the collection agency. I relish the time I told the guy who called me over a medical bill that I would not be doing business with his company.

He thought I was nuts. I read him the letter:
http://www.creditinfocenter.com/forms/sampleletter7.shtml

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!

[meegbear]

5. I missed a payment on a Bank of America credit card

it was actually 2 days past, but counted for the previous, so they say I owe a month. I start getting these automated phone calls from them at home, I was away for a few days so they piled up. So Monday,

I called the number on Call Waiting and they tell me what's going on. OK, you'll get the money when I get paid. OK ... BTW, can we check your information? Sure. Address, etc. Your work number is xxx.... No, it's yyy.... OK, thanks.

Tuesday afternoon the office phone rings, the owner of the company answers (small place) and it's the Bank of America automated call looking for me in regards to my credit card! I was livid. I called them and they said they'll take care of it. So today, it happens again! I call, get sent to collections and was told that as long as there is a past due, it will call. Had them take my work number off. I asked if this is standard for them and they said yes.

Time to try to close the account.

[ceile]

8. I've been called at work as well

even after I told them to remove my number. I've told them 3 times and they still call.

[meegbear]

11. That's bull!

Can't believe they would do that. Good luck.

[ceile]

14. They've even called my family

my mom in Houston, my brother in Houston and my sis in NYC. Don't know they found them, but all have since cancelled their accounts.

[ohio_liberal]

25. Shit, that's nothing

They'll call your neighbors to embarrass you.

[lvx35]

12. Bank of America is the worst ever!

I've never had an account with them, but they are hugely shady bordering on fraudulent...And naturally, they are big financial supporters of Bush.

[bleedingheart]

19. makes me even happier I shred their applications...

[Kraklen]

29. I've never had a problem with them.

All though I've heard a number of stories.

It was Key Bank that pissed me off.

[KansDem]

16. I wonder what's up with this practice?

OK ... BTW, can we check your information?

I got behind due to a medical emergency and had to field calls from creditors. They always ask to "check my information" which means I have to give them address, city, state, zip and phone number.

I went over the limit on one card and have been paying them off a little at a time, but the CC company has been calling me daily for the same information. I tell them I'll send $XX.XX and then they need to "check my information." The next day they call and I tell them I've made arrangements and then they ask to "check my information." The next day the same thing happens. And the next, and the next, the next, and so on. I got to the point I just say, "The information is on your computer...nothing has changed."

I wonder if this ploy is more psychological than anything else, in essence defining a "we are in power because you (have to) do everything we say" relationship.

A couple of weeks ago I accidentally cut my phone lines while working on the house. It took a couple of weeks to repair but I sure enjoyed the peace and quiet during that time!

[Carni]

30. The next time they *check the info*

Give them fax numbers for both home and work--F em!

[KansDem]

32. LOL! Good idea! (eom)

[Carni]

33. It works great for telemarketers too lol

If they are going to bother me I say repay the favor! :)

[KansDem]

35. LOL! Twice I've been accused of not being the person I really was...

A couple of times a CC company has called my wife about a payment past due. I've learned to be aloof now, asking for them to ID themselves BEFORE I offer any information (in the past I would say "No, she's not here. Who shall I say is calling?" but they would just hang up). However, twice I've been accused of not being who I really am, possibly because of this aloofness. Now this is a CC company that can speak to the spouse as well as the card holder. The conversations have gone on as such:

phone rings

ME: "Hello?"
THEM: "Is Mrs. KansDem there?"
ME: "Who shall I say is calling?"
THEM: "I want to speak to Mrs. KansDem..."
ME: "Who is this?"
THEM: "It's a business matter..."
ME: "Who do you represent?" or "What company is this?"
THEM: "I need to talk with Mrs. KansDem about a business matter."
ME: "Who shall I say is calling?"
THEM: "Are you her husband""
ME: "Uh...yeah...yeah...I'm 'her husband'" (I like to stretch this out so as to make it sound like I'm contemplating the reaction to claiming I'm her husband, like I'm making a calcuated move).
THEM: "No you're not..."
ME: "But I am. I'm really her husband."
THEM: "I don't believe you."
ME: "Honest. I'm Mrs. KansDem's husband!"
THEM: "I still don't believe you..."

they then hang up.

It's a riot to try to convince one of this yahoos that I'm really the person I am!

[Carni]

38. That's good...sounds highly entertaining!

I will have to remember this lol

[wryter2000]

6. I know where those calls are going

that comes to 4 billion phone calls a year.

Half of them end up on my phone for a something that's way past the statute of limitations.

