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Blogger
Jedi Poster
Premium Member
join:2012-10-18

1 recommendation

Blogger to AZinOH

Premium Member

to AZinOH

Re: Collection Agency...What Is Typical?

Actually, for once at least on this subject anyway I'm actually a legal expert. Unfortunately, as in all these threads the posts are a mix of accurate and bullshit and so you can't tell the difference so over all they are of little help.

I could post a detailed accurate moderately lengthy reply but then some talking out his ass poster, the minority of posters here but still a significant number, would just contradict something I posted and you would still be confused.

Speaking generally remember two things:

1. It's your nephews problems and not yours in any legal obligation way. I wouldn't hesitate to give his phone number out if the agencies bother you. But that's just me.

2. There is nothing that the collection agencies have that you want but there are things that they want from you. They have no legal power over you. Remember that.

pcdebb
birdbrain
Premium Member
join:2000-12-03
Brandon, FL
ARRIS DG1670

pcdebb to CylonRed

Premium Member

to CylonRed
said by CylonRed:

Unless Clark Howard is being paranoid but the collection agency will have you recorded identifying yourself, the debit and then your admissions that you owe it. Clark has said for the last couple of years that simply saying you owe the debit is enough to reset it (it could be a state by state thing as well).

might be a state by state thing, but i can't see this being legit in any case. i can be the evil twin answering the phone and giving the answers you seek just for the hell of it. collection agencies will tell you anything to scare you into forking over money. not everyone knows the rules and regulations of the fair credit reporting act. I've had my share of dealing with them back in the day and learned plenty from them and their tactics (not everyone that ends up dealing with them are deadbeats)
pcdebb

pcdebb to faughro

Premium Member

to faughro
said by faughro:

Payments do not re-age a debt. Once a dept is charged off - which normally occurs prior to going to collection - the charge off date is what is used to determine the seven years.

Any collection agency calculating the date in any other manner is violating the FDCPA

In our good ole state of Florida it does.

Edit: Actually, things may have changed since I've had to deal with things. We're talking about 10 years in my case. I retract my statement.

Draiman
Let me see those devil horns in the sky
join:2012-06-01
Kill Devil Hills, NC

Draiman to pcdebb

Member

to pcdebb
said by pcdebb:

said by CylonRed:

Unless Clark Howard is being paranoid but the collection agency will have you recorded identifying yourself, the debit and then your admissions that you owe it. Clark has said for the last couple of years that simply saying you owe the debit is enough to reset it (it could be a state by state thing as well).

might be a state by state thing, but i can't see this being legit in any case. i can be the evil twin answering the phone and giving the answers you seek just for the hell of it. collection agencies will tell you anything to scare you into forking over money. not everyone knows the rules and regulations of the fair credit reporting act. I've had my share of dealing with them back in the day and learned plenty from them and their tactics (not everyone that ends up dealing with them are deadbeats)

There are one-way and two-way recording laws but none that allow you to record a conversation without any consent at all. If they just started recording without your permission and you found out they'd have a lawsuit on their hands. Clark Howard loves drama that's his job after all!

AVD
Respice, Adspice, Prospice
Premium Member
join:2003-02-06
Onion, NJ

AVD to CylonRed

Premium Member

to CylonRed
said by CylonRed:

Since he is living with you - a collection agency will try and get you to agree to pay his bills if you answer their phone call. If you do this - then you are on the hook.

I believe Clark Howard has information on what they can and can't do - ClarkHoward.com

»www.clarkhoward.com/cate ··· gencies/

Hang up the phone.
AVD

AVD to Draiman

Premium Member

to Draiman
said by Draiman:

There are one-way and two-way recording laws but none that allow you to record a conversation without any consent at all.drama that's his job after all!

You understand what a one party recording law means right?
AVD

AVD to Blogger

Premium Member

to Blogger
Blogger:

what do I say when the other guy says "this is an attempt to collect a debt"? I read that you could say "this is an attempt to compromise a debt".

Draiman
Let me see those devil horns in the sky
join:2012-06-01
Kill Devil Hills, NC

Draiman to AVD

Member

to AVD
said by AVD:

said by Draiman:

There are one-way and two-way recording laws but none that allow you to record a conversation without any consent at all.drama that's his job after all!

You understand what a one party recording law means right?

I have a lawsuit against a collection agency right now involving illegal recording among a few other issues. There's so many twists to the laws. Do you know none of that applies if the collection agency calls from another state? They need all party consent no matter if they are calling from a one party consent state to a different one party consent state. Interstate calls become all party calls per the FCC. There are quite a few other twists and bumps in the laws that the average person doesn't know either. It's amazing what a lawyer can teach you.

Subaru
1-3-2-4
Premium Member
join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT

Subaru to Snakeoil

Premium Member

to Snakeoil
said by Snakeoil:

The thing that I understand about collection agencies, they buy a bundle of outstanding bills from credits for pennies on the dollars.
So my couple hundred dollar debt, had only cost them may 30 to 50 dollars to pick up. If I paid it, the person bugging me would have gotten a portion of that, and the rest goes to the agency.
Yes, the person you talk to one the phone is paid on commissions. Hence why they are so eager to talk to you and to get you to cut an e-check right then and there.

