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General discussion about debt collector's aliases

Date: Mon, 03/13/2006 - 19:34

Submitted by Jedi Mistress Ari
on Mon, 03/13/2006 - 19:34

Posts: 2192 Credits: [Donate]

Total Replies: 41


Hi everyone,

I couldn't help but notice the general consensus in this forum that the use of aliases by collectors is dubious. I understand that such a tactic seems like hiding, but please allow me to defend the use of aliases.

They are legal in most states, in fact they are a requirement in California. There are legitimate and practical reasons to use one.

1. Some collectors have exotice names, like I do. They are a time-consuming mouthful, and a nuisance to have to repeat several times over the phone when leaving a message with someone hard of hearing. It is one of my personal pet peeves to have to repeat myself. So, using an easy to spell, two syllable name like Kyra came to be a lot more practical that having to repeat and eventually spell out Arielle. Even giving the name Ari has proven to be difficult. I remember at time at Protocol when I took a cell phone call that I knew was from a prospective employer, so I spoke in hushed tones, just getting my name across was an obstacle and it was really irritating me. The lady asked me who she was speaking to and I said "Ari", which then went back and forth with her going "Whaaaat? Arlene?" and me going "No, Ari" and her going "whaaaat? Irene" and me going "NO! AH-REE!".
In the end I didn't take that job because it was commission only, and anyone I have to repeat my name to more than twice clearly needs a hearing aid in my book.

2. You never know who is next in line for a call. Could be a high-school bully. I remember being a frequent recipient of atomic wedgies, name calling, and the rest of the whole high school nightmare. Right along with such an individual name. I knew that if I called someone I hated in high school, and used the name the knew me as, it would not go very well. I found a level of comfort not having to reveal myself.

3. Finally, ever hear of an exotic name that is so different it sounds like a pice of machinery, a body part, and is easy to make a joke out of? Well, that's my name! It sounds like machinery (antennae), and a body part (never mind!), and is dreadfully easy to make jokes out of! If I tried to build rapport with some belligerent miscreant only to have him fire off an extremely vulgar joke about my name, I would blow up and entirely forget the fdcpa. Some lines are just not to be crossed.

That should explain the convenience of aliases well enough! Some collectors hate their names and don't want to speak them, some collectors have exotic names that are difficult to pronounce take time to spell out, and some collectors just find them more comforting. The proper use of aliases is perfectly innocent. It changes nothing about the person.


Hi Ari, long time no see :0

Thanks for sharing this post with us. I guess sometimes we get so caught up in our situations that we don't think about the reasoning behind what the collectors do. :) It makes sense to me now!

And I think that Ari AND Kyra are pretty names :)

~Mary


lrhall41

Submitted by Mary on Tue, 03/14/2006 - 08:35

( Posts: 1344 | Credits: )


Ari

I remember back in my early college years (I'm really not that old), I worked for a travel agency that allowed you to use a different name. It was by choice, but I jumped to the oppurtunity to be someone else for 8 hours a day. You're right, having an exotic name can be fun, although my name wasn't exotic...it was sexy...haha!

Even television personalities use different names. I'm not saying all the actors do, but your own local newscastors. This is for their protection of course, as a male news anchor might do a news story that pisses off a local gang. Or there might be an attractive woman who gets stalked by a perve.

Changing names for work can be fun, as well as exciting. Paging John Doe, Paging John Doe


lrhall41

Submitted by Teleport on Tue, 03/14/2006 - 09:30

( Posts: 1388 | Credits: )


Quote:

I got my statement from Arrow, where i have been dealing with "Carlos"...He's changed his last name to Santana...
Okay first off Jessi, that is hilarious!!!!!!!!!! LMAO!!!

second off---
Quote:
You're right, having an exotic name can be fun, although my name wasn't exotic...it was sexy...haha!
Mikey---curiousity killed the cat, but now you have me curious--what was you 'other' name??? LOL


lrhall41

Submitted by imkimssister on Tue, 03/14/2006 - 11:27

( Posts: 1301 | Credits: )


Can't believe I just admitted my middle name...LOL...that used to be a running joke at my old work, everybody wanted to know my middle name, since I was so mysterious about it, and I wasn't budging! They even went to HR and BEGGED for it, even offered to pay money (it was a small company, so we were all friends like that) and they wouldn't budge either :)

~Mary


lrhall41

Submitted by Mary on Tue, 03/14/2006 - 14:35

( Posts: 1344 | Credits: )


