Abuse From Debt Collectors

[pureinheart]

How old are these debts? Different states have different rules for how long someone can go after you, i.e. if it's four years and this debt was from five years ago, they are out of luck. That won't stop collectors calling because they buy bad debt and hope to get something. If it's past your state's time limit, what you absolutely want to avoid doing is offering to pay a small amount because that will reset the clock and you will be back on the hook. Not many people know about this "trick."

 

They are not that old...the one big one was only 4 mo in arrears and was trying to settle and they left a court thing on my fence. Am dealing with several different senerios here....have done research, but it is inconclusive as things are changing faster than I can keep up.

 

I guess repo/collections is big business now...which makes no sense due to the unemployment rate and people just don't have the money period.

[Axel Moses]

This isn't really going to be a helpful reply, but I can at least post to say I can relate to your situation. About eight years ago I went to college, and due to circumstances out of my control ( I ask that people please refrain from trying to lecture me and call me lazy, I am serious when I say they were OUT OF MY CONTROL ), I was forced to quit without notice, and was unable to even drive to the school any more. This left me with $13,000 worth of owed money in student loans. I went to school so I could get skills to get a job, but since school fell through, I was left in a job market that I could not find employment in. And ultimately it has ended in those eight years worth of being unemployed.

 

Debt collectors are relentlessly calling the places I used to live. And making threats to take my car, house, and garnish my wages. I'm only safe because they do not know where I am, and I do not have any of these things so they can not take them away from me. This has left a large problem in the fact that I am looking at immediately having my wages garnished if I ever manage to get a job. Not to mention the fact that, according to what the rumor is on the latest calls, my debt has gone up to $30,000. There is apparently a limitation on how many years they can come chasing after me, but apparently it hasn't come around yet.

 

All I can really do is wish you luck in this situation and hope you don't end up with relentless pestering that lasts up to a decade. -_- I'm sure it won't be that bad, though. Worst case scenario is you might be able to arrange some sort of pitifully low payment system. Since, from what I am told, people can pay off debt under their own terms under certain situations. Even if that term is, like, $10 a month or something. I know squat about law, though. So don't quote me on that.

 

And to the people that know and want the law to enforce onto me for being a thief and a scoundrel, no, I do not have $10 a month. I do not have a job. I can not get a job. I do not have a car. I do not have people willing to drive me to town to work. I do not have carpool buddies. My situation is different and not worth dragging out here.

[califnan]

Axel, It might be worth dragging out here.. There are many people on here who can give good advice and helpful thoughts on your situation..

 

A situation looked real bad just the other night .. A little girl had run out of funds for college and was homeless. She was online much of the night .. lined up an interview as a salaried live-in caregiver .. And the job was hers.. 30 hours a week and she is looking to still finish her college..

[califnan]

Axel, It might be worth dragging out here.. There are many people on here who can give good advice and helpful thoughts on your situation..

 

A situation looked real bad just the other night .. A little girl had run out of funds for college and was homeless. She was online much of the night .. lined up an interview as a salaried live-in caregiver .. And the job was hers.. 30 hours a week and she is looking to still finish her college..

 

-------------------

 

Axel - the thread was under "Personal Rants and Confessions" Subj: "At a really low point" by TigressA

[pureinheart]

This isn't really going to be a helpful reply, but I can at least post to say I can relate to your situation. About eight years ago I went to college, and due to circumstances out of my control ( I ask that people please refrain from trying to lecture me and call me lazy, I am serious when I say they were OUT OF MY CONTROL ), I was forced to quit without notice, and was unable to even drive to the school any more. This left me with $13,000 worth of owed money in student loans. I went to school so I could get skills to get a job, but since school fell through, I was left in a job market that I could not find employment in. And ultimately it has ended in those eight years worth of being unemployed.

 

Debt collectors are relentlessly calling the places I used to live. And making threats to take my car, house, and garnish my wages. I'm only safe because they do not know where I am, and I do not have any of these things so they can not take them away from me. This has left a large problem in the fact that I am looking at immediately having my wages garnished if I ever manage to get a job. Not to mention the fact that, according to what the rumor is on the latest calls, my debt has gone up to $30,000. There is apparently a limitation on how many years they can come chasing after me, but apparently it hasn't come around yet.

