**Disclaimer – Debtprison.net does not administer legal or financial advice. The contents of this website are my opinions on collection agencies and how to deal with them. Nothing on this website should be interpreted as legal advice or council. No opinions on this website should be used to replace the advice of your financial advisor or your legal council.
A reader at Sample Debt Validation Letter asks how to get a collection agent to stop harassing her. Of course the quick and easy solution is to pay them! But if you find yourself unable to pay, there are a few things you can do to make life easier for yourself. Always keep in mind, that no matter what they say or how they say it, the goal of a debt collector is to get YOU to cough up some cash. And often they’re willing to do and say anything to accomplish this task.
I had a lady from a collection office call me and harass me about a credit card I have. She even called my cell phone and left me a very rude message saying that she hoped her attorney sued me for every dime I had. She then sent another message on my cell saying she was giving me 24 hours to call her back.
Who can I report her to? And how do I get her to quit harassing me? The debt is an old credit card and has a balance of 2800.
Rhonda
Stop talking with these people on the phone.
First of all, once you enter the world of defaulted credit card debt - what good is it doing to talk to these people on the phone? If you had the money you’d pay them (right?). But since you don’t have the money… discussing your personal crisis with these bill collectors… will leave you angry, embarrassed, or scared. And possibly all three. Therefore, when I defaulted on my credit card debt I wrote them registered letters (kept the receipts) and explained to them my situation. Here’s how the phone calls work.
“Hello”
May I speak with Barry?
This is him.
Mr. Barry this is Jahid Patel calling from Citibank.. you are 60 days past due on your account. Can you make a payment today over the phone and get this balance up to date?
Nope
Well Mr. Barry… can you make any payment today… how about $100
Nope
Well Mr. Barry how about $50 could you afford to pay that today?
Etc, etc, etc”
Now bear in mind this is an extremely civil example of how the conversation would go. Once I had a collector call me at my job (damn I gave them my number when I got the credit card). She asked me if I could make a payment right now. I said no that I was at work and preferred to discuss this matter through the mail. Within about 10 seconds she proceeded to tell me that this was going to their ‘legal department’… which I promptly told her “Great.. get on with it” and that was that. It never went to their legal department.
The point I’m trying to make is that if you don’t have any money to pay them with.. write these bill collectors a letter (registered) and don’t talk with them on the phone. The only purpose it serves is for them to get you on the phone and proceed to tell lies and intimidate you. Being in Debt Prison is difficult enough without these types of conversations further ruining your day.
Should you change your phone number?
Changing your phone number may not be a bad idea if you have multiple creditors with whom you’re defaulting on. This way you’ll force them to deal with you via snail mail. However, if your particular phone number is important to you then there are other options.
If you have a home phone and a computer there’s a little trick that you may find beneficial. I had a desktop computer that I left on all day. I also had a phone line plugged into the back of it. I downloaded phone tray for free. Phone tray is a free caller i.d. and call blocker combined into one. Once a bill collector calls you, you can program their number into phone tray and then select how you want their call to be blocked. I always gave them the “We’re sorry, the number you are trying to reach has been disconnected or is no longer in service.” Phone tray has a variety of audio cuts that you can use. The only problem I encountered is that the phone would still ring once if it was a bill collector. So if the phone rang more than once, I knew it was actually someone I wanted to talk to.
Cease and Desist
You can also write a collection agency (not the original creditor) a ‘Limited Cease and Desist’ letter. This informs them to only contact you by snail mail. Keep a copy, send the letter registered, and attach the usps receipt to your copy of the letter. Keep all correspondence within a folder under lock and key.
I would also like to request, in writing, that no telephone contact be made by your offices to my home or to my place of employment. If your offices attempt telephone communication with me, including but not limited to computer generated calls and calls or correspondence sent to or with any third parties, it will be documented, considered harassment, and I will have no choice but to seek a legal course of action against your office. All future communications with me must be done in writing and sent to the address noted in this letter by USPS.
You can also throw in the kitchen sink and write a Debt Validation Letter. I recommend the kitchen sink if you feel that the collection agency isn’t treating you fairly.
Other options for Rhonda
1. Call her back and tell her you’re broke because you had to wine and dine her husband.
2. Tell them to get a judgment if they can because you are ready to shut them down in front of the local Judge who happens to be your brother.
3. Tell them at every dime they wouldn’t be getting much cause as a woman in the USA you only earn 60% of wages of fellow male co-workers.
Now on a serious note… talking on the phone with bill collectors is usually a bad idea 90% of the time.
Don’t call her back unless you can pay all of the debt back in one final swoosh.
If it goes to court you can go and represent yourself (not as scary as it sounds) in which case the judge may declare you owe the money and you can pay a little each month until the judgment is satisfied.
But there’s not much you can do about her rude manner. She’s got your number and it’s her job to call and push and push until they get a payment. Put yourself in their shoes… how would you collect money from people who didn’t or couldn’t pay? The other option is to record the conversations if it’s legal in your state. Inform the collection agency that you have a recording of their violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. And that you are prepared to file suit against their company if these violations continue.
Discuss this article and meet new people at Debt Prison Forums.
Related Articles
* Restrictions on Wage Garnishment for Debt Collection.
* The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
* Reasons not to file Bankruptcy or Settle Your Debts
* Can you go to jail for not paying your debts?
* How to settle your debts on your own
* How to deal with collection agencies
* Sample Debt Validation Letter
* Information on Credit Card Balance Transfers
* How I Escaped Credit Card Debt
