collection agencies keeps harrassing me! What should I do?

Question

I had surgery in 2005 and the insurance paid for it yet they sent me to a collection agency. I got everything taken care of between the hospital and the insurance. I even sent them a signed letter from the hospital that the account is paid. Still getting letters and it's on my credit.

Answer 1

Ask the hospital, that put them on you, to call and tell them the account has been taken care of.

Answer 2

If all they are doing is sending you letters that would not be considered harrasement. However, if they refuse to report correct information that is a violation of the FCRA(Fair Credit Reporting Act), and you can file a suit against them for this.

But you must do certain items first. The first thing is to send the collection agency a letter stating that this debt was paid in full. Send this along with a copy of the statement from the hospital. In the letter state that by the FDCPA(Fair Debt Collection Practices Act) and FCRA(Fair Credit Reporting Act) they have 30 days to respond to you with proof that they have the right to collect this debt and that you still do owe it. Although with your proof of payment that will not be possible for them to do. If they do not then by law it must be removed from your credit report.

If they do not respond to you in 30 days you can then send a letter to the Credit Reporting Agencies stating they did not respond and the listing must be removed.

Be sure to send all of these letters by Certified Mail with return receipt. This way you have proof of the date you sent it, which is needed for the 30 day time limits.

Now, if the Collection Agency puts the item back on your report after it was removed or attempts to file a suit against you before they sent you proof that you still owe the debt you can file the suit against them for the violation.

Answer 3

Do a free consult with a lawyer (the first half hour or hour is free). They can write you a letter to the collections agency to stop them, for a nominal cost.

Also, contact your credit report and dispute the collection agency claim. If you've got proof of payment, the collection agency notation will be taken off.

Answer 4

I have been dealing with collections agency for many years. Do not pay; asked them to contact you by mail only. If they continue calling you after you told them to stop, you can sue them for harassment but, measure you get who, why, when, how and detail of the conversation for your notes. Do not deal with the collection agency. Dispute the information to the credit bureaus first and after they verify the information send a validation letter to the collection agency asking them to validate the debt. This is your right under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act of 1977 (FDCPA). If they can not validate the account they most remove from your credit or you can sue them for defamation of character. Contact me via email for further help if you wish to. Best of luck…..

Answer 5

Go see Citizens Advise ... and perhaps find a Solicitor ...

.. you could also reply along the lines of

"You have been sent proof that the alleged Debt has been paid in full. No further correspondence willl be entered into unless you agree to pay my normal Consultancy Fees.

Any further letter from yourself will be taken as acceptance of my fees and you will be charged as follows :-
1) To respond to any letter, £35 per response
2) For photo-copies of documents, £10 per page
3) To arrange duplicate signed Receipts, £100 per receipt"

Answer 6

babig---
if the debt has trully been paid..
-make one last copy of all the supporting documentation.
-Type a letter to the collection agency detailing that the debt has been taken care, and if they continue to contact you - you will file harrassment charges against them.
-Make sure you send this letter and the supporting documentation registered cerftifed - so they have to sign for it and you will receive proof back that they received it.
-make sure you keep a copy of all documentation and the letter for your files.
-next contact the three credit agencies ---ask that this credit agency be removed from your credit report (dispute it)...if it does not get removed...place a comment after it on the credit report...both of these options are your legal right!

---lastly, there is a law against this---so if they do not stop, i would visit a lawyer to see about filing a harrassment suit against them and damges for your messed up credit report.

I would also contact your telephone company and see if they have an option called "Selective Call Rejection" (usually *60)
you can input their phone # and it will be rejected...and not ring through...with this feature you are allowed (usuallY) up to 30 rejected telephone numbers.

good luck...and feel free to email me with any questions on how to accomplish any of the above.

:)

Answer 7

this one worked for me and my boys
1. tell them you were killed in a drive by last night and to stop calling
2. make a fake voice (sound spanish or like an elderly person) and tell them that they have the wrong number.

and then after doing that go to www.lexingtonlaw.com, they are a credit report company that disputes all negative accounts on your report. i have been a member for 6 months and they had about 15+ negative accounts taken off my report.

Answer 8

I had this happen. Listen to the 1st 2 answers. only the hospital and insurance can take it off your credit.

Answer 9

You need to need to get hold of someone in the hospital finance office. They are the ones who sent you to collections. They are the only ones who can get the dogs called off. If that doesn't work, then you should probably call the legal aid society.

Answer 10

i work for a collection agency and my advice to you if you feel you dont owe anything file a dispute. did they garnish your wages? did you pay voluntary ?i you were garnished they do charge fees for all that stuff and the sherrifs department keeps about 10% of they money deducted from your check.