Still mad as hell

Too bad because the help would be appreciated by many. Don't let one or two posts get in the way of your helping people. Remember he makes his money by people disliking and distrusting collectors. I think it would be silly for someone to think all collectors are dishonest and/or mean spirited (although there are many who are). This site is really full of usefull information for many of us.

Beauty,
Please don't go, I think your ideas and advice will be very helpful to this community. Being a collector will bring point of views from the other side and thats defiantly what we need here.

But again, i sit here and get abused all day everyday and i am still typing on this forum, while on the phone with disresectful people who feel like i am just what this stupid lawyer says i am////////////i can't handle the abuse, and as bad as i want to be here, i just feel like i am on the bottom of the food chain here, if only you knew the half.

Beauty, you should stick around. We have all been abused on this site, it is a public forum and it comes with the territory. I have been verbally assaulted on here and I have learned to laugh at those who do it. We continue to come back and try to help others through our experiences so they can avoid the same mistake, I won't let somebody stop me from trying to help others because they have some type of personal issue they can't deal with.

Beauty1217, It would be a shame for you to leave because of what one person says. We wish there were more people like you. And, if I'm correct, we have other members who work for collection agencies, as well. And, remember, there are people who think lawyers are absolutely wonderful and others that think they are the devil's advocate. People can look at just about any job from either a positive or a negative point of view. I wouldn't let that stop you.

I just want to point out that the only comment I actually made towards Beauty was a request that she stop using all caps, because in the well-established etiquette of internet discussion, all caps are like shouting, and therefore rude.

As to the Satan comment, I don't see why it should get her worked up, as it was a general comment, pointing out that she bears some culpability due to her choice of career. She has admitted she crosses the line to harassment "out of desperation." That makes her no saint. (And rather amusing to hear her say she can't handle the "abuse" here.)

If she leaves, though, it would be a shame. It is always useful to have every perspective.

I agree with everyone. Beauty - we really could use your side to help everyone understand what's going on and how everything works. Stay around and be a member.

I am sure you get mistreated pretty bad. That's wrong, and I'm sorry for that. In the past years, this society has become a more and more self-centered, "what's-in-it-for-me" mentality. And in that, you can see the downgrade of life. Too many people expect something, not realizing you don't get it just because you are male or female, white or black, young or old.....you name it. You get what you earn, mostly. If you are given anything just because, well, that's God, and it's called grace. Otherwise, you need to play your part. So if you get a call from a collection agency, be understanding. Listen. And if there is a mistake, you need to work with the collector to correct it. You don't demand, but ask. And find compromise. Conviently, those rules apply to the collector as well.

We all need to work together. We are this huge community, but the more we advance, the more we are tearing ourselves apart. It's sad.

[quote=BEAUTY1217]so i have decided to leave the forum///no need to be here when you all have a big shot lawyer who hates collectors........farewell [/quote]


Hi Beauty, I will request you to stay on the board and continue putting your opinions. You know you are helpful to many and others also have the same feelings for you.

We value all members. People who meet here have no direct connection with this website and our team. If you decide to leave just because of a particular post, we lose one valuable member in the group. This will be an unfortunate thing to happen because we care for all. Lastly, we respect any decisions you make. I hope that you will come up with a fair one.

Regards
Mike

You know, we are all human and we all have feelings. Even the big bad collectors. I just wanted to come and shed light on that whole situation. Some of us are pretty good, but others? You all have to understand that even your most legitimate collection agencies are infested with cocaine addicts, gamblers, and anyone else who has a habbit that would cause a hunger for the money. Since convicted felons can't find decent jobs, most would rather collect than hustle and go back. Some have dredlocks and goldteeth, some are dressed in ties and suits, and whether they are "GHETTO" or "PROFESSIONAL" it is all the same///it is a hustle

I am sure you are one of the nicer collectors out there. But I have to say that in all honesty I don't care about the nasty collectors' feelings when they are threatening people with false and illegal threats.

