Wanna ask a real debt collector a question, here you go...

I'm a debt collector for OSI Collection Services. I'm not here to ridicule or flame anybody, but to learn. You can, too. Ask me a question, and I'll answer it. Flame me and bash me, and I'll ignore you or laugh at you, and just move onto the next real question from somebody in debt who wants help, just like I do on the phones at work. So fire away.

Sure, why not?

1--Why does OSI routinely practice tactics that are illegal according to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act?

2--When confronted with a "debtor" that knows the law, why does OSI persist in claiming that they do not have to follow that law?

3--As a collector yourself, do you actually know this law? Is it taught by OSI to all the collectors?

Notice, no flames or bashing. These are genuine, sincere questions. I am interested in your responses.

Tell me how you determine who to file a suit on? Do you check the SOL? Do you check the person's credit report to see if there are lots of debts, or if they are employed?

Is getyourcheckbook talking to himself with all these guest names. Asking himself questions or having one of his compadres to it for him.

Here's a question for you, why do you think you do not have to validate a debt when the fdcpa clearly states that you do?

My question is:
Why do collection agencies not send out statements? maybe with balances on them and all information on this debt?!?!

For being a real debt collector who wanted a real discussion on debt collection practices, s/he is being very quiet on this thread s/he started.

Rude Comments Deleted!Cajunbulldog

All you managed to do was post something to harass members& guests of our board.You can post like an adult or you can risk being deleted!

I feel sorry for you cajun. There was absolutely nothing harrassing in my post, considering what other people have typed to me. Keep living under a rock, instead of listening to my honest answers, and you'll stay right where you are, financially.

I'll try this again...

1--Why does OSI routinely practice tactics that are illegal according to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act?

2--When confronted with a "debtor" that knows the law, why does OSI persist in claiming that they do not have to follow that law?

3--As a collector yourself, do you actually know this law? Is it taught by OSI to all the collectors?


I don't break laws. I have to take a test every 6 months as a brush up on fdcpa laws. If we fail twice in 3 days, we are fired. No debate, we are fired. We have our calls monitored by our managers and our clients. Here's a big point I want to make... If you think a debt collector is rude, that does NOT mean we are breaking the law. We aren't trying to sell you a set of steak knives. This isn't a customer service call. You are the one that has broken a legally binding contract. You are the one who has already done something wrong. We are here to give you your payment options on the CLIENTS terms, not yours.

By the way, any collector who's been on the floor for at least a month, NEVER cares when you bring up the words "law" or "lawyer" or "FDCPA Rules". Believe me, we know a lot more about them, than you do.

Bold formatting removed - Mike

Why do collection agencies not send out statements? maybe with balances on them and all information on this debt?!?!

I'm shocked by this one. That's one of my favorite tactics to get people to pay. I have no problem sending out demand letters, and we send ones without request regularly. I wish I could give you a better answer.

Here's a question for you, why do you think you do not have to validate a debt when the fdcpa clearly states that you do?

Collection companies are NOT billing companies. I'm here to collect bills, not run around and get you itemized statements, and this, and that, and the other things. It's not my job to take care of your bills for you. I'll request a statement from the client to send you an itemized statement, but it's up to you to get it, NOT ME.

By the way, if I have you on the phone, and you acknowledge that you owe my client, YOU JUST VALIDATED THE DEBT! Asking for a junk load of statements is a stall tactic. You know it. So do we.

BULLL you are required by federal law to validate your account,not your client& not your debtor.You obviously have not read many of my posts.I post here to help people as I have no debt issues at all with my low Fico sitting at 790 and 16 years of positive payment history on my reports. You may consider me a bouncer if you wish,but if you are gonna give false info,one of us is gonna call you on it especially when you are speaking out of both sides of your mouth.You cannot claim to be compliant with fdcpa and state you have no duty to validate a debt.Try reading the law for a change.

PLEASE people...Getyourcheckbook has done nothing rude or abrasive. We CAN all learn from each other here. PLEASE don't bash him, as long as he's civil be civil back. One of my biggest pet peeves is the way guests on this board are constantly treated. I am sorry, but it needs to stop.

So come on, let's not be aggressive, and let's keep our questions polite. Let's learn from each other. GetYourCheckbook has just as much right to be here as anyone of us.

Stop right there. I dont need to go any further for the moment. On the other thread, I even quoted the federal law for you, word for word, which very clearly states that any debt collector MUST VALIDATE THE DEBT if the consumer requests it. You can tell me all about tests and six months all you like--the fact is, however, that the law is the law. And the law contradicts your claim. Because of this, anytime someone requests that you validate the debt and you do not, you just broke the law. That is not open for debate--the law is crystal clear on this.

Ok, no on to the rest...

Wrong again. you are there to represent your client in a legally proper fashion. If your client is trying to collect a bill from someone that they do not have the right to collect from, they are acting illegaly. And if you blindly follow their lead, you are breaking the law as well. Your job is to collect debt FROM THE CORRECT DEBTOR. If validation requests are ignored, then you wont ever know who that is.

You are really striking out here, champ. The fdcpa specifically states who must provide what to whom. I quoted that too in the other thread, and it again proves you wrong. Boy, I hope that OSI isnt spending a lot of $$$ on those bi-annual classes, because they sure arent proving to be worth very much.

yeah, IF that acknowlegement was made. Funny thing--you have continually tried to get around the experiences I have posted about concerning OSI....I acknowledged nothing, because the debt clearly was not mine. The lack of any such acknowledgement was not treated any differently than the situation you just described, when the person admits it is their debt.

By the way, just curious, you talk about classes and tests....did you review the case I linked in the other thread? You know, the one where one of your collectors and one of your supervisors, who "know the FDCPA so much better than we consumers do....", really screwed the rooster? What kind of training inspired that episode?? You arent fooling anyone. OSI has broken more than a few laws and been sued more than a few times. They even screw their CLIENTS out of money illegally--so dont expect us to buy what youre shovelling.

just for reference, here--this is word for word, taken from the FDCPA:



it doesnt get any clearer than that, checkbook.....stop making excuses. If you really do know the law, then why are you so far off the mark on this?

I am just wondering something, since "validation" seems to be the answer to everything.

When we look at the text of the fdcpa :


Congress did not just arbitrarily throw in some random words... they specifically made it a point to give the debtor 30 days after the 1692g(a) notice to request a validation? Why would they do that? I honestly do think the 30-day period was created because there is potential for abuse.

What happens if the CA does indeed send their initial communication with all the required disclosures, and then the debtor waits 60 days to request validation??? I really don't think the CA would be violating FDCPA to ignore such request and keep collecting.