How to stop harassment by collection agency

Your rights against Debt Collectors are here.

I just started getting phone calls from NWA and I gotta tell you, they think they can be so intimidating, sounding all "legal" and stating they will have to make a "recommendation" to the creditor. I'm not sure what all that means and I have told them to prove it and send me terms and agreements in writing in the mail and they refuse. I've read a lot of things in the internet about them and I'm not sending them any money.... at all. Thank you everyone for contributing what you have to help me stand stronger.
denise, pensacola, fl

Send them a Debt Validation letter by Certified Mail, return Receipt Requested. They are trying to pretend that they are there to help you avoid the creditor suing you. It may be true, though. Hard to tell, so send that DV letter immediately.

I do not have knowledge of the person for whom the creditor is looking for. I have an unlisted number. Why do they keep contacting me??How do I get them to stop??? I have no idea what this is about. I have nothing to do with creditors, they have no need for me.

Send them a Cease & Desist letter.

Is that something you can do in every state? I live in Georgia. I get calls from Greystond Alliance daily, but I haven't answered them. I guess the best thing to do is answer them and find out what they want, but don't give them any info? Then, send them this cease and desist letter?

Also, on another note...our local hospital is notorious for overcharging (3 times amount elsewhere) because it is a small town hospital trying to stay open. Anyway, if you get behind they immediately turn your account over to a collection agency or they immediately put a lien on your property. They did that to me for a $2000 bill I owed...was paying on...it was originally $3000....I missed payments for 3 months. I never got turned over to a collection agency. They immediately placed a lien against my vehicle. Is that legal?

If you know it's not your debt or they are calling for someone else, most certainly send the Cease & Desist. Otherwise, find out what they want, let them verify your mailing address (do NOT tell them anything without finding out just what info they have) and wait for the dunning letter - and then send them a Debt Validation request for them to prove it is your debt and that they are legally entitled to collect it.

Location, location, location - "they" always say. Yes, many places charge way too much depending on location. Exactly how that cup of coffee at the airport costs 2 or 3 times what it costs elsewhere.

As far as the vehicle lien - I don't know, it could depend on a few factors but it's impossible to ascertain without more details. For a vehicle lien, that requires them to file with the DMV so they would need legal proof of their right to, so I would venture that it is legal. But it normally takes a court order as a result of a judgment against you (filed in civil court) unless there was some provision for it in your financial agreement with the hospital (read that contract).

But anyway, medical debt is the #1 reason why people file bankruptcy, so you are not the only one. The whole industry is quite bloated. The US has the highest medical expenses of any country in the world (we spend 15.3% of GDP on medical care), Switzerland coming in second. Here is a great article from PBS:
"5 Capitalist Democracies and How They Do It"
"http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/countries/"

I am a relative that keeps getting calls on a family member who apparently has not made loan payments. I have asked the collectors to stop calling and remove my phone number as a contact. I have no contact with this family member. I do not want to change my number but I keep getting calls.

Any suggestions. Thank you

Mail them a letter telling them to stop calling, Cease & Desist.

Hi,

Would this letter work even if the debt is a couple of months behind??

Also, I've been told by the CA that the original credit does not want to contact me. That is why they took over. Is this true?

Certainly. Just be aware that a C&D can be construed by them as an invitation to sue (which they can call you and tell you).

Maybe, it's quite possible.

I keep getting calls from an attorneys office in new hampshire(i live in NC). I owe bank of america and my account has been sold several times. I got divorced and got behind on my payments. Now the guy is threating to sue me, can he do that? I don't even have anything as it is. I send what I can each month directily to bofa and he's telling me that isn't enough and I need to set up a payment plan with them. I told him that I don't have to deal with a 3rd party agency and just pretty much hung up on him. Is there a law that you can't hang up on the creditors 'cause I'm not dealing with their threats.

Nelson, Watson, and Associates started calling a distant relative of mine stating that they are not solicitors, in an effort to get my telephone number. Once they were given my telephone number, they continued to call this relative stating that my phone mailbox was full and they want my relative to give them another number?

Is this legal to be harassing someone who is not directly related or involved in any way with my personal financial dealings?

How can I protect this relative from these calls?

They can mail them a Cease & Desist letter (Certified Mail, Return Receipt).

is there anyway of saving my credit even after i send these cnd letters out

Hello - recently, I have been getting collection calls from this company? Does anyone know of them and waht I can do to stop?