Harassing calls from a debt collector? Here is what you need to know

First many of them dont want small payments. Second, many ppl dont have small payments when sick , ect. Its real easy to say take care of your bills when your not the one trying to take care of a sick child your sick self or going through the divorce ect. The problem is, you dont discriminate between a guy running up a credit traveling to europe and a prent running one up to feed her kids or buty meds, or pay to have thier child treated.As far as collectors are concerned thier all liars, dead beats and scumbags if they cant pay.

Every collector's worst nightmare is a well-educated consumer. People who demand information from THEM or assert their rights or push back against abuse in any way present an unwelcome interruption to their pattern of intimidating people into agreeing to payments they can't afford.

If you need to fight back in an "official" way, don't bother calling a lawyer (if you threaten that, they'll laugh anyway). Most states have agencies that regulate third party collectors, and much of their business information is available through those agencies. A lawyer has the authority to charge you big money and make threats against the collector... but the regulators have the authority to fine the collectors or keep them from annoying consumers in your state. Who do YOU think the collector is more afraid of?

Oh.. and agencies like that all carry insurance and bonding. With a little detective work you can find out who writes the insurance. How badly do you think an overzealous collector wants to hear about a complaint that comes via his bonding carrier??

Why not just pay the debt!  Stop blaming other people because you owe the money.  It is your responsibity, not thiers....


Another looser, using the system to avoid payments. Stop spending so much time on the internet researching how to avoid paying, instead get a job or two.

I will let my sister know that who just lost her child to terminal cancer and is having to pay off an enormous amount of debt. The collectors could care less. Perhaps your advise of getting an extra job  will be helpful to her.
By the way A-wipe, not everyone who owes debt is a looser!!!!!

I have been getting calls for over 2 years from different collection agencies looking for a person that I do not know.
The problem is that I tell the caller that ,I do not know this person and that he doesn t live with me. I ask them to take my number off the list. Fine that collection company stops calling. Withing 2 or 3 months, the calls start again from a different collection agency or from different attorneys. I go thru the same process ,,,I tell them,,I do not know this person,,,he doesn t live with me..I ask them to take my phone number off the list..  How can I stop this nonsense,,,or Do I just have to change my number. I have had this number for 7 years. Very,Very annoying.  I understand that the reason why these harrassing calls re-start after a short time of inactivity is that the debt probably has been sold to some new company. I do not want to give them any of my personal info,,as then this will probably be down on some list forever.
Anyway,,,thanks for the information on this thread.

1. in this case it's 'loser', not 'looser' but you're right, having a debt doesn't make one a loser by default
2. as horrible as it is to have lost a child to cancer (I have a 7 years old boy, and I shudder to think), the debt still stands. Instead of blowing the collectors off, it would be much better to negotiate to resolve the debt, as scummy as they are. I believe that the tips given can certainly help with this.

"2. as horrible as it is to have lost a child to cancer (I have a 7 years old boy, and I shudder to think), the debt still stands. Instead of blowing the collectors off, it would be much better to negotiate to resolve the debt, as scummy as they are. I believe that the tips given can certainly help with this."

You are partially correct ... they are scummy.

However, these creeps need to prove that the debt is valid.  Otherwise, they can pound sand.

Several different creditors have contacted my family since May of 2007.  All they seem to have is our phone number and a man's name with our same last name, so they are after the wrong person and we tell them that, but of course they don't believe us and the calls don't stop.  No one has yet told us who the original debt is owed to, what it is for, or the amount.  Once I get the address of this latest collector, I would like to send them a cease and desist letter, but am hesitant to provide them with my address, should this then provide them more/different means to harass us.  Any thoughts on this?  Also, does anyone have a sample letter we could use in this case?  Lastly, I feel that if I send them the letter, we'll just keep getting calls from other collectors.  Will the C&D letter stop ALL calls? Thanks!

Is a debt ever too old for harrassment?

Pretty mouthy there...sounds just like a collector to me!!!
NOT EVERYONE GETTING CALLS IS THE INTENDED PARTY!
I get calls constantly to my work - NOT FOR ME!!! for someone
that isin't, and never has even been there! They just have a wrong number, yet the mouth pieces (just like yourself) won't listen!
We have told them repeatedly there is no one with that name....Oh Well they say...this is the only number we have on file and we'll keep calling till we get them! UMM HELLO A*HOLE are you listening!
So before you judge everyone who gets these calls GET YOUR DAMN FACTS STRAIGHT - PS: Which collection house are you with? ARC? CBV? what?

I have read numerous posts here from people putting down others for not paying their bills. It is Bull*&%$. I own my own business and have recently been screwed by a few companies for Thousands of dollars and not low thousands either. I am just a little 1 person company. I make very good money but at the same time once someone fails to pay me it can destroy me. Because of this I am now 2 months behind on all my bills my business bills and all NOT BECAUSE I DID NOT WORK but because SOMEONE ELSE didn't pay me. Now I can call them everyday harrassing them but what good does that do. if they could pay they probably would. Now I am getting 30-40 calls a day from creditors wanting money and all I can do is tell them to be patient and I will get it to them ASAP but 20 minutes later someone else from the same damn place is calling. it is rediculous. Sometimes people have hard times it is a fact of life. It might be Cause of an illness, loss of job, divorce, "Not getting paid themselves" etc... it is LIFE. Harrassing people just makes it worse. I have gotten so mad at a couple of these creditors I told them everytime they call it will be 2 days longer that I do not pay. I will pay the debt but they will go to last on the list.

What you can do when something like that occurs, is you can get any and all information from them about their physical address, and send them a letter clearly stating that you want the calls to cease unless for some reason they can prove that you have a valid debt.Not saying that would be the case, but in a worse-comes-to-worse scenario, you can ask for any and all personal information they might have.  Otherwise, they'll keep harassing you. Also, I suggest putting your number on the National Do Not Call list.

Some people have a lot on their plates. Give it a rest. If you're gonna be an [***] and not be understanding you're more of an idiot than the people that have a lot of debt.

Haha..I have to concur with you on that.Hearing that made my night.

That's pretty scary if they got your new number. Stalkers are really creepy.