Anyone ever heard of AS & Associates?
Date: Tue, 08/22/2006 - 10:10
This morning I received a phone call at work from a woman (she incoherently mumbled her name and I was too scared to ask her to repeat it) from a collection agency called AS & Associates. She stated that I had taken out a payday loan in July (that I remember) and that my bank account funds were insufficient and could not cover the payment of the loan. She was calling me to tell me that I had to come up with either a credit card payment of $312 (for the $260 loan) or a MoneyGram payment, or my file would go to county court, where they would charge me and I would "probably be arrested at work". I told her that I could pay it this Saturday (I am a Veteran and receive a Veteran's disability check, which is due to come this weekend). She said absolutely not, it had to be paid this afternoon. Then she told me to call up friends and relatives to see if I could get the money from them (fat chance). She also was VERY belittling, asking me if I ever graduated from college (when I told her no, but that I did have some college under my belt, she said "well, then you should get a better job and make more money"). I kept a calm, steady voice, but inside I was freaked out. Here's the strangest thing: she ended the call by practically SHOUTING "Good luck!" Very unprofessional, in my opinion.
I called my mom and also sent an e-mail to my lawyer who had helped me file my bankruptcy. I am very worried about the consequences of this. I have been trying to pay bills over the past few months, but I guess I forgot about this one. I don't even know if I received a letter about it, because I had just recently moved.
My question is: can they really put me in jail for this? Also, do they have the right to threaten and belittle me while I am trying to work? I have no idea how to respond to this person. I obviously cannot come up with the money today. I think this treatment is very unfair and unprofessional.
I called my mom and also sent an e-mail to my lawyer who had helped me file my bankruptcy. I am very worried about the consequences of this. I have been trying to pay bills over the past few months, but I guess I forgot about this one. I don't even know if I received a letter about it, because I had just recently moved.
My question is: can they really put me in jail for this? Also, do they have the right to threaten and belittle me while I am trying to work? I have no idea how to respond to this person. I obviously cannot come up with the money today. I think this treatment is very unfair and unprofessional.
Quote:can they really put me in jail for this? Also, do they hav
Quote:
can they really put me in jail for this? Also, do they have the right to threaten and belittle me while I am trying to work? |
Not at all! Use of such scare tactics is against the fdcpa laws. If you get some monetary help in filing a lawsuit against them, I will insiste you doing it. The company will have to pay you for the damages caused. Get a recording of their phone calls so that you can prove their illegal collections in the court. Check the laws of your state before recording the phone calls. Some states allow phone call recordings secretly while in other states, you have to take prior permission. I will also report the unfair and unprofessional treatment to the state AG's office and ask for immediate actions.
I will also try making arrangements with the original creditor if the file is still with them. If they accept your payment arrangements, you won't have to deal with such debt collectors attempting rude collections.