 

All I can really do is wish you luck in this situation and hope you don't end up with relentless pestering that lasts up to a decade. -_- I'm sure it won't be that bad, though. Worst case scenario is you might be able to arrange some sort of pitifully low payment system. Since, from what I am told, people can pay off debt under their own terms under certain situations. Even if that term is, like, $10 a month or something. I know squat about law, though. So don't quote me on that.

 

And to the people that know and want the law to enforce onto me for being a thief and a scoundrel, no, I do not have $10 a month. I do not have a job. I can not get a job. I do not have a car. I do not have people willing to drive me to town to work. I do not have carpool buddies. My situation is different and not worth dragging out here.

 

(((((Axel)))) your response is causing many tears for your sitch...I am so sorry. You know it's easy to judge, I found it very easy when my feet were not in those pair of shoes.

 

It's so easy for life to spiral down....we are all witnessing it daily, everyone, everywhere in some shape or form.

 

I know of horror stories concerning these student loans...one in particular started out at 30,000 and ended up to 197,000.

 

Actually I didn't know that student loans have an experation date...

 

Hey my nephew is in up to his neck in loans...well over 100,000...

 

Most of us need a miracle....your gonna get one Axel...

[Axel Moses]

(((((Axel)))) your response is causing many tears for your sitch...I am so sorry. You know it's easy to judge, I found it very easy when my feet were not in those pair of shoes.

 

It's so easy for life to spiral down....we are all witnessing it daily, everyone, everywhere in some shape or form.

 

I know of horror stories concerning these student loans...one in particular started out at 30,000 and ended up to 197,000.

 

Actually I didn't know that student loans have an experation date...

 

Hey my nephew is in up to his neck in loans...well over 100,000...

 

Most of us need a miracle....your gonna get one Axel...

 

Heh, thanks. ^^; I didn't mean to come in and muddle up your topic with my own sob story.

 

But yeah, the debt collection game is relentless. I know that they can't give breaks to people, though. One freebie here and suddenly everyone expects one. The problem is that this system really doesn't work in some situations. Bills are pushed up higher and higher, and somebody comes along and wants money from a family that can't even afford food. And breaks down into a organized crime-esque threat system where they basically say they are going to destroy their life if they don't pay up. No amount of explanation will drive them away. They are like vultures circling a dying person.

 

The student loan situation may never resolve for me. The fact I was told there was a limitation on it doesn't mean much considering that this came from my aunt who has about as much experience in law as I do.

 

Actually now that I look that up, the internet tells me that no, unless I die, become permanently and totally disabled, or file bankruptcy, I am pretty much out of luck.

 

Here's to hoping we both find some sort of way out of this situation that doesn't involve losing everything. ^^;;

[TaraMaiden]

I receive about 5 calls a day on my mobile, plus around the same number on my home 'phone.

I don't reply to calls on my mobile (I can see the number. hell, I know it by heart now...!) and my partner handles the calls at home.

"Hello, can I speak to *TaraMaiden* please?"

"No". (Hangs up.)

They've used all manner of ploys to speak to me, including posing as family members, and friends.

(It's her uncle, It's Jimmy.... naturally, they're grasping at straws, because I don't have any uncles....)

I've also had threatening mail about someone coming calling....

This is all and completely to do with a credit card bill and an overdraft on my account. Neither of which I have used, and both cards are expired now, anyway. The whole collective debt is in the low four figures.

 

Here in the UK, they can only pursue you legally if you actually acknowledge you owe the debt.

I have not done so. (I'm not saying I don't. I'm saying I haven't responded to them).

 

If they come to my house, I can open the door (they have NO right of entry, and no right to take or demand anything) and listen to what they have to say, and then thank them for calling, and close the door.

That's it.

They have no further rights to do anything. And I am not leaglly obligated to respond or confirm anything.

 

The only people who have a right to enter your home are legal bailiffs acting for the Crown. And even there, there are restrictions.

