I am absolutely shaking with anger

[Spacemom]

Is it acceptable for bill collectors to do this???

I just had a call, I let the answering maching pick it up. This female voice comes on, it sounds very disoriented, she mumbles, she says (very distorted and weak sounding) "baby......there.....help....don't know...."

It totally freaked me out because my mom would sometimes call like that. She died in June from cancer and was on heavy medication. My heart started pounding so fast. I picked up the phone and said "Hello? Hello!"

Then this woman (in a perfectly normal voice) goes into her routine "I'm so-in-so with asshole collection agency regarding X account and I want this resolved today!"

I know the message on the machine was a ruse to get me to pick up the phone. Can these jerks do this??

I'm just crying and shaking it upset me so bad.

[AverageJoe]

1. That is horrible

If I were you, I'd contact my state's Attorney General's office and report this. I can't imagine that this is legal. It is certainly immoral and unethical.

[AlCzervik]

2. go here, it's Fair debt collection practices act

http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fdcpa/fdcpact.htm#806

[Blue-Jay]

3. whoa.

I don't imagine that there's a law against what your caller did, but it certainly is disgusting.

[WI_DEM]

4. There should be a law against misrepresenting themselves

even if it is on an answering machine.

[Shell Beau]

5. I hope you let her have it. That certainly can't be legal.

I'd report it regardless. That is just a scare tactic, and it is disgusting.

[Hugin]

6. I've noticed that tactic lately.

Since they aren't allowed to telemarket anymore. Now there's
calls from fictitious "Collection Agencies" threatening your
"Credit Report". It's a form of extortion.

Under NO circumstances should you give them your CC#s or
any other personal information.

I'm so sorry you went through that trauma.

My only advice is to get caller I.D.

[Spacemom]

7. I have caller ID

It came up as "unknown caller", that's why I let the machine pick it up.

It just ripped my heart out to hear a soft femine voice asking for help. It happened so many times while my mom was ill. :cry:

[Hugin]

8. You might be able to get a free "monitor" on incoming calls...

... via your phone company. If it is determined to be
harassment they will put a block on those calls.

As I read through the FTC regulations on "debt collection"
these people are violating at least 80% of it.

If we had a *real* administration in Washington. They'd
be paying attention to this... Instead they let shady
corporations/businesses/organized crime run amok.

[WeRQ4U]

9. Wow, they are pulling out all the stops now.

And what's most disturbing about these types of practices, is that they aren't isolated incidents manufactured by a few creative phone callers. These types of things are taught during training sessions and are part of company-wide policy.

[MalibuChloe]

13. what's with your sig file, WeRQ4U?

who is giving away free ipods and why?

[WeRQ4U]

14. Here you go.

Freeipods.com gives them away. It's an advertising campaign set up by Gratis Networks. They give away free Ipods if you sign up for some offer and then refer 5 other people to sign up as well. There is a list of the "offers" on their web site. They get ridiculous amounts of money for their referral services and therefore can afford to give them away. I thought it was a scam to being with, but after doing some research on the net, I found out otherwise. Plus, both of my brothers in law got their free Ipods through this service, so I thought I'd try it. I signed up through them.

Here's a link from Wired Magazine. THey say it's legit. http://www.wired.com/news/mac/0,2125,64614,00.html

If you want to try it out, just click on my link below. I advise people to do the Walmart Gift Card one when they sign up. IT's a free trial and you can cancel anytime within that trial period.

I don't want to sound like a spammer, so I don't push it. But I'll respond when people ask.

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

10. I know that you're upset... but...

They use automated dialers.

A lot of times the call connects (to a machine or you directly) and the operator doesn't realize that it has.

Could she have been in the middle of a conversation with a co-worker that was caught on machine rather than an intentional ploy to get you to answer?

[Spacemom]

That couldn't have been the case

How could she go from barely able to form a word, totally distraught, to "I'm so-in-so" in the space of a second. It literally went from someone in desperate need of help to her yelling at me in the instant I picked up the phone.

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. That CANNOT be ok!!!

[cleofus1]

12. i have demanded

that they not call at all anymore...and that in the future they must only contact me thru the mail...and that is what happened...i believe that is the law...it worked for me...

of course that was a few years back....

[China_cat]

22. Yes, but you have to mail them

and say they may not call any more.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

15. What state are you in?

There's a Federal Debt Collection Act, and your state probably has one, too. Check with them.

[auntAgonist]

16. I hope you can settle down

and relax a bit. I'm so sorry for you loss. My mother passed away 8 years ago this month and I can almost imagine your mixed emotion when you heard the initial message that prompted you to answer.
You've gotten some good advice and at minimum I would call the collection agency, get a supervisor/manager and report what happened. I hope you can resolve this.

:hug:

try to have a good day!!!!

aA.

[In_The_Wind]

17. You have a right to be angry! The woman is without integrity.

cold, cruel .... it's no wonder that she chose that type of a job

[JimmyJazz]

18. Here's a link to the fair debt collection practices act - it is VERY

strict. If you think they have violated the act, contact a lawyer. You may be entitled to treble damages.

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/fdc.htm

"Unfair practices. Debt collectors may not engage in unfair practices when they try to collect a debt. For example, collectors may not:

* collect any amount greater than your debt, unless your state law permits such
a charge;
* deposit a post-dated check prematurely;
* use deception to make you accept collect calls or pay for telegrams;
* take or threaten to take your property unless this can be done legally; or
* contact you by postcard."

The call seems to fall under using deception to make you accept a call. GO FOR IT! And keep us posted :hi:

[miss_kitty]

21. hey sweet stuff

how's you doing?
looks like we had similar ideas! that's what happens when one works for lawyers or one was raised by lawyers! :P

[miss_kitty]

19. sounds to me asstroll was declaring an emergency over

a phone line when none existed. That's against the law, if not local, perhaps federal. Call your state's AG to start, and the collectroll's supervisor.

Follow up. This POS needs to be shitcanned so she knows what it's like to have GDCSers like her calling.

And tell her never to call you again. she can have shit resolved when and if you feel like it.

SAVE THE TAPE. Pop it out so it doesn't get recorded over. Go buy a new one.

[Rising Phoenix]

20. thats bullshit

I'm so angry that they would do that

[RFKHumphreyObama]

23. While I'm not sure what the present US laws are regarding this

Rest assured that you still have my thoughts, prayers and sympathies Spacemom:hug:

I think this just shows the level of insensitivity and arrogance of the jerks who do this -they fail to take into consideration the feelings or emotions of the people they are calling. To me this is just the lowest form of abuse and intimidation that these people can engage in. The cowardice and gall of these people not to be upfront about their intentions is just shameful beyond words.

[Spock_is_Skeptical]

24. wow, that's pretty messed up

I'd be pretty ticked off, too.

[LostinVA]

25. That IS illegal, and you are entitled to damages n/t

[WhollyHeretic]

26. That is absolutely reprehensible. Those people can be so messed up

I had a bill collector get really nasty with me so I hung up and took my phone of the hook for a while and the bill collector called my 80 year old neighbor and harassed her about me.