what can I do about harassing bill collector phone calls?

Question

I don't have account with the compay my son does. I have asked them not to call my house because my son no longer lives with me. I also have asked my son to handle this matter. If I knew where my son work I would give them his phone num. at work.

Answer 1

Send the company a letter via certified and return-receipt requested mail demanding that the company immediately cease any and all attempts to telephonically contact your home for any person or reason whatsoever. Tell them that your son does not live with you.

If they continue to call you after they have received your letter, be sure to keep a log of the date and time of the call, as well as the name of the caller (or, if applicable, note that it was an automated call). If they persist in harassing you, consult a consumer law attorney as you may have a case for suing the collection agency.

Answer 2

I love the advice you have been given. Go ahead and follow it....and once you have told this guy you are going to call the BBB, Attorney general, phone company, police, lqwyers, and everyone else in the phone book....and when the bill collector stops laughing at you....then move on to this advice.

First find out exactly who is calling you. Is it the original creditor, or a collection agent, attorney, or a 3rd party bill collector.

Then read the link below about the Fair Debt Collections Act. You are going to war with this jerk, and you need to arm yourself. Knowledge of the law is your only weapon!

Note that in most states, this law does NOT apply to the original creditor. They can pretty much do whatever they want to collect the debt. If it makes you feel better, I can send you my list of favorite profanaty cusses you can throw at him the next time he calls. Might not do any good, but it sure makes me feel better.

But if this is a collection agent......WHOOO BABY! Inform your son about it, and have him send the collection agent a "cease and desist" letter. Once they receive this letter, they must quit all contact. By law, they can call you once in an attempt to locate where he is at. If you inform them you don't know, they can't call you again, unless they can prove that you were lying. And that's not likely.

If they violate the law, you have rounds to sue them in small claims court for $1000 every time they call, plus any damages it caused you.

The reason they harrass people is because you don't know the law! You are afraid to go up against them!

Trust me, it's easy. I've sued a collection agent and won $1200 for the trouble. I'm counseling others on how to do the same thing. Once the agent knows you mean business they will leave you alone.

But be warned, a cease and desist letter is what I call a "put up or shut up" letter. If the collector can't contact you any more, it could prompt them file a lawsuit. It will depend on how much you owe and where the collector is located at.

Good luck.

Answer 3

Most bill ocllectors use an automated dailer and if you tell one of them not to call because your son does not live there they probably just didnt take it out of the dialer. If they continue to call even after you have told them not to then you need to file an action against them.

Statr documenting the time and days of the calls. Make sure you tell them that you do not know how to get in touch with you son and that they are to not call again.

Answer 4

Tell your son not to use your phone no. for his references. I got those calls also until I made it clear to my kids to stop using my no. The collectors don't know if you are you or your son so they hang on like a bulldog. Contact the co. in writing and TELL them to stop. It is against the law in some places to be harrassed by ph. unless it is your bill. Tell your son to make only the bills that he going to pay and to be careful because someday he will care about his credit.

Answer 5

Contact the Federal Trade Commission, several offices, one in Atlanta for sure. They will send you a free booklet telling you how to stop this. Usually, once a creditor finds out they have been reported to the Federal Trade Commission for improper debt collection activities, you will not hear any more from them. If they persist, keep contacting the FTC, 2nd report, 3rd report, etc. and
SEND copies of your complaints to the FTC. to the creditor. You may even get a case worker assigned to you, if it is flagrant.

First of all, complain to the FTC and let the creditor know you have complained to the FTC. They'll stop, they don't want to hear this ! Tell them NEVER to call you again.

Answer 6

Yes, this definitely violates the FCRA! I used to work for a collection agency, and a lot of people don't know that most of their practices and phone calls are against the law. I would seriously document all the times they call including time of day and duration, and then take them to court.
Then you'll be the one calling THEM for YOUR money! Seriously, I wouldn't even say anything to them about them being reported unless you don't care about getting justice and suing them.
If all you want is for the phone calls to stop, gather all their information, reps name, company name/phone #/mailing address, and then advise them if you get one more phone call, you will be contacting your attorney concerning their violation of the FCRA.
Their calls are guaranteed to stop!

Answer 7

No, it has nothing to do with the FCRA ! It may be a violation of the FDCPA - Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

As far as your son sending the collection agency a cease and desist letter, that is one huge invitation for them to sue him. If the debt is valid and if it is within the SOL, then a C&D letter is dangerous. However, they should NOT be calling YOU to harrass you for his debt. Your SON needs to take care of HIS business. What YOU need to do is NOT talk to them, except to get their address and then you send them a letter telling them they are never to call YOUR home again.

Answer 8

Since you have advised them that your son no longer lives there, if they call again, tell them you are contacting the Better Business Bureau due to harassment because his debt is not your debt (unless you were a co-signer or something?)

Answer 9

Register your phone number with the government's National Do Not Call Registry. After doing so, they will stop in about 30 days.

Answer 10

bill collectors have no heart and most are mean. I have had them call for other people and then they said ok sorry...but the next day they would call back as if they had never called before. after about 4 days a person could go insane!!!!!. good luck.