 

If I am unable to pay this debt, in 6 years, it's written off anyway.

Providing I acknowledge nothing, they can't make my life a complete and total misery.

I am perfectly capable of doing that on my own.....

 

All this effort for a couple of grand....

I wonder if the Chancellor of the exchequer gets as many calls about our national debt? It's a little higher, I believe.....

Edited May 26, 2010 by TaraMaiden

[pureinheart]

I receive about 5 calls a day on my mobile, plus around the same number on my home 'phone.

I don't reply to calls on my mobile (I can see the number. hell, I know it by heart now...!) and my partner handles the calls at home.

"Hello, can I speak to *TaraMaiden* please?"

"No". (Hangs up.)

They've used all manner of ploys to speak to me, including posing as family members, and friends.

(It's her uncle, It's Jimmy.... naturally, they're grasping at straws, because I don't have any uncles....)

I've also had threatening mail about someone coming calling....

This is all and completely to do with a credit card bill and an overdraft on my account. Neither of which I have used, and both cards are expired now, anyway. The whole collective debt is in the low four figures.

 

Here in the UK, they can only pursue you legally if you actually acknowledge you owe the debt.

I have not done so. (I'm not saying I don't. I'm saying I haven't responded to them).

 

If they come to my house, I can open the door (they have NO right of entry, and no right to take or demand anything) and listen to what they have to say, and then thank them for calling, and close the door.

That's it.

They have no further rights to do anything. And I am not leaglly obligated to respond or confirm anything.

 

The only people who have a right to enter your home are legal bailiffs acting for the Crown. And even there, there are restrictions.

 

If I am unable to pay this debt, in 6 years, it's written off anyway.

Providing I acknowledge nothing, they can't make my life a complete and total misery.

I am perfectly capable of doing that on my own.....

 

All this effort for a couple of grand....

I wonder if the Chancellor of the exchequer gets as many calls about our national debt? It's a little higher, I believe.....

 

(((((Tara)))), it's still a pain, though you are handling it well;)

 

That is a good one(bold)!!!!!!!:lmao: Amazing how that works, huh.

 

I would love to know how much money is actually spent on these collections...

[pureinheart]

Heh, thanks. ^^; I didn't mean to come in and muddle up your topic with my own sob story.

 

But yeah, the debt collection game is relentless. I know that they can't give breaks to people, though. One freebie here and suddenly everyone expects one. The problem is that this system really doesn't work in some situations. Bills are pushed up higher and higher, and somebody comes along and wants money from a family that can't even afford food. And breaks down into a organized crime-esque threat system where they basically say they are going to destroy their life if they don't pay up. No amount of explanation will drive them away. They are like vultures circling a dying person.

 

The student loan situation may never resolve for me. The fact I was told there was a limitation on it doesn't mean much considering that this came from my aunt who has about as much experience in law as I do.

 

Actually now that I look that up, the internet tells me that no, unless I die, become permanently and totally disabled, or file bankruptcy, I am pretty much out of luck.

 

Here's to hoping we both find some sort of way out of this situation that doesn't involve losing everything. ^^;;

 

You muddled up nothing, and I'm glad you were able to release as it's not something you can talk about and get a whole lot of compassion unfortunately.

 

From what I understand student loans never go away, it could depend on what kind it is though...also a BK won't resolve any of them, meaning you can't file on them.

 

Who knows, maybe the "Pres" will do something for us????? I've written him a letter explaining my dilema...hey it can't hurt. Oh and I think it takes an act of God to get it discharged through disability, which is my case...we should keep checking though, things might change.

 

I really hope it gets better for you

[RedDevil66]

I'm a landlord of over 23 units. I get the odd person who avoids me when it's rent time

Then there are people that don;'t answer the phone, the door and my emails, so what I simply do it take them to the rental board and have them thrown out.

The one who are respectful and adult enough to answer my calls to explain their situation, I'm lenient with.

