Karen
Hi,
My family is in a very bad but hopefully temporary financial situation. We are currently getting lots of calls from collectors (for legitimate debts). Most have stuck to the routine of asking if I can make a payment and explaining potential outcomes if I say I cannot make the requested payment at that time.
But today I got a call from a new person on a particular account. After we went over all of the same info. I've told three other people, she asked if I have asked family or friends for help. I told her we are already receiving help, that family members are paying our health insurance so we don't lose it. She persisted, asking if anyone we know has a credit card with a credit limit large enough to take on our debt. I said even if we knew someone who could, I didn't feel that it was the responsibility of our friends or family to pay for our debts.
She then started raising her voice and lecturing me on how I need to quit "playing around" and come up with the money, period. When I told her not to lecture me, she only raised her voice more. At that point, I stopped listening to her words. I asked if I could speak with her manager. She asked why. I said that I understand I owe money and I understand that she can tell me that the creditor may take X,Y,Z actions if I don't pay the amount they are asking for right now (we are making minimal "gesture" payments), but that I didn't think it was her place to lecture and yell at me. She continued ranting. I said, "Will you transfer me to a manager, yes or no?" When she refused to answer, I hung up. I was in tears. I called back to make a complaint. The man I spoke with said he would "make a note," but when I asked for his name, he hung up.
I started searching online for ways to make a complaint about a debt collector and found this forum. Thanks to it, I also found a copy of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. I believe the actions of the collector could be considered harassment under the act, but the Web page I found says nothing about making a complaint. It is housed on the FTC's site, which allows for online complaints. As yet I have not made one.
Am I wasting my time? I can't prove what happened on the call. I don't want to sue or try to get out of my debt because of this. I just want the collection agency to know about the actions of their employee or representative (that she might be reprimanded or fired), and a regulatory agency (if there is one) to get a copy of my complaint. Does anyone have any suggestions or experience with this?
Also, I have learned from this site and the FDCPA that I can send written notice to the collector not to call. But what do I do if they call again (and how do I prove it)?
Thanks in advance for any help, and if not, just for providing me an outlet. It's hard enough being in the situation that we are in without some stranger berating me and accusing me of not taking it seriously.
My family is in a very bad but hopefully temporary financial situation. We are currently getting lots of calls from collectors (for legitimate debts). Most have stuck to the routine of asking if I can make a payment and explaining potential outcomes if I say I cannot make the requested payment at that time.
But today I got a call from a new person on a particular account. After we went over all of the same info. I've told three other people, she asked if I have asked family or friends for help. I told her we are already receiving help, that family members are paying our health insurance so we don't lose it. She persisted, asking if anyone we know has a credit card with a credit limit large enough to take on our debt. I said even if we knew someone who could, I didn't feel that it was the responsibility of our friends or family to pay for our debts.
She then started raising her voice and lecturing me on how I need to quit "playing around" and come up with the money, period. When I told her not to lecture me, she only raised her voice more. At that point, I stopped listening to her words. I asked if I could speak with her manager. She asked why. I said that I understand I owe money and I understand that she can tell me that the creditor may take X,Y,Z actions if I don't pay the amount they are asking for right now (we are making minimal "gesture" payments), but that I didn't think it was her place to lecture and yell at me. She continued ranting. I said, "Will you transfer me to a manager, yes or no?" When she refused to answer, I hung up. I was in tears. I called back to make a complaint. The man I spoke with said he would "make a note," but when I asked for his name, he hung up.
I started searching online for ways to make a complaint about a debt collector and found this forum. Thanks to it, I also found a copy of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. I believe the actions of the collector could be considered harassment under the act, but the Web page I found says nothing about making a complaint. It is housed on the FTC's site, which allows for online complaints. As yet I have not made one.
Am I wasting my time? I can't prove what happened on the call. I don't want to sue or try to get out of my debt because of this. I just want the collection agency to know about the actions of their employee or representative (that she might be reprimanded or fired), and a regulatory agency (if there is one) to get a copy of my complaint. Does anyone have any suggestions or experience with this?
Also, I have learned from this site and the FDCPA that I can send written notice to the collector not to call. But what do I do if they call again (and how do I prove it)?
Thanks in advance for any help, and if not, just for providing me an outlet. It's hard enough being in the situation that we are in without some stranger berating me and accusing me of not taking it seriously.