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Outraged, please help

Submitted by on Sat, 01/04/2014 - 10:40
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Hi, I'm looking for some information on debt collection practices, whats legal and whats not. For over a year I have been harrassed by many different companies (most won't give me their information, trust me I've asked) for old debts I no longer owe or debts I am in the process of working out. These people have called me at work, home and now I've really got trouble. Last month I quit my job for personal reasons( I left on good terms I gave a months notice), I get a phone call from my mom saying that a guy had called her telling her that I had been fired from my job and that we had been dating and I owed him thousands of dollars, we had a date set up but I never showed and he wondered what happened to me. This put a huge red flag up because this person clearly called my old place of employment and found I was no longer there and decided to find me through relatives. I also found out my parents have been recieving lots of these types of calls and now think I've been into illegal activity and owe alot of people money that I do not. How do I make this stop?! Please help!


Thank you! I will try and find out what I can. I just want these calls to stop and for my relatives and family to not be harassed for something they shouldn't be involved in.


Submitted by on Sat, 01/04/2014 - 12:57

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Hi and welcome. This sounds like you're being skip traced, This is where a collector, when they can't find you at the phone number they have for you, reach out and try to look for you at other numbers, saying they are your BFF and just wondered what happened to you, blah blah. I'm surprised that your neighbors weren't called as well. I took these calls all the time for field staff at a job I once had and busted several collectors that way.
With that being said, you have rights. Anyone who calls you saying that you owe money is obligated to provide you with what we call a Debt Validation letter, spelling out why you owe this money, hence validating the debt. You also have the right to ask for this and to tell the collector that without it, they will not get a dime from you.
You also have the right to not be called extremely early in the morning or late in the evening and to designate how they may contact you. If all you want is email, then they are obligated.
Tell your family and friends to notify you when they get these calls and to give you the numbers. Call the collector back and tell them without a DV letter, the issue is moot and they are not to contact you again. If they do, keep records and turn them in to law enforcement and the FTC.


Submitted by kscornell on Sat, 01/04/2014 - 12:18

kscornell

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