[Junkdrawer]

9. I have a common name, so I get calls on debts I never created...

mostly from suckers who started "home based" collection agencies. It's like: "Wow, wonder if they looked in the phone book? I'll bet I'll find him if I do..." Good idea.

[Kelvin Mace]

23. Now isn't that a job

that the Right-wingers would adore. Perfect job for bullies.

[Gormy Cuss]

36. Actually, looking in the phone book is a tried and true technique

Even the large collection agencies do this. It's relatively cheap to call and annoy 40 people with the same last name in the same town and occasionally you find a relative who reveals the person of interest's number or current address. Collection agencies don't care about the other 39 annoyed people. It's rarely successful for common surnames in big cities however.

In areas where reverse directories are available (phone number to address, sorted by address) they'll call former neighbors too. Back when they were trained to be polite to people, it was no big deal. The problem is that now so many of them are ready for a fight that they forget to shut off the rude tone when they're calling uninvolved parties, thus ticking off a whole lot of people for no good reason.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. Years ago when we had recently moved

and changed our phone number, we began getting calls from a bill collector. They went something like this:

Me: Hello

B.C: Mrs. Smith?

Me: No sorry you must have the wrong number

B.C: Now Mrs. Smith, I know that is you. I recognize your voice.

Me: No, really, you have the wrong number

B.C: I can see you still like to play games. Is Mr. Smith there?

Me: No, like I said, you have the wrong number.

B.C: You know, Mrs. Smith, we have been more than patient. If you would just send us the money you owe us, I would stop calling you.

Me: How many times do I have to tell you that you have the wrong number?

B.C. Is this 555-5555?

Me: Yes it is but we just moved. We have had this phone number for one week.

B.C: Yes, we know you just moved. We have your new address. It is _______ (and he read my exact address to me)

Me: Oh, do you have a reverse phone directory there?

B.C: Yes we do. That's how we can tell you moved.

Me: Well, then why don't you look for the name this number is listed under now? You will see that it is NOT Smith.

B.C: Well, Mrs. Smith, anyone can change their name. That doesn't mean you are no longer liable for your debts.



I usually hung about about then. This guy called us continually for over a month. One time, I handed the phone to my neighbor who was sitting there and she tried to tell him he had the wrong number. My husband talked to him several times. Same conversation.

This was around the time phone answering machines came out and we avoided getting one because we were afraid this guy would call and fill up the tape with his messages.

He finally stopped calling. We gathered he finally found Mrs. Smith. And boy did I ever feel sorry for her. :)

[centristo]

13. know your rights!

Know the FDCPA - Fair Debt Collections Practice Act.

http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fdcpa/fdcpact.htm

http://www.pennlawyer.com/fdcpa.htm

[Spike from MN]

15. I got hounded once at work many many years ago.

I have no idea how the guy tracked me down as none of us employees were listed in any company directory of any sort but somehow this guy managed to find me. He immediately started hounding me about some bogus Visa bill. Since I was young and had never had any credit card of any sort, I kept telling the guy that he had the wrong person but he refused to believe me. He was extremely rude and kept accusing me of lying and kept hounding me to pay the bill. I kept telling him that I didn't have any credit cards and that he had the wrong person but he wasn't having any of it. Eventually, he asked me if my husband's name was XXXX. I said no, but I have a brother named XXXX. At that point he hung up. It must have dawned on him that he really did have the wrong person. He was a complete asshole and if I had gotten the name of the company he worked for I would have called and reamed his boss for the way I was treated. Then again, that probably would have just gotten the guy a raise. I feel sorry for anyone that has to deal with these guys. What a bunch of assholes.

[TNOE]

17. I will NEVER forget and am still pissed over the time

that I got a call from a collection agency for the lady who lived in the apartment next door to me.

I was working 2 jobs - worked Friday all day from 8:00 until 5:00 and then went to 2nd job from 5:30 until 2:30 AM - and phone rang at 9:00 AM on Saturday. The collector wanted to know if I knew "so&so" - I said I knew she lived next door and knew of her, but didn't "know her" and she said it was an emergency that so&so's mother was in the hospital suffering from a serious heart attack and wasn't expected to make it and could I go get her!! I thought I detected a smirk in her voice, certainly didn't sound upset. I was half asleep and can't remember what I asked, but said something to the effect of if this is a prank call you are going to wish it were you in the hospital - then the girl laughed and said no, this is such & such collection and she will not return our calls. God I was pissed. I wish I could have sued them! I HATE those people!

