Why are they calling my job and leaving messages-with no detail information? Who are you? (3139862001) What do you want? Stop calling my job threating to have me arrested and stop calling my family!!!!
This an update about your complaint that we received on 03/07/2014 05:11 PM.
Based on what you told us in your complaint below is some information that you may find useful.
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) says debt collectors may not harass, oppress, or abuse you or any other people they contact. Some examples of harassment are:
- Repetitious phone calls that are intended to annoy, abuse, or harass you or any person answering the phone
- Obscene or profane language
- Threats of violence or harm
- Publishing lists of people who refuse to pay their debts (this does not include reporting information to a credit reporting company)
- Calling you without telling you who they are Debt collectors cannot use false, deceptive, or misleading practices. This includes misrepresentations about the debt, including the amount owed, that the person is an attorney, threats to have you arrested, threats to do things that cannot legally be done, or threats to do things that the debt collector has no intention of doing. Debt collectors also are not allowed to use certain practices that are considered unfair.
What information does a debt collector have to provide to me about a debt?
Any debt collector who contacts you claiming you owe payment on a debt is required by law to tell you certain information about the debt. That information must include the name of the creditor, the amount owed, and how you can dispute the debt or seek verification of the debt. If they don’t provide that information in the initial contact with you, they are required to send you a written notice including that information within five days of the initial contact.
What happens if I dispute the debt with the debt collector?
If you dispute a debt (or part of a debt) within 30 days from when you first receive the required information from the debt collector, the debt collector cannot call or contact you until after your dispute has been investigated and the debt collector has provided the verification of the debt in writing to you.
If you dispute the debt after those 30 days have passed, the debt collector can continue to contact you while it investigates your dispute. However, if the debt collector reports information about the account to anyone – such as a credit reporting company – it must also report that the debt is disputed. If the investigation shows it is not your account, the debt collector may not continue collection activities.
You have the right to tell a debt collector, in writing, to stop communicating with you. Once a debt collector receives your letter, it may not contact you again except to:
- Tell you there will be no further contact
- Tell you that it or the creditor may take other specific actions it is legally allowed to take, such as filing a lawsuit against you
How can I stop a debt collector from contacting me?
Telling a debt collector to stop contacting you does not stop the debt collector or creditor from using other legal ways to collect the debt from you if you owe it, including a lawsuit against you.
The creditor or the debt collector also may make a negative report to a Consumer Reporting Agency, affecting your credit report and credit score. (In some cases, the debt may be too old to affect your credit report or credit score.)
If the collector continues to call after receiving the letter, it may be violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).You should make a copy of your letter and send the original to the debt collector. It is generally a good idea to send the letter by certified mail. If you pay for a “return receipt,” you also will have proof the debt collector received your letter. You may also send the letter by fax, just be sure to keep a copy of the fax receipt.
It is a good idea to keep a file of all letters or documents a debt collector sends you and copies of anything you send to a debt collector. Also, write down dates and times of conversations along with notes about what you discussed. These records can help you if you have a dispute with a debt collector, meet with a lawyer, or go to court.
What else can I do if I feel the debt collector has violated the law?
While we can’t give legal advice or represent individuals in legal matters, you can contact a private attorney or your local legal aid office for free or low-cost legal resources at www.lsc.gov/.
You have the right to sue a collector in a state or federal court within one year from the date the law was violated (some state laws allow more time). Many states have their own debt collection laws that are different from the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
If you still have concerns but don’t need legal advice, you can contact your state’s attorney general. Your state’s specific contact information can be found by going to www.naag.org/.
We take consumer complaints very seriously and are grateful for the information you have shared throughout this process. Complaints inform us about business practices that may pose risks to consumers and help with our work to supervise companies, enforce Federal consumer financial laws, and write better rules and regulations.
If you have questions about consumer financial products or services, visit “Ask CFPB” at www.consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb/.
If you have a new complaint, let us know at consumerfinance.gov.
Thank you,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
consumerfinance.gov
This people is to rude , they are not professional . Im so mad because they call me harassing. Im tired of this and they screaming and don't let people talk ...I will find contacting an attorney.
this person called me on my cell phone. Left message. Called them back and said they were with a check fraud company.. Stating that I had a return check. I was very rude when I called because I knew that I had no such thing, she told me that they would see me in court and hung up.