RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (Full Version)

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bluestone -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/7/2008 12:56:06 PM)

I am sure that is part of it.

I guess I will have to change my number, have it unlisted, alert everyone else I know, and it is going to be a hassle.[>:]



solomonsprayer -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/8/2008 1:51:06 PM)

Hi bluestone, [:)]

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. That definitely sounds like no fun! [:(] (I would definitely recommend a talk with the brother!)

On the positive side, debt collectors have many limitations prescribed for what they can and cannot legally do. And so you have a lot of rights to get them to stop calling you, especially since you are not the debt holder.

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre18.shtm

The Federal Trade Commission (see link above) has a list of fair debt collection practices and what is allowed and illegal for debt collectors to do. I would familiarize myself with the main rules and make sure the debt collectors are not breaking any of them. If so, you can cite their breach of legality when they cross the line. ...Feel free to save recordings of their messages or any other evidence of their breach of legality (for example, you may ask to record your phone conversations with them or perhaps have all communication done in writing), so that you can pursue legal recourse if deemed necessary.

Mostly, do not let them harass you beyond what is legal and also let them know you are not the debt holder. I believe there is a very easy and structured process to have debt collectors stop contacting you if you are not the debt holder that the FTC guidelines talk about. It may be as easy as sending them a letter of explanation and they will have to stop contacting you.

I hope this helps and best wishes on everything! [sm=angel.gif]



GregandJenny -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/8/2008 3:40:09 PM)

quote:

Mostly, do not let them harass you beyond what is legal and also let them know you are not the debt holder. I believe there is a very easy and structured process to have debt collectors stop contacting you if you are not the debt holder that the FTC guidelines talk about.


Good Advice. However the main problem seems to be about the brother. Can something be done about him?



MrsTracy72 -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/8/2008 4:33:06 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: bluestone


I suppose I will have to pony up and pay a lawyer, but was wanting to avoid that. [:@]





You don't need a laywer. I think that in most states, a collector is allowed to call ONCE a day. But if you do not owe the debt and your brother doesn't live there, then you telling them that they have the wrong number should be enough to make them stop. But if they won't, then you have to tell them to get a manager and explain to that manager what is going on and that you and your brother do not talk, and you didn't know he was using your phone number, but that you are formally requesting that they note his account NOT to call you and delete your number as it is incorrect.

They cannot tell you that if you don't hand over his phone number they will keep calling you. They can't do that. How do they know you are related anyway? All you have to do is tell them that it is the wrong number and to stop calling. And if they are lenders who are calling, they are regulated by someone. We have a consumer protection agency and they assist in matters of that nature.

You can't stop him from writing your phone number down, but you can tell the collectors that they have no legal right to call you since you did not make the debt, cosign for the debt, and the debtor does NOT live there and lied about his phone number.

Does he have a cell phone? When my ex husband's bill collectors would call me, I got fed up and gave his cell phone, work phone, home phone, wife's cell phone and every other number I could. That pretty much ended all calls to me.



GregandJenny -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/8/2008 4:48:22 PM)

quote:

They cannot tell you that if you don't hand over his phone number they will keep calling you. They can't do that. How do they know you are related anyway? All you have to do is tell them that it is the wrong number and to stop calling.


I agree. This has happened to me and my wife and is currently happening again. The problem is when they get new debts. My assumption is that the brother is probably STILL using the phone number. Which is why he needs to be dealt with.



bluestone -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/8/2008 5:38:07 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: MrsTracy72






You don't need a laywer. I think that in most states, a collector is allowed to call ONCE a day. But if you do not owe the debt and your brother doesn't live there, then you telling them that they have the wrong number should be enough to make them stop. But if they won't, then you have to tell them to get a manager and explain to that manager what is going on and that you and your brother do not talk, and you didn't know he was using your phone number, but that you are formally requesting that they note his account NOT to call you and delete your number as it is incorrect.

They cannot tell you that if you don't hand over his phone number they will keep calling you. They can't do that. How do they know you are related anyway? All you have to do is tell them that it is the wrong number and to stop calling. And if they are lenders who are calling, they are regulated by someone. We have a consumer protection agency and they assist in matters of that nature.

You can't stop him from writing your phone number down, but you can tell the collectors that they have no legal right to call you since you did not make the debt, cosign for the debt, and the debtor does NOT live there and lied about his phone number.

Does he have a cell phone? When my ex husband's bill collectors would call me, I got fed up and gave his cell phone, work phone, home phone, wife's cell phone and every other number I could. That pretty much ended all calls to me.


Okay, I HAVE DONE ALL OF THE ABOVE. They STILL CALL. They harrass. They call constantly. I have done everything recommended here and they are still calling.

One told me they they will use any infornation they can get to collect a debt, and since my number is the only one they have, they will continue to call.

They know I am kin to him as they can run old addresses of his and see where we lived at the same one when we were growing up. I ran his name on google, and saw his listed at our parent's old house, along with mine and other sibings.

