What if they called my neighbor and asked them to have me call them?

Question

One such stupid jerk called my neighbor across the street and asked them if they knew me and had them take his stupid PH # and to please forward the mssg to me. Can you believe the balls this A hole has? Is this legal? Can I get him in trouble? This is so embarrasing to me bcz my landlord was notified. This is totally driving me nuts and what am I supposed to do?

Ok here's the whole story. I do owe 2 credit cards but I'm so broke I can't afford to pay them, I have my college tuition as well, plus my monthly bills, car, utilities, food, etc. I am in debt, I admit it. The law agency found my neighbors address and Ph # in the phone book bcz it was close to my address. He asked them if they knew me and forwarded a callback mssg for them to give to me. My landlord lives upstairs and he was given the mssg to hand over to me. There's nothing fishy about this. My landlord gave me the mssg and I knew what it was from the getgo. It's just embarrasing to for me to go through this crap. All the phone calls at all hours of the day, I'm sick of hearing that friken phone ring and now this? My neighbors and landlors have to be involved? It's totally crazy for the bill collectors to call my neighbors. I dont even know the neighbors! Anyhows I just want to know what recourse do I have? I filed a complaint with the BBB, what else should I do?

Answer 1

Well he didn't harass you specifically. I would make a report to your local police department and keep it on file so if anything else were to happen there is legal documentation of ongoing abuse/harassment.

Answer 2

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act severely limits the things that a bill collector can do when collecting a debt. This includes, (but isn't limited to) contacting third parties, not related to you, about your debts.

If you have a working telephone, and the collector in question knows your telephone number and/or has called it in the past, then they have probably violated the law by asking your neighbors to have you contact them. They are essentially notifying your neighbors of the debt, which is considered an absuive practice.

Your recourse it three-fold:
1) You may send written notice to the debt collector that they are to cease any and all communication with you. You need to do this by certified mail, return receipt requested, so that you can prove later that they received it.
2) You can also file a complaint against them with the federal trade commission. www.ftc.gov for more information.
3) You may also have an action against them in federal court. If they are making this a practice and doing this to other people, it could be a class action. For that and analysis, you would need to consult an attorney.

For more information, consult an attorney licensed in your state. If you don't know an attorney, contact your local bar association for a referral.

Answer 3

You questoin was not clear at all but If you are saying a collectoin agency called your neighbor and had them get a message to you you can try callin gyour states Attorney General s Office and ask if you have any recourse.

But these pople know thier stuff and as long as they did not let the people know they were a collectoin agency then you may not ahve a leg to stand on but do check into it.

Answer 4

Was this a bill collector? Or just a friend trying to get a hold of you.?

If it was a bill collector that yes it is illegal for them to contact your neighbors to get a hold of you . No they will not go to jail but if it keeps up them can lose their job. If it was a bill collector put in a little that they are to never call your neighbor again to get a hold of you.

If it was a friend of someone you know that was trying to find you then you also need to tell them that they should not call on your neighbors to find you.

It is considered harassment.

Answer 5

A bill collector did the same thing to my son.If it isn't harassment it is boarderlining it.The next time that happened, the neighbor came over to our house with her phone and she was mad,my husband took the call and yelled at them,telling them that it was harassment and they quit calling after that.Bankruptsy works too if you can get money to file one.

Answer 6

If you are speaking of the police, they are not suppose to get others involved. How does anyone know you got the message from the neighbor? I would ignore it and tell that I never received the message unless they have witnesses. If they spoke to your landlord, why did he tell the landlord to give you the message. Sound corny to me.

Answer 7

Look, here's all you need to do. Send them what's called a "drop dead" letter. Write the companies you are blowing-off and tell them to stop contacting you. By law they must stop. Of course, they will most likely take you to court, but at least you won't be bothered by any more calls.

Answer 8

do you not have a phone?
your neighbor can say no if he/she wanted to.
how did he get their number?
if your neighbor feels harassed, then have them file a report.
is it someone you met in a bar? why was the landlord notified?
we need more info.

Answer 9

i like it. they call you and you you notice from caller id that somebody calls from this # many times and never leaves a message and you know it is from somebody who you owe money to. the credit card company is trying to embarrass you into paying your debt. but also they are trying to teach you what yo momma never did.