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OK, so I got three calls from three different places. One from Bay Area Credit (T mobile acct that I took out for my little brother, he didn't pay it). Also, one from NCO financial (PayPal account). And then one from a 000-000-0000 number that left a msg saying "this is an important message for" and hung up. Anyway, I had a question about this fiasco.

Should I just change my number? I only use it for very few people, and no one I work with or anything knows it, so it isn't like I need it for my job. What would the repercussions be if I change it? I would just let all of the places I do business with know. Would you recommend I do that? It's just VERY ANNOYING and I am done getting calls at all hours on my cell #. Please help.

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2007 2:10 pm Subject:

Do you have a call back number of each of them? You are aware of the past debts and know that there is some connection with the collection calls being done. You will stop all the collection calls coming your way but what happens if they take the matter to the court and you end up getting summons from the court. Not trying to scare you, but I think you should take care of this issue.

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2007 3:24 pm Subject:

You can mail a letter via certified mail/return receipt requested to each collection agency that you're dealing with, and request that they cease and desist all communications to you by telephone, and that all future communications should be sent to you in writing via United States Postal Service mail.

This way, the calls to your cell phone should stop. If they don't, the collection agencies will be in violation of fdcpa regulations and you can pursue legal action.

If you'd rather change your number instead of sending the letters, do whatever you feel most comfortable with.

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2007 8:38 pm Subject:

Here's a tip. Deal with the calls and get them worked out. Unless you want to be called at work, have your relatives called and your neighbors if you changed your number.

It's better to take care of things before they progress into a larger fiasco.

I'd also get ahold of your brother and smack him around because your genorosity for him is going to ruin your credit if it hasn't already and tell him to pay his bill.

Depending on the age of the account a cease and decist letter could just have the account moving from one agency to the other. It's what the agency I work for does and what our client does.

But if you are completely for avoiding it I wold suggest you call your relatives and tell them to tell anyone who is looking for you to say they don't know you. Then change your number, you also might want to move and change jobs.

Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 8:49 am Subject:

How would they find out my work number?

Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:58 am Subject:

Follow what FYI said. And good luck with Bay Area Credit. They SUCK!!! None of them speak English, and they are the rudest SOBs on the planet. Start nice with them, but the moment they get pissy, give it right back. Don't pay them via check by phone - demand and address and mail them payment. And demand a bill. You may have to go through a few phone calls, but don't believe any of their threats. If you yell at them enough, they finally back down and do what they are supposed to do in the first place - verify the debt.

Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 10:19 am Subject:

I dealt with Bay Area for my old Tmobile bill too...I dealt with a guy named Cory.

You have to be VERY firm with them, but if you call them with confidence and stick firm with them, they'll work with you.

Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 10:35 am Subject:

bestideayet - your employer information is listed on your credit report in most cases. I know mine was, even though it wasn't entirely accurate, it was still listed there. I would say that's where they'd get your employer info. However, if they call you at work and you ask them not to (advise them personal calls are not allowed at work), they have to stop, according to the fdcpa - but you may have to send the cease and desist letter to get them to stop.

Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 10:43 am Subject:

Did Cory speak English? I dealt with about 4 people there, and none of their accents matched their names. Smile

But yes - be firm. You call the shots. They will finally realize being strong handed won't work with you.

Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 11:42 am Subject:

Thanks everyone. I got an alert that Williams & Fudge had done an inqury on my report. How do I geth them to stop, as it looks bad on my already horrible credit report.

debtguy · Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 3:47 pm Subject:

how about paying the bill? they sound relatively small. why hurt your credit?

Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 4:19 pm Subject:

Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 5:58 pm Subject:

Your employment information is listed on more than your credit report. Basicaly if a collection agency is looking for you there are many sources they can use to find your place of employment.

As long as you have delenquent debt your credit report can be pulled by which ever collection agency it is with.

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 7:36 pm Subject: debt

FYI, I was just wondering do the collection agencies use some kind of internet thing to find people? You see these sites that say find anyone etc. i have always wondered that. KYSIDE38

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 9:10 pm Subject:

Your employment information became public information the week your employer hired you and the company HR person reported you information to your state's employment division. Also, your SSN is reported on a quarterly basis to your state taxing authority, social security and the IRS, so your information is out there practically the first day you start working.

Also, avoiding the calls is only going to accelerate the collection activity, possibly leading to a court action. Be proactive -- read the posts in this forum and ask questions about how to take care of the debts.

Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 7:35 pm Subject:

Debt Fairy,
Good information, but I would think that this information would be protected by state and federal privacy laws. After all, now it's illegal for anyone to use a SSN as an ID. We had to go through our database of patients at the hospital-based home health agency where I work and take out all SSN's. So I would be really interested in finding out whether SSN's and employment info would be a matter of public record.

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