Bank of America & Chase Settlement

They will not settle if you are not at least 90 days late and they also do not like when you are current with other accounts. I have had some creditors contact family members.

I know that it will take some time to get offers but how did they find out the family member contact info?

When you sign up they ask for the name of the closest family member not living with you. I'm sure they have other ways to find out. They called my wife's sister across the country and I never put her on any application.

They may try to call your home number, but if your husband is not on this debt and it is just yours, then they should be asking to speak with you. They should not discuss your account with anyone who is not listed on the account. However, you never can be sure that they will follow the rules. I don't know your situation but, I do know honesty is the best policy.

As far as settling your debt, they most likely will not do that until you are atleast 90 days or more behind in payments. You can try for a hardship program with them if you have had a hardship ie loss of income, illness, etc. With a hardship program they may give you a period of time that you don't have to make payments. If your finances will be much better at the end of the period, then that may be a good option. if you don't expect your finances to improve, you are just delaying a better course of action and probably will have more debt at the end of the hardship period..interest piling up. Your other option is to contact a debt settlement company. It is best to find a debt settlement company that has attorney who oversee your file.
Certified Financial Solutions

Your husband is going to find out when the cc company calls your house. They may not be able to discuss your account with him but they will certanly leave a message such as "...this is X calling for Scared in reference to her BOA account...please have her call...".

If I were you I'd fess up before he finds out some other way.

I had one creditor repeatedly call my elderly parents, over and over again, just for harassment. They live in a city three hours away, and I have not lived with them for 25 years. They worded their request to speak with me so that my mother was able to figure out it was a credit card problem.

A different creditor called a neighbor and told him I needed to call them right away, to discuss my credit card issues. They will not come right out and say it, but they will imply it simply to embarrass you. Because they call again and again and again, often every day and sometimes more than once a day, sooner or later your husband will know something is up.

That said, it's best just to come clean about it. I felt a great weight was off my shoulders when I told the people closest to me about the financial problems I was having. You may be surprised. I had a relative offer to lend me some money to settle one account with. Even if they can't help you financially, the moral support is important also. It's nice to have someone to talk it all over with.

As a general rule (as in-there are exceptions-maybe more these days due to the economy and banks balance sheets) original creditors do not make 3rd party contacts. 3rd party contacts are usually a method used by assignement collectors, whether still with OC or debt buyer.

3rd party contacts are for location purpose only. Referencing the purpose of the call, other than location, no matter how vague, is a violation.
3rd party contact in and of itself has often been found to be a violation, for the fact that they have your location and contact information on file, and perhaps even spoke with you last week, or called and heard your voice mail where you identified yourself etc...

It is best to log all collection contacts post charge off. In the current environmnet, OC recovery departments are not staffed well and assignments are being placed earlier than charge off. With this in mind, log all calls and collection attempts early on.

A recent article in a collection industry rag referred to 1 actions are on track right now to double yoy.

You have rights. So you cannot meet a financial obligation. That does not mean you should allow yourself to be the subject of 1. There is legal assistance for collection abuse. If you have been victimized, google up "FDCPA+lawyer".

This has been a public service announcement.............


Mileage may vary

The worst problems I had, with the creditor that called my parents, was indeed the original creditor - Advanta. But the other one that called my neighbor, you are right, it was a collection agency. But ANY creditor will call repeatedly in the beginning, and will probably get her husband on the phone eventually if they get ahold of the home phone number.

Chase called my brother regarding my account being passed due. I didn't put him on my application. But he does have a chase card as well (but his is never passed due)