I never liked my middle name either--especially when I was a little girl and would never tell anyone! so the fact that I mentioned it here is something. I don't know why though, its not like its bad or anything. weird. mary, how did you get 'sunray'?? I think its sweet. you're a sunray and a virginia one at that!!!
BTW your avatar keeps freaking me out, I keep thinking I see her eye blink..LOL


lrhall41

Submitted by imkimssister on Tue, 03/14/2006 - 14:40

( Posts: 1301 | Credits: )


Quote:

I had three aliases. I used names that were easy to pronounce so people wouldn't screw them up. A girl called here the other day and said her name was "Summer Meadows." I said...YEAH, RIGHT!!! lol


Oh yeah. I am a collector. I have been for a looooong time. I am currently between jobs because I got fired from my last job when I was sick and in the hospital. I am going to work for a COMMERICAL collections company now. I have been doing consumer collections for far too long. There is nothing wrong with the job...it's just the owners of these companies are insane. They push their collectors really hard, make them work crazy hours, put crazy quota expectations on them. The stress of my last job literally made my physically ill.


lrhall41

Submitted by beatlemyn02 on Tue, 03/14/2006 - 19:30

( Posts: 79 | Credits: )


sorry mary---I forgot the first name would be our middle name and the second name would be the name of the street we lived on. Duh huh! me asking you about your middle name being sunray. LOL :oops: blonde moment and I'm not blonde! sorry about that. (FOCUS SHIRLEY). Virigina is your middle name-how lovely!


lrhall41

Submitted by imkimssister on Tue, 03/14/2006 - 22:46

( Posts: 1301 | Credits: )


Haha, well I've had a couple drinks (the kids are asleep) so none of this thread really makes sense to me!! LOL

Virginia is a funky middle name...I was named after both of my grandmothers, can you tell?? Mary is not a very common name for a 26 year old these days :)

~Mary


lrhall41

Submitted by Mary on Tue, 03/14/2006 - 22:48

( Posts: 1344 | Credits: )


oh how sweet!!!! thank you!! :wink:
I am trying to get up now and get to bed. I made 58 posts today. I hit 900 last night (monday) and now tonight I am at 958. I'm tired but have 'restless leg syndrome' so its almost impossible to get any rest when its full blown like it is tonight. I'll see you all tomorrow! nighty night! shirley


lrhall41

Submitted by imkimssister on Tue, 03/14/2006 - 23:21

( Posts: 1301 | Credits: )


Quote:

Speaking of Aliases...

I got my statement from Arrow, where i have been dealing with "Carlos"...He's changed his last name to Santana...

Wow, I've heard of starving musicians...But I didn't think he was that desperate..lol


Humm I was dealing with the same guy at Smith and Associates out of Atlanta.

By the way, for anyone being contacted by Smith and Associates (Claiming to be a law firm), there are registered with the Georgia State Bar (there by ineligable to practice law in the form in Georgia) and are also not registered as a collection agency either. As with any bill collector, it pays to do a little research before responding. You should try to find out:
What the applicable law in your state is
What Licenses or registrations are required to collect or do business in your state.
What state they are based in or working out of.
DO they claim to be a Collector or Collections attorney?
What laws are applicable to them in their own state.
Most this information is easily found on the net with a google search.[/quote]


lrhall41

Submitted by LCW on Wed, 03/15/2006 - 05:32

( Posts: 1151 | Credits: )


Shirley, I have that restless leg problem too. It just always feels like the muscles need to be stretched and I can't seem to stretch them enough.

Some people really do take full advantage of having the name of their dreams! My first collections manager called herself Trinity Roman. Part Matrix, part Bible, way cool all over. When I went through the deciding process of my alias, I chose Kyra after actress Kyra Sedgwick in Secondhand Lions, one of my favourite movies outside of Star Wars. For my last name I chose Spencer, after a neighboring town where I grew up.


lrhall41

Submitted by Jedi Mistress Ari on Wed, 03/15/2006 - 13:17

( Posts: 2192 | Credits: )


Something else helpful, is to elevate your head and legs when you sleep..It takes pressure off your hips and lower back, and let's the blood circulate easier. It's weird at first if you're not a back sleeper, but you'll find you'll sleep a lot better not putting so much stress on your arms, hips and legs.

Sorry...I live here at my little mattress store...lol


lrhall41

Submitted by Jessi on Wed, 03/15/2006 - 13:45

( Posts: 3361 | Credits: )