And like others have said, they have a 7 year window to collect on that debt. Though sometimes it will circulate for longer then that and agencies will still try to collect on it.

That happened with me and Sprint and a CA, since my account was still open I paid sprint directly.
iLearn
join:2013-01-16
canada

iLearn to AZinOH

Member

to AZinOH
They probably will not take the route of wage garnishment for such a small amount but this will definitely hurt his credit.

After the account is charged off as bad debt, the collection agencies start collection efforts. These agencies are not original credits and are known as third party collection agencies which are more aggressive than in-house collection departments.

Before they garnish your wages, they have to serve you. They will either serve you in person or send you a certified letter. After this is done, the judge rules for or against wage garnishments. This is a long process and creditors usually take this route for bigger debts etc.

For about $1000, they will probably charge off this amount as bad debt.

The best thing for your nephew is to face the problems and pay or at least try to settle the amount with the agencies for a reduced sum. Settlement on your credit file is still better than a charged off account.

TryingToHelp to Zach

Anon

to Zach
You, as an Employer, can sue the collection agency for harassment. This falls under the FDCPA (Fair Debt Collection Practices Act - Google it). It matters not that the debt is not yours, nor the value of the debt.

EACH VIOLATION is worth $1,000 TO YOU. Put these collectors in their place.

Since they are calling outside normal hours, there's $1,000.
§ 805. Communication in connection with debt collection [15 USC 1692c]
(a)(1) at any unusual time or place or a time or place known or which should be known to be inconvenient to the consumer. In the absence of knowledge of circumstances to the contrary, a debt collector shall assume that the convenient time for communicating with a consumer is after 8 o'clock antimeridian and before 9 o'clock postmeridian, local time at the consumer's location;

(a)(3) at the consumer's place of employment if the debt collector knows or has reason to know that the consumer's employer prohibits the consumer from receiving such communication.

If they told you why they are calling (disclosure to a 3rd party) - There's $1,000.
(b) COMMUNICATION WITH THIRD PARTIES. Except as provided in section 804, without the prior consent of the consumer given directly to the debt collector, a debt collector may not communicate, in connection with the collection of any debt, with any person other than a consumer...

You can definitely get them for harassment - another $1,000.

§ 806. Harassment or abuse [15 USC 1692d]
A debt collector may not engage in any conduct the natural consequence of which is to harass, oppress, or abuse any person in connection with the collection of a debt.
(5) Causing a telephone to ring or engaging any person in telephone conversation repeatedly or continuously with intent to annoy, abuse, or harass any person at the called number.

If they lied to you, there's another $1,000.
§ 807. False or misleading representations [15 USC 1692e]
A debt collector may not use any false, deceptive, or misleading representation or means in connection with the collection of any debt. Without limiting the general application of the foregoing, the following conduct is a violation of this section:

§ 813. Civil liability [15 USC 1692k]

(a) Except as otherwise provided by this section, any debt collector who fails to comply with any provision of this title with respect to any person is liable to such person in an amount equal to the sum of --

(1) any actual damage sustained by such person as a result of such failure;

(2) (A) in the case of any action by an individual, such additional damages as the court may allow, but not exceeding $1,000;

(3) in the case of any successful action to enforce the foregoing liability, the costs of the action, together with a reasonable attorney's fee as determined by the court. On a finding by the court that an action under this section was brought in bad faith and for the purpose of harassment, the court may award to the defendant attorney's fees reasonable in relation to the work expended and costs.
TryingToHelp

TryingToHelp to PeteC2

Anon

to PeteC2
They cannot call you if you write to them and tell them to cease communications. You (and/or your nephew) can sue THEM for $1,000 plus costs, if they continue to call.

FDCPA -
(c) CEASING COMMUNICATION. If a consumer notifies a debt collector in writing that the consumer refuses to pay a debt or that the consumer wishes the debt collector to cease further communication with the consumer, the debt collector shall not communicate further with the consumer with respect to such debt, except --

BTW - Not all debt collectors are weasels. Some are doing an honest job of collecting money that someone is trying to skip out on. All of us pay for deadbeats through higher costs.
Expand your moderator at work
TryingToHelp

TryingToHelp to tcope

Anon

to tcope

Re: Collection Agency...What Is Typical?

They are violating the FDCPA, and the TCPA.
$1,000 per incident under the FDCPA, and $11,000 under the TCPA.

They are NOT allowed to call a cell phone with an auto-dialer. Absolutely NOT ALLOWED.

The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) implemented the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (the "TCPA") to prohibit the initiation of telephone calls using the following:

• automatic telephone dialing systems
• artificial or prerecorded voices to telephone numbers assigned to paging services, cellular telephone services, specialized mobile radio services or other radio common carrier services, or any service for which the called party is charged for the call

"(Entities violating the ruling are subject to financial penalties by the FCC of up to $11,000 per incident.)"