We'll arrange late payments, partial payments and in some cases, some people were so down on their luck, I would give them a free months rent

But if they act like criminal by avoiding me, I treat them as such

 

The only abuse I see here is your not paying bills and avoiding people you owe money to

Pay your bills or call them and stop acting in such a cowardly way

Edited May 27, 2010 by RedDevil66

[pureinheart]

I'm a landlord of over 23 units. I get the odd person who avoids me when it's rent time

Then there are people that don;'t answer the phone, the door and my emails, so what I simply do it take them to the rental board and have them thrown out.

The one who are respectful and adult enough to answer my calls to explain their situation, I'm lenient with.

We'll arrange late payments, partial payments and in some cases, some people were so down on their luck, I would give them a free months rent

But if they act like criminal by avoiding me, I treat them as such

 

The only abuse I see here is your not paying bills and avoiding people you owe money to

Pay your bills or call them and stop acting in such a cowardly way

 

Hi RD, thereare a lot of dynamics associated with some of these debt collectors.

 

In your sitch, evictions take time and money (at least in my area it can take up to six months for an eviction to actually go through...now that the court dockets are so full it takes longer (I am assuming)...in my neck of the woods, everything is going haywire.

 

Another thing to take into considersaion is that you and the owner, which is where most of the decisions come, are above board and by what you communicated, you guys do work with people. Where I live, people have become "blood thirsty" over money...much theft, it's really bad RD...I have people combing my neighborhood all of the time looking for things that are not nailed down to steal...hey, I had my aluminum cans stolen even...

 

In my case I did try to work with them and they straight up lied and then filed suit.

 

I hope you never have to go through what any of us are referring to. Trust me, it can snowball that quick.

[pureinheart]

You know, unless you are out charging up credit cards knowing full well that you are unable to pay it then I believe life happens and one shouldn't feel bad for the credit issues they have. The majority of the time people find themselves in debt or getting calls from collection agencies is due to circumstances beyond your control like medical, divorce, loss of job, etc.

 

Axel Moses, have you considered filing BK? I truly believe that BK should be the last ditch effort, but I have known enough people who have done it who also say it was a positive life changing event for them.

 

Pureinheart, I hope you get things worked out. But until then block those nasty creditors!

 

Good luck to you both.

 

After I got back from 9/11 (with my tail between my legs, I might add) I was priddy messed up and didn't know it...just was trying to survive...I wasn't making proper decisions...I didn't run up the bills, nor decide not to pay the student loan, but co-signed for my son...I wanted to see my daughter and son succeed, get a proper start in life...but it didn't go that way.

 

I always pay my bills "never late, always on time"....and thank God I had the resources to do so...some do not.

 

I became disabled and my income to a severe turn. This is not how I expected my life to turn out...all of a sudden my attendance at work was bad...thank God I had a lot of vacation time, but it was unpaid and it was a choice between health and money...well it got to the point where I was loosing this battle.

 

Dealing with many other matters I was basically comatose and very overwhelmed. I kept trying to tell the doctors, but due to restrictions put on them one has to be almost dead to be put out on medical...finally I went to a doctor with the power to do so, but now he is even being shut down, so I got in right in the nick of time.

 

Being a work-a-holic, if I say I can't...it means that REALLY says I've been doing it, but couldn't then, but am really down for the count now.

 

I was trying to pay everything off, little by little, although they all want to work out a pay off nowadays, and I just have not been able to do that.

 

Thanks LL!!!!!! It will all be better

[FitChick]

I listen to lawyer Bill Handel on the radio. See if you can find resources on his website. You can also call in to the show where he prerecords questions.

 

http://www.handelonthelaw.com/home/default.aspx

[pureinheart]

I listen to lawyer Bill Handel on the radio. See if you can find resources on his website. You can also call in to the show where he prerecords questions.

 

http://www.handelonthelaw.com/home/default.aspx

 

Hey thanks FC, will check this out...and I'll bet others benefit from this also:)

[RedDevil66]

Hi RD, thereare a lot of dynamics associated with some of these debt collectors.

 

In your sitch, evictions take time and money (at least in my area it can take up to six months for an eviction to actually go through...now that the court dockets are so full it takes longer (I am assuming)...in my neck of the woods, everything is going haywire.

