I just won a settlement against unfair credit practices by one agency. Another is in the works.
The one agency violated 5 Federal statutes - a $1000 penalty per statute violation. The other violated 3. Another 3. All on the same debt, that was sold for pennies on the dollar. When they called, I saved their messages on my answering machine. That's what nailed the biggest violator. The other's, sometimes I talked with them. Never admiting to the debt, but acting afraid and nervous while talking to them - I let them put the final nails in their own coffins.
The debt had been paid per agreement a couple of years ago. And yet, 4 collection agencies called me on it. One selling to the other after not being able to collect. The last ones were reasonable. But I did have my attorney write them a letter which included the statement that if they sold my account to another agency, I would sue them.
My advice:
Don't delete the harassing voice mails.
Get everything in writing - they won't anyway - they work by verbal
harassment.
Keep a notebook by your phone, and take notes if/when you speak with someone.
Get their name.
Get their supervisors name.
Take down the date and time of the call. Take down their phone number and address.
Take notes on the verbage they're using to harass you with.
If they call you at work, inform them that this is your place of work, to end the phone calls there.
If they don't stop calling you at work, inform your supervisor. The company will take legal action against them.
Take all of this to an attorney.
The attorney will get a cut of your settlement, but it's well worth it to end the harassment.
The biggest offender started all their messages that there was a lawsuit against me in Chicago IL. I kept those voicemail messages - that nailed them good. I figured, if there's a lawsuit against me - I'm going to receive something in the mail from the courts - and I never did. They were bluffing and using that to threaten me. When I spoke with them on the phone, and they told me this, I asked them to repeat it - stupidly they did - I wrote it down word for word, got their name, the supervisors name, took the date and time of the call, got the name of the company and address of the company, and which debt they were calling about.
They settled with me for 3 times the amount of the original amount they were harassing me about.
Don't let them bully you.
Never admit to the debt. Never. As another poster stated, that will only start the clock again on the debt collecting process.
Check your credit ratings. Go to DaveRamsey.com and get your debts paid off. Chop up your credit cards. I don't have any, haven't had any for years. I'll never have another one again, not after my ex-husband and his games of credit card hop-scotch. Live debt free, and enjoy not having that monkey on your back. Live simpler, but smarter.
blessings, Shen
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