The better business bureau did get the bad check place to stop calling, but I had to file a complaint and it went on for a long time. They were local.

and if he had a work number, cell phone, etc. rest assured I would rat him out in a heartbeat.

I did give a couple of places phone numbers for the police dept. as being his.

Thanks, everyone, for your imput, but there really seems to be no solution except legally. These bottom feeders don't care if the break the law or not.



relady -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/9/2008 2:40:13 AM)

You need to send these companies a cease and desist letter. Once they get this they are required by law to not call you again except to let you know what they intend to do (which is nothing cause it ain't yer bill, lol). If they call after they get this letter, turn them in. These guys are flat out breaking the law - which collectors do on a regular basis - and they need to be stopped. Yes, it will be time consuming and a hassle, but if we don't stand up to them no one will. Report them to your state's attorney general, report them in writing and send a copy of the letters to the collection firm. Send them to the President of the firm. Do whatever you have to. And by all means use call blocking. It will stop the calls for a while at least. Then you just keep updating the blocking.

I have a cease and desist letter that I can email you if you want to PM me your email address.



GregandJenny -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/9/2008 9:15:38 AM)

^^^

She doesn't know who they are, unfortunately or it seems she doesn't.



relady -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/9/2008 10:47:17 AM)

Well bill collectors are notoriously loathe to let you know who they are, yet they want you to give them your credit card number, lol. She will need to take the time to actually talk to these people and get the names of the companies, addresses and so forth. However, my experience has also shown that lots of these companies use bots to do the dialing and talking and want YOU to call THEM back. If it wasn't so infuriating and frustrating it would be funny. If she doesn't know who they are she's going to have to spend some time finding out - another hassle, I know, but she really doesn't have a choice if she wants the calls to stop.



GregandJenny -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/9/2008 12:32:00 PM)

quote:

If it wasn't so infuriating and frustrating it would be funny. If she doesn't know who they are she's going to have to spend some time finding out - another hassle, I know, but she really doesn't have a choice if she wants the calls to stop.


I agree.

Bluestone does your brother still use your phone number?



MrsTracy72 -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/9/2008 9:24:54 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: bluestone



Okay, I HAVE DONE ALL OF THE ABOVE. They STILL CALL. They harrass. They call constantly. I have done everything recommended here and they are still calling.

One told me they they will use any infornation they can get to collect a debt, and since my number is the only one they have, they will continue to call.
[


Then you ask for a manager and let them know that you will be filing chages since you did not cosign anything, nor does your brother live there, and you have been more than cooperative since you owe them nothing.


quote:

ORIGINAL: bluestone
They know I am kin to him as they can run old addresses of his and see where we lived at the same one when we were growing up. I ran his name on google, and saw his listed at our parent's old house, along with mine and other sibings.
[


Check your laws and see if they have the right to do this. If you have a consumer protection agency, they will not only be able to tell you the laws, but also give you the statutes and all that goes with it. Sometimes just being able to state what you know is enough to stop the calls. And keep up with the BBB, but all Collections agencies are regulated. If you can find out who in your state regulates them, you can report to them instead of the BBB. They cannot tell you that because you are related, they are going to keep calling you. I think that in most states, that is illegal.



quote:

ORIGINAL: bluestone
I did give a couple of places phone numbers for the police dept. as being his.

[


That is funny. Do you have kids? Let them talk. And if they do call and you don't have kids around, put the phone down and leave it there for a few minutes. Oh, and get an AVON book or some sort of direct sales catalog and when they are talking, interrupt them and try to sell them on some stupid product. They will hang up if you keep talking over them. Also, get a tracer put on your phone from the police dept. Usually you have to first call your phone company. Tell them you are getting harrassing phone calls, then you can track how many times they call. After they are told to stop calling by the local PD, they will be ticketed if they keep calling.



MrsTracy72 -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/9/2008 9:28:59 PM)

I used to work in collections and I can't believe these companies are wasting their time when they know they are going to get nowhere with you. What they are supposed to do is note the account that you are a relative who doesn't have his current info and then move on. They work off of commission, so the more they collect, the more they get. The longer you keep them on the phone, the more you waste their time, and the less they collect from other people. Talk about the weather and your dog and your kids and how you are having a bad hair day. What you did with your friends the other night, the wonderful dinner you are cooking. Anything. Once they get the message that you are not going to help them and are no longer angry that they are calling, they will stop. They do feed off of that. It sounds weird, but it is a whole different world in a collections area. I worked in one for three years. But bottom line, they need the info to collect. If you waste their time, they lose out on money.



Ps103 -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/9/2008 10:17:46 PM)

Or sing them some show tunes[8D]



dianetavegia -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/15/2008 10:57:45 AM)

I'm getting weekly calls for a Melissa Watkins, who gave out our number when she got credit. I've tried and tried to get these people to remove my number, I think it's done and another calls come within a week.