 

Another thing to take into considersaion is that you and the owner, which is where most of the decisions come, are above board and by what you communicated, you guys do work with people. Where I live, people have become "blood thirsty" over money...much theft, it's really bad RD...I have people combing my neighborhood all of the time looking for things that are not nailed down to steal...hey, I had my aluminum cans stolen even...

 

In my case I did try to work with them and they straight up lied and then filed suit.

 

I hope you never have to go through what any of us are referring to. Trust me, it can snowball that quick.

 

I hope not either but unless I become physically or mentally incapacitated, I would never get myself into a situation like this.

I'm in my mid 40's and have never been in dept in my life.

I work, go to med school and saved every dime and bought real estate and made good investments.

 

Evictions do not take $60 to file and 2 hrs at the rental board. A little price to pay for 4 months of lost rent and to evict a non payer.

 

If you live in that sort of neighbourhood, why not move to a better place?

With all due respect, I have trouble being sympathetic.

If you want a better life go out and get it.

I did and I live alone, lost businesses and also suffer a chronic physical illness. Not saying I am better, just saying, when you want something bad enough, you don't sit and complain, you get up and DO!

 

Good luck to you really, but these people are owed what you took from them and they have every right to ask for their money. It only snowballs if you let it.....

[RedDevil66]

After I got back from 9/11 (with my tail between my legs, I might add) I was priddy messed up and didn't know it...just was trying to survive...I wasn't making proper decisions...I didn't run up the bills, nor decide not to pay the student loan, but co-signed for my son...I wanted to see my daughter and son succeed, get a proper start in life...but it didn't go that way.

 

I always pay my bills "never late, always on time"....and thank God I had the resources to do so...some do not.

 

I became disabled and my income to a severe turn. This is not how I expected my life to turn out...all of a sudden my attendance at work was bad...thank God I had a lot of vacation time, but it was unpaid and it was a choice between health and money...well it got to the point where I was loosing this battle.

 

Dealing with many other matters I was basically comatose and very overwhelmed. I kept trying to tell the doctors, but due to restrictions put on them one has to be almost dead to be put out on medical...finally I went to a doctor with the power to do so, but now he is even being shut down, so I got in right in the nick of time.

 

Being a work-a-holic, if I say I can't...it means that REALLY says I've been doing it, but couldn't then, but am really down for the count now.

 

I was trying to pay everything off, little by little, although they all want to work out a pay off nowadays, and I just have not been able to do that.

 

Thanks LL!!!!!! It will all be better

 

This I can relate to since I too have a disability and was off or my job for close to 2 yrs (6 months of that with no income), but again, why avoid the bill collectors?

Why not pay student loans from years ago?

 

If you pay off little by little, most companies will not "sic" collections agencies after you. They just do not!

[hotgurl]

You know, unless you are out charging up credit cards knowing full well that you are unable to pay it then I believe life happens and one shouldn't feel bad for the credit issues they have. The majority of the time people find themselves in debt or getting calls from collection agencies is due to circumstances beyond your control like medical, divorce, loss of job, etc.

 

Axel Moses, have you considered filing BK? I truly believe that BK should be the last ditch effort, but I have known enough people who have done it who also say it was a positive life changing event for them.

 

Pureinheart, I hope you get things worked out. But until then block those nasty creditors!

 

Good luck to you both.

 

Bankrupcy does not discharge student loans. You have to pay them,

[hotgurl]

Pureinheart,

 

Is most of your debt student loans? How old are they?

 

Frankly student loans are thje easiest kind of debt to deal with. they have many various options to resolve the issue.

 

You can get a forbeance in 6 months periods. You get 5 of these. You don't have to pay but the account still collects interest for 6 months. If you son is the primary on the account he can just fill out paperwork.

 

Also you can get an adjusted pay out (ecomonic hard ship.) if you are umemployed etc....

 

What company do you use? I have had to get forbarances several times due to not finding work after college. If you sons fill out the paperwork they won't come back on you. They only call you if he ignores them.

 

Frankly if you talk to them you can work it out. Don't ignore the phone calls.

 

As for the credit cards. Do you charge the girlfriend? It was fraud and theft and you shouldn't have to pay that.