I get called about 2-3 times a week by a machine with a recording which says "this is not a telemarketing call, you must call me by XX time, it is important that you call, etc.". I just hang up on it. Have the CA's become so lazy they don't even make their own collection calls anymore??? I've never received anything in the mail from these people..just the automated phone calls. I refuse to do business on the phone in this manner. Is there any danger to blowing these people off until I get something in the mail (assuming I ever do)? I'm not sure which account they are even calling me about, the message doesn't say.
The message can't say what account they are calling about. If you are curious, I would call from a pay phone. If you want to post the phone number, maybe one of us can call them and find out who it is for you . Also, they don't actually have to communicate with you in writing before they place on your cr. If it were me, I would call, get the info and fax off validation to them. Once they actually communicate with you on the phone, remember this: § 809. Validation of debts [15 USC 1692g] (a) Within five days after the initial communication with a consumer in connection with the collection of any debt, a debt collector shall, unless the following information is contained in the initial communication or the consumer has paid the debt, send the consumer a written notice containing --
The message CAN'T say what the account is from, or even that they're a collection agency. That would violate the law on third party disclosure. Have you reverse lookup'ed the number they left (and or does it show up on Caller ID) to see what collection agency this is? Until you talk to someone on the phone, or get a letter in the mail with the Mini Miranda, you can blow them off. The number they left had better be a toll free. If it's not, you need to get a recording of the entire message, then call it, and when you find out that it is a collection agency, SUE them for causing you to pay for the communication. § 808. Unfair practices [15 USC 1692f] 5) Causing charges to be made to any person for communications by concealment of the true propose of the communication. Such charges include, but are not limited to, collect telephone calls and telegram fees. If you have a modem set up on your computer, set it up to dial that 800 number all month while you're at work. Since they're annoying you with making your phone ring 2-3 times a week, annoy them. hehe I say ignore this, and they will eventually either call you with a live person (at which point you state everything in writing, and hang up), or send you a letter. They're obviously a bottom feeder CA who is trolling around looking for the right fool who will call them back and then get confused or scared on the phone and agree to pay. They might just move on after a few months of not getting a call back. I would hate to think they'd call you, paying a minimum minute for each call, several hundred times, costing them twice what they paid for the charged off account ChrisB
www.anywho.com by at&t, or even www.google.com can do a reverse lookup, just type the number into the search box, and it should tell you the name of the company that it is registered to, if it is listed. send them a validation letter with no account # since you do not know what it is, and were never provided with your rights to validation. if the number listed is toll free, you may have to call it ONLY FROM A PAY PHONE, since i don't think the reverse directory allows you to reverse for a toll free number. ask for the companys, name, address, etc, if they refuse to provide it without information from you, then hang up.
Buck, in most cases the abreviation will have any number of companies which match it. Is K, Kentucky, Kansas, Kimball (any other K last name)? Is C, Collections, Credit, Creditors (any C last name)? Is I, International, Incorporated, etc... The abreviation is just provided because they can't give out their full name because it seems that their full name would imply a collection purpose, so it'ld be an illegal third party communication if they gave out their full name without being directly asked about it.
