It all started about 3 years ago. I was in the army, and I had a barracks phone. Upon relocating (pcs) to Korea, I paid the bill, then asked for the phone to be disconnected. Somehow, there must have been a delay in the phone company disconnecting the phone. It remained on for about 30 days. In that 30 days, phone calls were made from that phone line by the NEW soldier who moved into my old room. (I don't even know their name). I was OUT OF THE COUNTRY. The bill totaled $55, and I never even knew about it until last year when I got out of the Army. Since then, I have been harrassed consistently by a collection agency for the money. They placed a negative entry on my credit report, but I did not make the phone calls. Disputing the debt with the credit agencies didn't help; they couldn't prove the debts weren't mine. I ended up paying the $55. The collection agency took forever to send confirmation, claiming they didn't know my address.( but they'd been sending me letters for a year)
2007-05-29 03:07:46 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Business & Finance ➔ Credit
The debt is STILL on my credit report even though the agency said they'd remove it in 30 to 45 days.
Whenever I call and ask for the manager, they hang up in my face, and refuse to let me speak with him. Who can I report these bastards to?
2007-05-29 03:09:13 · update #1
YSIC I've already done that. The account has been marked as paid. The problem is the collection agency told me they'd REMOVE it. They didn't. Whenever I call, they hang up. When I finally spoke to a manager (today) I told him the reps kept hanging up in my face. His response was:" I'm sorry your face hurts". Absolutely unprofessional and ridiculous. I just filed a complaint with the FTC. Hopefully, they can help.
2007-05-29 06:59:35 · update #2
Report any problems you have with a debt collector to your state Attorney General' s office and the Federal Trade Commission. Many states have their own debt collection laws, and your Attorney General' s office can help you determine your rights.
2007-05-29 05:27:08 · answer #1 · answered by Tom V 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
First, call the Dept. of Commerce in your city and they will send you the necessary forms to fill out and mail back to them. They will investigate the negative aspect that is on your credit report and they will let you know what they found out. If you want to file a complaint against the collection agency call the Attorney General for the state in which you live. Give them the name of the phone company and the number that you had. They can get the records from the phone company which will have the name of the new person that the service is listed to. I hope you have all the records that show that you no longer have the number. Let the Attorney General know that you are constantly being harassed and that they keep hanging up on you every time you call. You can also find out who the owner is being doing a Google search on the name of the collection agency. This will give you the name of the owner, vice-president and any other person affiliated with this company.
2007-05-29 03:19:45 · answer #2 · answered by Katherine R 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You would have to report the collection agency to the FTC. They are the only ones who regulate that area of the debt collecting industry. No one deserves to be treated like that.
NOW, you are actually barking up the wrong tree. I hate to tell you that, but it's true. The collection agency does not have the power to remove the debt from your report. It's unfortunate but true...we as consumers are responsible for following up with the credit bureaus in order to make sure that things are being updated as we pay them off. If you have a receipt from your $55 payment, make 3 copies and send those to all three credit bureaus. This should show sufficient proof that your debt has been satisfied. The accounts will not be removed, per se. But they will show as paid.
Good luck!
2007-05-29 05:48:32 · answer #3 · answered by YSIC 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Hi, I'm a credit education specialist. The only source's you can report this to would be the better business bureau. You can also contact the F.T.C. (Federal Trade Commision) which governs the F.C.R.A. (Fair Credit Reporting Act) and report that collection agency to them as well. I know its not really fair but, currently thats the only thing you can do. Good Luck
2007-05-29 03:15:35 · answer #4 · answered by monica83101 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can issue them a cease and desist order, and if they violate it, you can totally sue them. There is some great information at debtconsolidationcare.com on their forums. (I hope it's OK to refer to another site) There are real experts there that will tell you everything you need to know. Creditor harrassment is not cool, it is ILLEGAL, and you can most certainly fight it.
2007-05-29 03:12:27 · answer #5 · answered by Mrs. Maintenance 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