When debt collectors go too far

Privacy Rights Clearinghouse ^ | August 24, 2004 | Brytani

[Brytani]

With all the recent news stories of debt collectors landing in prison or being taken out of business for illegal and strong arm tactics, I thought i'd share with my fellow Freepers a great resource to help if you ever have to deal with a scumbag debt collector.

http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs27-debtcoll.htm

This link has resources to use if dealing with collection agencies/collectors, your rights, links to the FTC, sample letters and more.

I hope this is helpful to some Freepers who've been hounded rightly or wrongly by this pretty much unregulated billion dollar a year industry.

[deport]

If you have caller ID why do you even answer the call? I just let those kind ring or if I feel mischevious I'll take the phone off the hook and let it sit for a while.

[wagglebee]

I must be missing it, where is to/too used incorrectly?

[Hydroshock]

www.budhibbs.com

This site has a lot of useful info on how to handle debt collectors. Including letters on ceasing contact.

[Toby06]

Their they're there

[Brytani]

Because of my husband common name we ended up buying a credit monitoring service. Anytime someone looks at our report, a change is made or something is added or deleted we've sent a message.

Be careful with the foreclosure. There is a guy with the same name as my husband who also happened to be in the Navy (as was my husband) however he lives in California. He had a foreclosure on his home there and it went onto my husbands report.

We've never lived in California, never owned a home there, never had a home foreclosed on either. That one took months to get off his report.

[Old Professer]

But not taxes.

[Toby06]

It really bugs my ass when It really bugs another freepers ass when posters get their asses bugged because another poster's ass is bugged.

[NerdDad]

Ping to good resource posted by our Florida buddy.

Have you posted this on the DR forum yet? If you have, be sure to ping the bear over that way.

[Hydroshock]

If that does not work let Mr. Airhorn and Mr. Telephone become close friends. Suggest you use ear plug for yourself.

[Brytani]

Yep, we sent them letters, copies of phone logs of when they call and are now taping the calls when they come in.

We received a letter back that the state was investigating the situation and would get back to us when they had completed their findings.

[KoRn]

"It really bugs my ass when It really bugs another freepers ass when posters get their asses bugged because another poster's ass is bugged."

ROFL! This could be very interesting, and quite lengthy if it keeps up. =)

[Brytani]

I've seen his site and he does have good information however, even the best information, best letters etc do nothing if you have a collection agency that doesn't care about the law.

Basically it's cheaper for some of them to pay the FTC and State fines for violations of consumer rights then to change their tactics.

[Brytani]

Hiya!!! Nope, haven't pinged it over yet but I should....

[Brytani]

This thread is going to bring out NAMBLA, DU'ers, and 3/4 of the homosexual population with all the ass talk.....

[APRPEH]

you have a big problem because the natural place to go with something like that is the consumer affairs office in your state which would be: 800-952-5210 (the Attorney General is 800-952-5225).

my experience with CA is that the consumer affairs office rarely helps consumers with debt collection problems. as funny as it sounds, you may wish to contact the consumer affairs office in Oregon or Washington State or from a state where an office of the debt collector may reside other than in California.

CA Consumer Affairs info

[Skooz]

Post their name and number here. Post it to newsgroups and blogs. Post it everywhere and anywhere you can. Post it to sex newsgroups as a cheap phone sex number. Post it to hobby newsgroups as a place to call for cheap parts and info. Post it to gambling newsgroups as a free tip line. Post it constantly and continually under any pretext you can imagine.

[evets]

Really bugs my ass.

[Xenalyte]

"Grammar" comprises spelling, punctuation, and usage. It's not just parts of speech.

[APRPEH]

oh. I just noticed you are in Florida. that makes a difference.

AG complaint form

[Gabz]

I LOVE the way you think!!!!!!!!!!!