I've received over 100 calls from these scum bags. I've never had a past due debt, and I've never answered a call from these scum bags. These people are slime.
THEIR STOCK IS DOWN 24% SINCE THIS CAMPAIGN STARTED. FAR BELOW THE DROP IN THE DOW. KEEP UP THE PRESSURE FOLKS!
Reverse boycott. Together we are destroying their cost/benefit ratio by consuming their service. Their legal model is less vulnerable than their business model. Individual efforts against their legal model have failed for years. This united effort against their business model is succeeding.
When a company can repeatedly call with the intent of getting money their customers can repeatedly answer or call back with the intent of not giving them any. They need people to pay with as little talk as possible. They don't want to talk with people who know they are never going to pay. Be all talk and no pay. Answer when convenient. Call back. Give no information. Verify nothing. Ask as many questions as you can. Answer none.
Don't ignore/block/report them. It doesn't work. These folks want you to ignore them for as long as you can stand to or until you give them something valuable like money or information. Ignoring them is being their good customer. Sending a cease and desist is giving information. It lets them know you are still alive and remain their good customer. Preparing to initiate unlikely individual legal battles is being their good customer.
Be their bad customer. Make them talk to you fruitlessly for as long as they can stand to or until they stop selecting you as their customer. These companies cannot spend seconds much less minutes on the phone with every person who will never send them a dime. But they don't know who that is. You do. That knowledge is power. Every second you can keep their staff on the phone will render their business less profitable giving them a reason to never call you again.
Calling will not reset your SOL. Making a partial payment will.
I like to ask general questions they should but usually won't answer. "May I have the name and address of your agent for service of process?" Calmly and slowly ask them to spell every word in the address. Read it back for verification. Control the pace. If they are rushing then politely ask them to slowly repeat. "Are you a corporation and if so in which state are you incorporated?" Repeat your questions when you don't get direct answers. When they won't answer a question ask, "Would you like to comply with the business and professions codes of your state?" That is usually the point when they hang up on me but if they say they want to comply then begin your questions again.
Repeat while you have the spare time. These folks have many victims and few operators. If everyone calls back but pays nothing the mass auto-dialer business model becomes unprofitable. Don't aide and comfort the enemy by ignoring them. Call! Have a nice long slow friendly chat! Make them hang up first.
Press 2 for Spanish.
For any business, customers who consume the most resources but don't pay (or otherwise add value) become the least desirable. Most businesses will stop (cease and desist) soliciting an undesirable customer. Those that don't stop remain knowingly vulnerable to the actions of their undesirable customers. Few companies can afford to let everyone take a piece of them whenever they want endlessly. For instance they must pay staff to answer everyone's telephone calls which can be placed at your convenience for the joy of it. Call and consume their operator time without paying or giving information. Be a bad customer. The worst customer. Inspire them to invoke their right to refuse you service by not soliciting you.
There are certainly enough victims to take down this company so ignoring/blocking seems downright Orwellian to me. Really? We're just going to passively submit and go with a block list or however we manage ignoring an endless stream of unwanted phone calls day after day? Hell no! Unite or remain conquered. Answer/return every call - become well practiced at keeping these folks on the phone - or count yourself not amongst the free.
Clark was wrong on the Drop Dead Letter....The collections agency can sue you if you send the letter. It's a messed up system but they can.
If you owe a recent debt try this.(The people getting calls from 7+yr old debts, I'm not sure what to do)
Sit on it for 9-18 months. You'll get a daily call.
1. Answer it and acknowledge the call and ask the company name (which I'm sure you know) & who your speaking too).
2. Say you can not pay anything now, but will let them know when you can.
3. Remind them that they legally can not call you anymore today (allowed once a day until debt is settled)
4. After sitting on the debt, offer to settle in full for pennies on the dollar!! You set the price.
These companies buy your debt for .15-.25 cents on the dollar, but come after you for the full amount and sometimes interest is added!
After a year, they get antsy and are more apt to settle. I have settled on a $1352 debt for $270.40 (that's .20 on the dollar) They might say they have to "ask their manager" and will call you back. If they say no, then tell them it's going in the bankruptcy pile or your going to use your extra $ to settle another card..whatever.. (If they want an extra $20-30 take the deal!)
If they accept your offer....GET A LETTER stating the debt is settled in FULL for "X" amount before you pay them anything. Make copies of that letter!!
You can pay off your debts this way without completely screwing your credit.
*Oh, you are responsible for claiming the written off debt on your taxes. So I have to claim $1081.60. Don't mess with Uncle Sam! ;o)