I have no debt, and I must scream...

[DRoseDARs]

Fun times.

For over a year now (I forget when exactly this all started) I've been receiving calls on my cell phone from debt collectors calling for some woman I have never heard of. It took me calling the first company 3-4 times to get them to stop.

I thought that was the end of it.

Several months of blissful silence passed and right before the '06 elections a new agency started calling my cell phone. I tried a different tactic: I ignored their calls. After 4 months of 2 calls every weekday, they too finally stopped.

I had about two weeks of silence.

This past Tuesday, a THIRD agency has started calling my cell phone. I've already drafted a cease & desist letter and am receiving help from a debt consolidation forum elsewhere on Teh Intertubes, but Apolyton is more comforting. This is mind numbing that this wasn't corrected the first time around, but I've learned a lot more about debt collection and so understand why that is. Still, the horror stories I've read from people like me that are receiving calls for debts they don't owe or people they don't know or have no contact information for are depressing and make me feel like I'll never get this to stop once and for all.

[KrazyHorse]

I have no debt, and I must scream...

Very nice...

[KrazyHorse]

I signed up for home delivery of the Baltimore Sun for 8 weeks. After that was up I had received the paper a grand total of 12 times (out of 56 promised deliveries) so I canceled the subscription.

As soon as I sent in the cancellation notice the Sun began delivering 3 copies (no word of a lie) to my house every day without fail. They then sent me a notice of payment due. I replied to them by telling them I had already canceled my subscription (I had prepaid the first 8 weeks). They continued sending 3 copies a day to my house for the next 12 weeks, along with a bill that continued to increase. I told them at least 3 more times that I had canceled my subscription long ago. Finally, they stopped sending me the paper and I got two notices from a collection agency (which I ignored) for my "bill" (which was now for the princely sum of 31$ and change). Regardless of the relatively small tally, I had made up my mind to refuse to submit to extortion. Then I began receiving phone calls from the collection agency. I explained the situation to them, and they told me that "it wasn't their problem". The last time they called me was 3 weeks ago. During that conversation, I told the lady on the other end that if they called again I would be pursuing charges of fraud and harassment against them and against the Baltimore Sun if they bothered me any more. I guess 31$ wasn't worth it to them because I haven't heard back from them since.

The entertainment value I got out of this whole episode was well worth the hour or so of my time I spent dealing with it.

[MRT144]

Interestingly enough I received a call from debt collector today for 400 dollars on an outstanding chequing account from 3 years ago. Not so surprisingly they offered me a deal for 50% of that. I spent most of the time telling them that 400 dollars wasnt worth the trouble of paying but eventually paid. 200 dollars later and I don't give a hoot.

it was funotainment.

[Veritass]

This is becoming a very common practice. Professional [s]harassment[/s] collection companies buy old debt that is actually past the statute of limitations or has been discharged by bankruptcy, and they shouldn't be able to collect on it.

Whatever you do, don't send a single payment. If you do, you "acknowledge" the debt in a legal sense, and can end up with the debt reinstated.

Just tell them to stop calling and take you to court. They have to stop calling at that point, and they won't take you to court.

[Zkribbler]

Not true. I work for a court, and we're seeing lot of cases where the statute of limitations has run on the debt -- ususally a credit card debt -- yet some collection agency still brings the action.

The "statute of limitations" is an affirmative defense that the defendants have to raise in their Answers. But many people freeze in panic when served with legal papers, they don't file their Answers, they allow their defaults to be taken, and then a judgment is entered against them.

It is a friggin' scam by the collection agencies, but it's legal.

[Zkribbler]

Another tactic is to locate the government agency that licenses collection agecies.
If you don't owe the debt, think about threatening to report them to the D.A. for extortion.

[Kidlicious]

Re: I have no debt, and I must scream...

Originally posted by DRoseDARs
Fun times.

For over a year now (I forget when exactly this all started) I've been receiving calls on my cell phone from debt collectors calling for some woman I have never heard of. It took me calling the first company 3-4 times to get them to stop.

I thought that was the end of it.

Several months of blissful silence passed and right before the '06 elections a new agency started calling my cell phone. I tried a different tactic: I ignored their calls. After 4 months of 2 calls every weekday, they too finally stopped.

I had about two weeks of silence.

This past Tuesday, a THIRD agency has started calling my cell phone. I've already drafted a cease & desist letter and am receiving help from a debt consolidation forum elsewhere on Teh Intertubes, but Apolyton is more comforting. This is mind numbing that this wasn't corrected the first time around, but I've learned a lot more about debt collection and so understand why that is. Still, the horror stories I've read from people like me that are receiving calls for debts they don't owe or people they don't know or have no contact information for are depressing and make me feel like I'll never get this to stop once and for all.

Ah man. Good luck. I doubt they stop calling. Get your number changed.

[MRT144]

yesterday I actually called BofA and asked them who was servicing the debt I incurred. And it was in fact the company that called me.

[Spec]

Why not just change your cell number?

Spec.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Spec
Why not just change your cell number?

Spec.

What if some hot babe wanted to call him? She wouldn't be able to.

(Stop laughing. It could happen. Theoretically, at least.)

[MRT144]

Originally posted by Spec
Why not just change your cell number?

Spec.

because it wasnt that big of a deal.

[Spec]

Originally posted by MRT144


because it wasnt that big of a deal.

Ok, well it seems to be for him though...

Originally posted by DRoseDARs
Still, the horror stories I've read from people like me that are receiving calls for debts they don't owe or people they don't know or have no contact information for are depressing and make me feel like I'll never get this to stop once and for all.

Spec.

[DRoseDARs]

It's not big enough a deal for me to even consider changing my cell phone number. Why would I want to inconvenience myself more so than these ****ers already have?

Anyway, since no one has responded yet to my thread on the debt forum regarding my draft letter (based on others) I'll try here:

Ok, here's my C&D letter. Personal info has been removed. Anything I should add, adjust, or remove?

*********

*Name and personal info goes here*

Re: Notice to Cease Contact Regarding Debt for [my mystery woman] (actual spelling and pronunciation unknown; best guess given)*

*Debt collector info goes here*

I am notifying you in writing that your agency has contacted me on my private cell phone regarding a debt for [my mystery woman] (actual spelling and pronunciation unknown; best guess given)*. No one by that name lives at my address or cell phone number nor have I ever known anyone by that name.

Therefore, I am requesting that you cease all communication to my cell phone number regarding this person's debt. If you persist in believing that [my mystery woman] (actual spelling and pronunciation unknown; best guess given)* is somehow connected with my address and/or cell phone number, please provide proof of your claim.

You should direct all future correspondence in writing as outlined in the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and to cease all communication with me by telephone.

Lastly, I would like to receive from you confirmation in writing that you have received this letter and will no longer be contacting me about this other person's debt. If I do not receive from you a confirmation in writing of reception of this letter and your agreement to no longer contact me regarding this other person’s debt within two weeks of the certified mail delivery date and you instead continue to contact me seeking this other person, I may be forced to seek further legal action against you.

I await your confirmation in writing within two weeks from the certified mail delivery date of this letter.



Sincerely,

*Name and signature go here*

*********

*Note: I will be leaving in the line about the "best guess." I have no idea what the correct spelling or pronunciation of her name are and I don't want NES thinking I do and therefore thinking I'm lying about knowing this woman. I don't know her and frankly don't want to. I feel for her, but her problems are none of my business.

I'm thinking I should change the "I may be forced" to "I will be forced"

[chequita guevara]

Tell them to stop harassing you or you will sue.

Use those words precisely.