[HEyHEY]

18. I dealt with one once and found out their lies first hand

THe UNiversite Du Quebec tried to make me pay for a Semester that never happened because the University was on strike. THey got a collection agency on me, the agency kept threatening my credit. I told them I had no intent to pay for classes that never took place and fuck you. They kept persisting and coincedentally at the same time I became involved with a class aciton suit against the University suing for living expenses and other expenses related to my moving to Quebec for course that all became cancelled.
Long story short when I spoke to the head of the place he told me an agency cannot touch your credit and all I had to do was say "I'm not paying, don't phone here." ANd it'd then be up to the University to take me to court and fuck with my credit.

[SeattleGirl]

20. A number of years ago

I had gotten myself into a rather nasty financial mess. It was all my fault, but when I started getting myself together and dealing with it, I also had to deal with collection agencies. There was one company in particular that was very nasty, calling multiple times a day, threatening me, etc. I knew I owed the money, and came up with a budget that was detailed literally down to whether I could go to a movie AND have popcorn, etc.

I was fortunate in that at one of the other companies I had to deal with, I always spoke with one particular woman, and she was so nice (really!). And she was very helpful. She asked me how other companies were treating me, and when I told her about the one company that was so nasty, so gave me tips on how to deal with them. I told her they were threatening to take me to court, and she said that as long as I was paying what I said I would pay, when I said I would pay it, there was really nothing they could do to me. She said it was a lot harder than you might think to take people to court for debt (I don't know if that will change come October) so I should not let that frighten me. She was so incredibly helpful, and encouraging, and KIND.

I got to the point where I was no longer afraid of the big bad meanies at that other company. When they called me, I was nice but firm, and would tell them that I had already let them know how much I would pay every month, and they had that on record, and I had been paying it as I said I would. They would say, "Well, that's not good enough, and we are going to look at taking you to court." My response, every time, was: "Well, you do what you think you need to do, and I will continue doing what I know I can do." Then I would say goodbye and hang up. After a few rounds of that, they stopped bothering me. I paid off all my debt, and was never taken to court.

For any of you who do get threatened, receive multiple calls in a day or week from one company, DOCUMENT IT. Date, time, person's name (even though we all know these folks usually use fake names), and the specifics of the incident. I agree with another poster -- do things in writing. Even if you have to talk to them on the phone, follow up in writing and keep copies of your correspondence to them. If the harassment gets really bad, contact your state's Attorney General's office and file a complaint. I know in Washington we can access the forms online. I imagine it's probably the same in the other states.

Just don't fall for their crap. They are trying to make people feel they are worthless because they owe money. Or, as with some examples here, they continue to harass people who DON'T owe them so they themselves won't look like fools. Just keep telling yourself that you don't deserve it. If you do owe money, figure out how to pay it off if possible (I know that there are people who literally do not have a thing, but here I'm talking about those of us who do have a way to pay things off). And remember, your financial worth is NOT a reflection of your worth as a person! That's one of the most valuable lessons I learned through my little ordeal with these nasty people.

Oh, I'll get off my soapbox now.....

[Javaman]

21. Apparently they read, "how to be a loan shark", by john gotti.

[Kelvin Mace]

27. Actually,

I am beginning to think you get better deals from the Mob. :)

Seriously, this is legalized loan sharking.

• Jacking up interest rates to 39%
• $35 late fees
• $50 over limit fees

It just gets worse and worse. I remember once I had a $4500 balance I was paying off and I wasn't charging anything. Out of the blue they lower my credit limit from $7500 to $3500 and start charging me $50 each month for being over limit.

We had words about that.

Another favorite practice now for collection agencies is to add a "collection" fee to the existing debt, which they then try to get out of you. They use the CC agreement that allows the bank to recover any expenses it incurs collecting the debt, but the bank has sold the debt.

And don't get me started on the credit card agreements...

[Lannes]

31. Just before blockbuster did away with late fees

I got a letter from a collection agency because I hadnt paid a $14.00 late fee.I was out of town for more than a month.They announced that they were doing away with late fees so I decided not to pay it figuring they wouldnt bother me anymore.The SOBS called my parents and my sister up north..To do that shit over $14.00!!!.

So I was wrong that I still had to pay,that a reason to call half my family all over the country about it??

Now Im definitely not paying it,fuckem.

Just another example of my losing faith in this country

Stopped going to blockbuster after that.I just buy or watch PPV.

[Bethany Rockafella]

37. LOL!

Now that's ridiculous. I wouldn't pay them either.

[KansDem]

34. Self deleted

Posted in wrong place...