Time to up the ante, I think.
TryingToHelp

TryingToHelp to craig70130

Anon

to craig70130
Snakes are snakes and very well may violate the rules.

Selling a debt to another, then charging off the debt, gives the 2nd party the ownership of the debt. THEY MOST DEFINITELY CAN FOLLOW THROUGH WITH LEGAL ACTION - YOU NOW OWE THEM FOR THE DEBT, regardless of what they paid for that debt.

This is a common thought, but it is incorrect. They own the debt just as legitimately as the original debt holder.
TryingToHelp

TryingToHelp to faughro

Anon

to faughro
This is ABSOLUTELY INCORRECT. The FDCPA says nothing about this. The statute of limitations, which varies by state, starts counting when a) the last payment was made, or b) when the installment debt was contracted to be paid off.

Within that time, legal actions may be taken, including getting a judgment for the debtor to pay the debt AND interest. Judgments can be renewed. You will be on the hook for another decade, at least. AN interest accumulates on the judgment, above and beyond what you originally owed.
Expand your moderator at work
TryingToHelp

TryingToHelp to Draiman

Anon

to Draiman

Re: Collection Agency...What Is Typical?

In Ohio, only ONE party needs to know the call is being recorded, not both.
Expand your moderator at work
PrntRhd
Premium Member
join:2004-11-03
Fairfield, CA

PrntRhd to iLearn

Premium Member

to iLearn

Re: Collection Agency...What Is Typical?

Agree, the other little "stinger" is the debt charge off can appear on his taxable income and he will have a hard time convincing the Federal IRS to make that one go away.
H_T_R_N (banned)
join:2011-12-06
Valencia, PA

1 recommendation

H_T_R_N (banned)

Member

said by PrntRhd:

Agree, the other little "stinger" is the debt charge off can appear on his taxable income and he will have a hard time convincing the Federal IRS to make that one go away.

A lot of people who took a principal mark down on their home are going to get hit with that one day and not be happy. If you had a 30k mark down you, as far as the IRS is concerned, made 30k more than you think you did that year. This will push people out of EIC and if you made any money, into another tax bracket. If you go years without being caught, the fines, fees and penalties, along with audit charges for a CPA can be HIGH!!!!!

jimothy
@mchsi.com

jimothy

Anon

said by H_T_R_N:

This will push people out of EIC

good

Kramer
Mod
join:2000-08-03
Richmond, VA

Kramer to H_T_R_N

Mod

to H_T_R_N
»www.irs.gov/uac/Home-For ··· ellation
PrntRhd
Premium Member
join:2004-11-03
Fairfield, CA

PrntRhd to H_T_R_N

Premium Member

to H_T_R_N
This is not the special exclusion for home refi case.

Kramer
Mod
join:2000-08-03
Richmond, VA

Kramer

Mod

"Debt reduced through mortgage restructuring, as well as mortgage debt forgiven in connection with a foreclosure, qualify for this relief."
H_T_R_N (banned)
join:2011-12-06
Valencia, PA

H_T_R_N (banned)

Member

said by Kramer:

"Debt reduced through mortgage restructuring, as well as mortgage debt forgiven in connection with a foreclosure, qualify for this relief."

But only for the amount the home was valued at when the refi or mortgage was taken out. If the funds used were not for direct use in or of the house, it is not forgiven. There is a fine line, most cross it, when there is a audit it will get ugly.

Edited to add from »www.irs.gov/uac/Mortgage ··· IRS-Form
The debt must have been used to buy, build or substantially improve the taxpayer's principal residence and must have been secured by that residence. Debt used to refinance qualifying debt is also eligible for the exclusion, but only up to the amount of the old mortgage principal, just before the refinancing.
Debt forgiven on second homes, rental property, business property, credit cards or car loans does not qualify for the new tax-relief provision. In some cases, however, other kinds of tax relief, based on insolvency, for example, may be available. See Form 982 for details.

AVD
Respice, Adspice, Prospice
Premium Member
join:2003-02-06
Onion, NJ

AVD to H_T_R_N

Premium Member

to H_T_R_N
said by H_T_R_N:

said by PrntRhd:

Agree, the other little "stinger" is the debt charge off can appear on his taxable income and he will have a hard time convincing the Federal IRS to make that one go away.

A lot of people who took a principal mark down on their home are going to get hit with that one day and not be happy. If you had a 30k mark down you, as far as the IRS is concerned, made 30k more than you think you did that year. This will push people out of EIC and if you made any money, into another tax bracket. If you go years without being caught, the fines, fees and penalties, along with audit charges for a CPA can be HIGH!!!!!

wasn't this waived during the early stages of the housing crisis?
olive403
join:2012-10-10
Canada

olive403 to AZinOH

Member

to AZinOH
niece did the same thing years ago after she signed up to BELL mobilty for a cell phone - they said they could not activate her ESN and said there would be no account - they sent her 300 dollar collection notice got r9 on both credit files - spent hours trying to clear it up but she ended up going to the US for school and never returned.