Beauty - please stay and continue to offer us the "inside" information that you have been - your viewpoint from inside the collection industry is very valuable to us.

Beauty,

I would like to see you stick around. I think your input could be very valuable here. I admire you for having the courage and strength to do what you do for a living. Someone has to do it. I'm sure you are very compassionate in your job but you also know when someone is trying to pull the wool over your eyes. I'm surprised you are not more disheartened. I'm trying to dig myself out of debt after a bad relationship with a debt settlement company that did absolutely nothing for me. When someone calls, I don't jump out my seat from nerves because I know that I can handle it. I try not to avoid it. I also know what I am and am not capable of paying. I think it goes both ways. I think debtors are more willing to work with collectors who don't start out threatening someone. It happened to me a couple of weeks ago and I tried to remain calm. I didn't yell but I finally had to hang up on him because it was like banging my head against the wall. I was willing to make the payment arrangments but I was unwilling to give out my bank account information. I was willing to mail in money orders but he just went off on me when I wouldn't giving him my banking information on the phone. Anyway, I am rambling. Stick around, we like a diversity around here :-)

Well, the only thing i can say is number one...to Steelers, I am not asking you to care about them, i am just asking you to look at it from another angle. See, we are all from all walks of life and I am sure that those collectors do not care about you either. I all they care about is making you pay. A lot of them are told that if they can not make you pay, they won't have a job. So it's a double headed sword. I was actually fired from a collections job because I did not want to use a phony name.

On one collections job, I walked out because the president cursed me out for taking a payment arrangment. I thought I was helping the person and he did not. I took 25.00 post dated check forever until the lady paid........she had 4 kids,husband lost his job and the whole nine.....this man went into the main system and pulled all of the ladies checks...and told me to call her back and get more/ I knew she did not have more and I told him that/ He pulled her checks and told me if I did not call her back, I could look for another job/ Well after talking to her for an hour i refused to call her back, and was terminated////if that was not horrible, he fought paying me unemployment and won///so i was out of work and could not pay my bills/////it was horrible///

Okay I am going to put my 2 cents in on this thread. No job is worth compromising your moral integrity or beliefs. If in your gut you know what you doing is wrong and harmful to your fellow man than that job is not worth thr trouble. I would rather shovel pig turds in a mud hole in northern Iraq than hurt someone or try to intimidate them into doing something they just can't do at the moment. (like pay a bill) It's a freakin bill, there are millions out there. How would a collector feel if they harassed and scared someone so bad that it sent the other party over the edge? Does that make collectors feel good, is a power trip thing? Jobs are a dime a dozen, your pride and integrity is worth Gold.

a lot of companies will not stop until they are put out/ It is a hustle, get it while it is hot, and collect until they shut us down...

i understand how you feel/ that is why i am here/ we are not all law abiding citizens, and all people are not compassionate.....not at all....if man can take a life, why is it that you feel like man won't threaten you to pay a bill////IT IS NOT RIGHT/////so don't think i am trying to justify it.....but again, there are people who steal and hurt elders( i have a grandmother[whom i love])but there are people that hurt homless people, people who robb defensless people, the world is full of monsters/////how do we fix it?????we stick together like we do on this site, we educate people and rais awareness,and we do all that we can do

wow, ok, I'm going to play the Devil's advocate here...Why not be a collector? Is it really so bad? Look, I have to file garnishments and tell people they're not getting paid and sit in on discipline hearings and make the final termination decision for a living. People blame me daily when they see money missing from their checks..I am the bad guy at my job. That doesn't change who I am. Jobs really aren't a dime a dozen, especially secure, good paying ones like mine. If they were, I'd have a different one, because I don't really like mine.

Yes, I have been harassed by collectors in the past...But I have also had collectors call who listened and helped me out. I don't think it's fair to bash this group of people as a whole...Everyone has to eat, right? Would you guys do this job to put food on your table and keep your lights on? I would.

