Verizon is a "creditor" not a debt collector, a debt collector is a third party, I cannot find any law that says a credit can/cannot call. I got 4 phone calls, 2 texts and 1 email from Verizon yesterday, no pun intended, that is "uncalled" for.
I have written letters to Verizon about there harassing phone calls, now the letters are going to the FTC, BBB and any other alphabet I can mail to. Verizon is terrible.
While the FDCPA does not cover creditors, many state laws do. I believe Florida, one of the Carolinas, and PA cover creditors as well as debt collectors. Check your state law, or contact your State AG.
Read up on your rights here, get template letters to send and also make a complaint at this government site: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/
Also file a complaint with your State Attorney General's office.
List of State AG’s offices: http://consumerfraudreporting.org/stateattorneygenerallist.php
Mass state law for original creditors was uniquely improved 3.5 years ago. An OC there has debt validation requirements very similar to FDCPA but must reach a much higher standard than Federal when responding with proof docs. The OC is also given clear numeric limits on phone calls, as Michele said, though her recall of the statute is wrong.
Mass law 940 CMR 7.05(3)(d) prohibits "engaging any person in communications via telephone, initiated by the creditor, in excess of two calls in each seven-day period at a debtor's residence and two calls in each 30-day period other than at a debtor's residence, for each debt".
A dud call with no message left won't count as a "communication", but like the FDCPA the Mass law is violated when excess collection calls are placed for the purpose of nuisance or harassment.
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL GUIDANCE WITH RESPECT TO DEBT COLLECTION REGULATIONS
http://www.mass.gov/ago/docs/government/debt-collection-guidance-2013.pdf
received this on cell phone a few times today , left no message. I called it back and it was Verizon wireless finance group trying to collect a late bill . The called my house number also .