I don't even know anyone by that name.....



bluestone -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/15/2008 11:03:08 AM)

Diane,
I finally got a whistle I keep by the phone. If I am home and answer, and it is a bill collector, I blow the whistle in the phone as loudly as possible. It has not stopped the calls, but I am not as stressed about the calls as before.[;)]



BlueAdept -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/15/2008 11:45:16 AM)

Bluestone,
Becareful blowing a whistle in the phone, that could be considered a crime. If you damage their hearing, they could sue and that would get ugly.



dianetavegia -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/15/2008 9:05:22 PM)

Maybe I'll give the phone to the two year old daycare child. She likes to pretend to talk on the phone......... Or I could witness to them.



relady -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/16/2008 12:01:16 PM)

I'm getting calls for a guy I've never heard of either. It's very frustrating. I've blocked the numbers that I can, but I can't even manage to find out who it is that's calling because so far they've all be automated calls - which should be against the law IMO.



bluestone -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/16/2008 6:33:31 PM)

I agree, relady. besides my deadbeat brother, I had some person randomly write my phone number on a bad check they wrote to a liquor store.[8|]

I had dinner guests over one night, including the pastor and an evangelist and their wives. The evangelist had preached a sermon on the evils of alcohol the night before, and as we were chatting before dinner, the answering machine picked up a call, and it was "Dan, from Centerville Bottle shoppe, wanting to know when you plan to pay off this bad check you wrote for five cases of beer"[:@]


awkward to say the least, and after dinner, at the service he preached on financial integrity. [:o]


fortunatly the liquor store guy had said that the message was for Joe Smith, so I tried to explain.
Don't think they believed me, however.



Brandy -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/17/2008 10:19:44 PM)

Turn the volume down your answering machine.

I get calls for weeks every 6 months for the lady who had my number before me.

My voicemail now says:

"This is NOT the voice mail for Jane Doe, John Doe or any of their relatives. If you leave a message I will consider it harassment. If you continue to call I will consider that harassment and contact my lawyer. If you'd like for me to get back to you via my lawyer please leave your number"

One person actually left a number.. I called them and they were an attorneys office!! She said they were looking for Jane Doe, I told her that I had this number for x amount of time and I was not Jane Doe. She apologized and said her office would not be calling again but that I should draft a cease and desist letter and when other places called and I answered to ask for a manager and get their address. If they left a msg do the same thing. If I saw a number on caller ID that I thought was them I'd call them back, get their address and send the letter.

I haven't received a call in a very long time.



ColoradoLady36 -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/19/2008 7:35:20 AM)

Brandy--That's a great idea about changing my answering machine message to something like that. Thank you.

This is so sad that we have to get harassed like this. I get calls all the time for some lady, that I have no idea who she is. I have told them a zillion times, that I have no idea who she is and to stop calling me. Grrrrr, very frustrating.

I have heard that if you receive one of those calls from bots that you can click on #### about 10x and it will kick your number off of the system. I am not sure if it works, but I am desperate about now. One of them is from something called Education assistance, though when I pick up the phone no one is there. I don't know about you, but I really don't like 'ghosts' on the other end of the line...lol. Oh and they have about 5 numbers now too. Thinking I am gonna try that ### thing.



GregandJenny -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/19/2008 9:54:50 AM)

quote:

I have told them a zillion times,


Is it always the same people calling? When I was getting (and still get calls) for a certain couple it's almost a;ways a new group. In fact the folks that used to have this number still use it. I have even had places call and thank me for coming in today and they look forward to seeing me again. Some people just decide that it's better to be deceptive and use their old phone number.

G



bluestone -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/19/2008 10:00:04 AM)

when he writes a new batch of bouncing checks, they Won't stop calling. we have had some very ugly conversations. The better business bureau did step in when I filed a complaint, but every other month or so it happens again.

I get a variety of calls.

now I am getting calls from a skydiving club for someone I have never heard of. They are having a jump this Saturday[8|]



GroupW -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/19/2008 10:10:45 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: bluestone

when he writes a new batch of bouncing checks, they Won't stop calling. we have had some very ugly conversations. The better business bureau did step in when I filed a complaint, but every other month or so it happens again.

I get a variety of calls.

now I am getting calls from a skydiving club for someone I have never heard of. They are having a jump this Saturday[8|]


At least on the last call, you can tell them to go jump .... and they'll actually do it!



MrsTracy72 -> RE: My brother's bill collectors call me! (8/19/2008 10:11:19 AM)

Before you hire a lawyer and spend alot of money, find out who their regulating agencies are and go to them for advice.

While they are calling and any info obtained is used to collect a debt, you are not the person who owes the debt so they are not to be collecting any info on you unless you are a cosigner on the account.

You can also have a lawyer draft a letter telling them to stop and that is cheaper than litigation. The best lawyer to contact would be a bankruptcy lawyer because they know all of the collection laws and how to get around them. Even if you need to pay a consult fee, you do not need to take this any further than a letter and with the help of the agencies that regulate collection laws in your state, you should not even need a lawywer. They can't hide the info from you, and the also don't like to know that collectors are not following the laws.

And again, collectors don't like to have their time wasted so they should stop calling you when they figure out that they are not going to get anywhwere with you.



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