Ok, I know I'm gonna get it good for this post, so come on and let me have it...And remember..I was playing devil's advocate. You guys have absolutely no idea what I really think..I'm just tired of the good collector/bad collector thing.

Being a debt collector is not in itself bad. Being a debt collector in the debt collection industry that exists today is pretty hard to excuse.

I have to confess, I'm pretty ignorant. I have only dealt with Allied in the past, on two seperate occasions; and Van Ru briefly for my student loan. One of the Allied experiences was terrific, one bad. Van Ru was horrid.

This was a few years ago..I guess I don't understand...What's different now?

Fins, you made a good point. If you needed the money to put food on the table so your kids could eat, pay the heat bill so your kids wouldn't freeze, I and most mothers I know wouldn't think twice about it, so I have to agree with you on that one.

I knew another Mother would understand..We'd do anything for our kids...

One question I have though..Beauty said she is a convicted felon, right? Isn't it difficult to get a job as a collector as a felon?

She also said many of her colleagues are also ex-criminals. So, I'm guessing no.

wow. I guess I would've thought they'd do credit checks. I learned something new today.

Fins--Probably depends on who you work for..Some of the shadier collection agencies probably aren't as strict on who they hire.

Beauty--I could care less WHO you work for..Just that you are honest and fair and follow the laws, which I'm sure you do. It only takes one person to make a difference, which I believe you can. Don't worry about people's preconceived ideas about you or your choice of work. I know how hard it is to find a job in this economy. You've got to pay your bills and eat. :)

Looking around this forum, and based on the debt collectors I tend to see in my practice, I'm not sure a clean record and honesty are necessarily desirable qualities for a debt collector.

Sam, I myself have dealt with both kinds.

When dealing with PCB for the debts related to my car accident, and dealt with a wonderful lady named Marina. She never once demanded anything from me. She asked when I could pay, and I said, "When State Farm pays me." She asked when she should contact me next. I told her, and she called me only then. If I heard anything new, I'd call her and kept her posted. She was terrific to deal with. Then I've dealt with the bad ones as well.

Don't lump them all together. There are the goods along with the bad. We need to focus on the positive people and hopefully the few good ones will rub off on the bad ones.

I'm not surprised they are ex-cons. I find them to be a joke, to think they believe I am going to be intimidated by a faceless person on the other end of the line babbling out of control and threatening to have me arrested. Any credible collector would not behave or operate in that manner.

Amen, Jessi! I've dealt with collectors who called and chatted with me for an hour about life in general, my kids, my family, and what had caused me to be late in the first place...and commiserated and made arrangements I could work with. And I've dealt with the bad ones too.

Isn't it a little unnerving how much of our personal information convicted felons have access to; i.e., SS #'s, bank information, addresses, etc.

Beauty1217 - I hope you are continuing to try to find work that brings you peace and happiness as you move forward with your life.

I thought the same thing also. They have already been convicted of a felony and these companies are allowing them access to our most personal info. Scary.

Mocha, According to Pedro in the anydaycash thread I am on the verge of being a felon. LOL I am changing my name to Juan Valdez

Juan, Are you gellin like a felon?

Wish I was. Just waiting for our guest. Maybe she is busy tonight.

I'm up and ready for our guest too!! :D

I even had a small soft spot for "Carlos Santana" from Arrow. I asked him for an autograph, but he wasn't amused...lol But he was very fair. A pain in the neck, but fair.

The thing is, is if they call and act high and mighty stick to your guns. These guys work off of commission. I know this for a fact, because when I called to set up my last Arrow payment, I told them the date to debit it, and Carlos wasn't there. The guy I talked to said, "Are you sure you can't pay by Friday? I think Carlos would like it for the end of the month." (He prob. needed it for his bonus.) I said, "No, I'm sorry..X date is all I can do..

