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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 4:15 pm Subject: struggling consumer

Just received a call about forty minutes ago from "out of area". Naturally another bottom feeder calling on a Sunday. When does it stop...
When they get their precious dough? Gee, who knows.
All I do know is that there will come a time soon when these bottom feeders will all be put out of business..., but consumers need to be continuously pro active and push for legislators to make it harder for companies to charge off accounts. Hopefully this may make it harder for Collection agencies and they would have little to no more business. Twisted Evil

Great for the struggling consumer. Anyway I know that sooner or later, we'll be hearing from these bottom feeders again, whoever they are. They do their best to scare an alarm people when they first start making these calls. They want to psyche you out, but I've got news for them....It don't work with me. I'm getting educated through this great forum. I and so many others are not alone!!! Very Happy

Guest · Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 9:41 pm Subject:

Try to obtain an address and send them a C&D letter, this usually stops the phone calls.

Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 12:43 am Subject:

Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 12:59 am Subject:

Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:59 am Subject:

Debt collectors will never disappear....there will always be some form of debt to collect.

Meircats...yes consumers have their rights. However, so do your creditors. Just because they are calling from out of area on a sunday, doesnt mean they are evil....they are doing their job. You obviously incurred a debt which you are not paying, and yet you automatically assume that the CA is evil. Think about it.....

Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 3:51 pm Subject: not an illusion

I never meant to say that debt collectors would disappear altogether. That is impossible. The changes that I am speaking of would be legistlators enforcing debt collection laws and holding debt collectors to the law. When a debt collector calls, don't automatically assume that it is a debt that you actually owe. It might be and even if it is, Debt collectors need to be held to the letter of the law. I am paying my debts thankyou so it could be another family member but irregardless...., no matter who they want to get in contact with, they all have the same strategy when they get you on the phone. Some (only a few) Collection Agencys have courteous people working for them and are willing to observe the laws and work with you, but all too many debt collectors are breaking the laws right and left. If a debt collector exploits someones inability to pay due to illness, lack of income, joblessness or other cirucumstances...than the debt collector has no conscience and is only concerned about lining his own pocke whether the debt is legitimate or not. No one is stating, don't pay your bills. My stance is, if you are able to pay it you should. If you cannot, work something out with creditor...if creditor will not work with you and wants to continue to collect money that you do not have, and makes you feel like you are the lowest thing on the face of the earth because of it(ie through verbal assaults, threats of arrest etc...)that is evil.[/i]

Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 6:18 pm Subject:

If a collector calls and allows you to set up payments, they are extending a courtesy to you. Once an account goes delinquent the contract with the creditor is broken and the balance is due in full. Yes, people fall on hard times - more so now than ever before. It is the consumer's responsibility to prepare for these situations as best as possible. Isn't there an Aesop's Fable about that..."The Ant and the Grasshopper".

Meircats, you sound like you're just looking for ways to bait collectors into violating FDCPA therefore getting out of your financial obligations. Not saying you are, but that's what your post sound like....

Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 3:05 am Subject:

Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 6:26 am Subject:

Let's touch on the word "courtesy" for a moment.

Now I don't defend CA's; they may be ruthless, uncaring and harsh. Their call is hardly a courtesy. Yet, the alternative is that the creditor can file a lawsuit as soon as the account defaults. In that sense, a CA's "courtesy" call just might prevent the account from becoming legal.

Now in my line of work, being the actual lender, we start calling accounts when they are 5 days past-due. We aren't aggressive or demanding immediate payment, just a reminder call that the payment is past-due and the customer can save a late charge if they make the payment before it's 10 days late.

Many of my customers actually do appreciate the call, because they forgot about the payment, and they're glad we're reminding them before they get hit with late fees. To that degree, it is a courtesy call.

I guess I can't speak for all finance companies since I have only worked at this one in my life; but I think we have a very good repoire with our customers. Being small, we get to know the customers personally. I've made some 5-day "courtesy" calls, and ended up having 15-minute conversations with the customer over life in general. I've also had customers that I don't call for some reason, and they come in to make the payment asking "Why didn't you call me this month?"

Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 7:37 am Subject:

Id be a perfect world if I could give service like that ---- there are waaaay to many accounts out there.

I approach accounts with the assumption that the lack of payment activity was an oversight and my job is to be the persistant bug in someones ear until they call me back. Its a rare person that takes the iniative and calls us.

Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 7:46 am Subject:

Morningstar,

Because of the way the collection industry is structured, yes, payments are necessary. But not required. Readers out there may not like it but the collection industry provides jobs and for the most part, keeps money out of lawyers pockets. If I had any sort of say in it I would spend all my time educating both sides, debtors and collectors. In this industry the only folks that can brag about wearing $3000 suits are the lawyers.

Instead of using the word courtesy, what would you call it morningstar?

Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 2:09 pm Subject:

Yes, the collections industry does employ a large number of people.

Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 3:43 pm Subject:

Forgive me for saying this, but why is it when I think of Debt Collector, I see a Vulture in my head??
I consider myself a fairly "decent" person, and I do not care if there were no other jobs available, it's against my morals to take a job that causes people hardship and stress.
Granted, I cannot speak about all bill collectors, but I am sure if I ever got a job as one, I would have to be aggressive and nasty, or get fired. Also, I think it's wrong to turn a bill over to collections unless all other attempts to get the person to pay fails.
They should be warned: If you do not settle this debt, we will send it to collections.
Courtesy is a funny word. Whenever I get a call from a telemarketer, they tell me it's a courtesy call. (But if they showed courtesy, they would not call me in the first place)
Courtesy:

Courteous:

1 : marked by polished manners, gallantry, or ceremonial usage of a court 2 : marked by respect for and consideration of others

Respect for others?? If they truly respected people that would show respect!!