There are the jackasses that call and threaten. Best thing to do is report them. You can take them to small claims court as well...$1,000 for every violation. And if they don't show up, that is a default judgement on THEM. It costs around $50 to file. you can claim usually up to a certain amount..In Ohio I think it's around $3,000 max. Probably a lot more than they are slobbering over us to get with their illegal tactics. Let these agencies get a few judgements against them, and watch them change their tunes.

Very well said once again Jessi. Also waiting for those payday companies to get a few judgements against them to. God knows they break every rule they can. KYSIDE38

I'm in a mood tonight...I went to the Dr. today for my cold, and this medicine they gave me has me feeling a little feisty? Anyone want to fight? LOL :)

Beauty--I would really like for you to share some of what you've learned during your job. How long have you been in the industry?

"Juan, Are you gellin like a felon?" - - This made me spit my tea on my monitor!

Stick around Jessi, you will have fun when the witching hour hits. Our favorite Guest usually arrives around then and loves to fight!

Heck with him/her. Not even worth the time it takes to argue with them..

I have to leave in a bit, I'm going to go spend some time with my sweetie. I've been sick the past couple of days, so I've been quarantined (I'm sure I spelled that wrong) and I need some luvins. :)

"Juan, Are you gellin like a felon?" - - This made me spit my tea on my monitor!

LOL Mocha. At least it wasn't on your keyboard. Then you'd have to buy a new one...:)

First off, I have a sister who used to collect--and my feeling is that no job would stand between me feeding my kids or not. I would even work a corner if I had to, so I don't fault anyone for having to do it.
And Beauty, I know how you feel. I was almost fired at a job for paying Home Health Aides 10 dollars an hour for visits. I was told to lower it $7 and I stood up to my boss and said that wasn't going to happen. Sometimes you have to do the right thing, so I am proud of you. Did you appeal the Unemployment ruling?

Actually Jessi, it takes a little more than one. One is a great start, but it takes about 17% to make a change.

Yes - 17%. Research was done, and if 17% are committed to making a change, it will happen. It's called "the tipping point" and was in a book of the same name.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipping_Point

I have to agree with just about everyone,, it is hard to admit you have a bill that you cannot pay, and yes, there are bill collectors that will do anything to get you to pay your debt, there are circumstances that prevent us from paying our debts,(I can attest to that over and over) but just as the phone call from a telemarketer at dinner time, we all need to survive somehow and whether you are a debt collector/telemarketer or even a door greeter at Walmart, we really need to sit back and take a look at the big picture, these people are really just like anyone,,,, trying to make a living,,, trying to feed and clothe their children and they have resorted to the only means they can to do exactly what we all are and that is to "survive" I am not trying to defend any career, I am just saying cut everyone some slack,, you dont know their life, you dont know their background, you dont know when you get that "call" who's on the other line,,, they are just working for someone to survive! I am not a debt collector nor do I hand out carts at Walmart, but I seriously believe we are all in our occupation to "survive" I love my job,, I dont do it for fun,, I would prefer to have a money tree in my back yard,,but I don't and that is why I am in the position I am in,,, I deal with telemarketers and bill collectors daily and I guess until I know they OWN the company I owe money too or they are so nasty to me that I know deep down they are the children of the devil, I have accepted that I have made mistakes and they are just doing their "JOB" thanks for listening,,,just my opinion, and I still hate the phone calls.!!!

while not all collectors are evil please do not assume that all felons are bad people also. You would be surprised by how many are walking amongst you people who are so freakin perfect that your nose bleeds on a daily basis. Also isn't convicted felon" a play on words because don't you have to be convicted to be a felon, just curiuoys

Not convicted felon isn't a play on words. And let's not get started on convicted felons please, this discussion was started about collectors and their tactics, not felons.

GOOD MORNING AMERICA

I am glad you all have a little more insight. I never wanted to cause any drama..I am just glad I can give you all something to think about.