can they call numerous times???

[flyinbroke]

Thanks for the feedback. I realize that I owe them money, I just didn't realized they would be calling so soon.

The calls started here when it was 10 days late. They have not stopped since.

Plus I have been getting calls for whoever had this number before I got it. The banks called through SEP and Oct. and they would not believe me. Finally they stopped. I said "watch, in a couple of months I will get CAs." Sho 'nuff, the other night I got a call for her, from a CA leaving a message about a very important business matter. I blew it off. Wasn't for me.

However, if they are relentless, now I can invoke the laws and maybe make some money.

[flyinbroke]

BTW, how do you pronounce your name? 'Hub

I think it is a molecule. Some sugar by chance?

[c24h44o22]

yes...correct...it's the structure for sugar

[frogger]

They can call and they will call. If they don't get an answer, the predictive auto-dialer will try all different times of days, and different days.

Actually, the predictive auto-dialer that they all use can get pretty predictable.

I made sure that I left a message clearly identifying whom I was and to leave a message. It will probably be a couple of months before you get a real live person to leave a message.

[Bell30656]

My phone service is through Vonage so I used their Simulring feature to make my cell phone ring at the same time as my home phone. I made certain that the collectors could always reach me.

When I first missed payments a couple creditors left messages at one of my offices. Which wouldn't have been so bad except that someone else screens all my messages and forwards the important ones to me. Very embarrassing for me. Fortunately, she knew that I was going through a divorce at the time and associated the calls with that.

Are others such as the OP finding that the collectors are still calling multiple times per day even AFTER you answer the phone and confirm your identity with them? In my experience, once I spoke with them even when I was a total jerk I wouldn't get called again for a couple of days.

I also specified that I was recording the calls and that any calls between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM on weekdays were inconvenient for me. I reminded them that the FDCPA does not allow calls to a party when the creditor knows the calling time to be inconvenient and a better time is suggested. Most actually seem to respect this, a couple (NCO Financial and NEMDEGELT) didn't respect anything.

I did have one lady that called me at 8:05 every day for a couple of weeks. It was almost a phone date each morning. We'd end each call with <Me> "Same time tomorrow, Sarah?" <Her> "Certainly, I'm looking forward to it. You have a nice day, Mr. Bell."

[flyinbroke]

Yes, I did talk to both creditors I am behind with, and no the calls did not cease. I get different calls from different states (BoA most likely; Google is your friend) so I assume the autodialer is one hot mess. One has been blocking my calls so all I get is a private number or nothing on caller ID. Those I refuse to answer. Even before I owed money I refused to answer anyone who blocked their ID. Who knows who they are?

Frogger is right; the unpredictability is pretty predictable after a week or two. Mine call first thing in the morning, about 4 pm and again around suppertime, then sometimes around 8-8:45, right before it is not legal for them to do so.

[frogger]

the unpredictability is pretty predictable after a week or two. Mine call first thing in the morning, about 4 pm and again around suppertime, then sometimes around 8-8:45, right before it is not legal for them to do so.

The predictability thing does get easy. They're going to start calling you during the weekday first. If you're not responding, then you're going to start getting the Saturday/Sunday 8:05 am calls until 8:55 pm in the evening. You can also look for the calls to increase on Friday evenings,around the first, middle, and last of each month (when many people get paid), and even when the weather is bad in your area.

Auto-dialers are automated in so much as they call automatically. However..... the auto-dialer does not just turn on by itself. It is controlled by a person who submits "the script" (debtor list) to be contacted.

Take New York right now. You can bet the auto-dialers are hitting that area hard due to so many people being snowbound. However there is nothing worse than a beautiful day with sunshine to run the autodialer.

They are predictable because once you start thinking like the script writer, you would do the same thing.

[flyinbroke]

Frogger, I suppose this means one can surmise that you refused a payment "plan" and there were no notes made in your file. At least GE Money told me this right up front. I said I would not pay over the phone, and would not agree to anything unless same terms held....and they said flat out they could not note anything because I did not agree to pay within 10 days.

I guess they really expect you to s*** hundred dollar bills in the ten minutes since you last spoke to them.

[frogger]

Frogger, I suppose this means one can surmise that you refused a payment "plan" and there were no notes made in your file. At least GE Money told me this right up front. I said I would not pay over the phone, and would not agree to anything unless same terms held....and they said flat out they could not note anything because I did not agree to pay within 10 days.

I guess they really expect you to s*** hundred dollar bills in the ten minutes since you last spoke to them.

Actually, I'm working on my 0% re-payment plan to GEMB as we speak

Over the 5 months that I stopped paying, they never spoke to me one time. They tried, tried, and kept on trying, they mailed, but thanks to the magic of caller ID, google, and the ability to silence the phone ringer, they never got to me.

I had their number just as they had mine.

[nickifan]

I also specified that I was recording the calls and that any calls between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM on weekdays were inconvenient for me. I reminded them that the FDCPA does not allow calls to a party when the creditor knows the calling time to be inconvenient and a better time is suggested. Most actually seem to respect this, a couple (NCO Financial and NEMDEGELT) didn't respect anything.

I did have one lady that called me at 8:05 every day for a couple of weeks. It was almost a phone date each morning. We'd end each call with <Me> "Same time tomorrow, Sarah?" <Her> "Certainly, I'm looking forward to it. You have a nice day, Mr. Bell."

I've seen people here say that they tell the OCs that "no time" is convenient to call and expect that they will simply stop calling (which I don't believe would happen.) Is the "trick" telling them an ALTERNATE time? At least in the early stages where they still may be trying to make nice and get some money out of you? And if you tell them business day hours are inconvenient but you've also already told them you're unemployed, how can one get away with that? "I'm expecting a call about a job", or "I'm calling hiring managers during the day"?

I'm curious...how long did the phone dates with Sarah last, and what could you possibly tell her each time that was any different?? I'm imagining that I would say, "Hi again Sarah. I didn't win the lottery yesterday, so nothing has changed. Have a nice day." Hang up. ??

[Bell30656]

I never told the creditors anything about my financial status. I was employed but that was none of their business. People make the mistake of thinking that just because they ask it means you have to answer it. You do not have to give any reason or excuse as to why you have not paid the bill. Simply tell the caller that at this time you do not wish to discuss the matter with them over the telephone.

Yes, I did talk to both creditors I am behind with, and no the calls did not cease. I get different calls from different states (BoA most likely; Google is your friend) so I assume the autodialer is one hot mess. One has been blocking my calls so all I get is a private number or nothing on caller ID. Those I refuse to answer. Even before I owed money I refused to answer anyone who blocked their ID. Who knows who they are?

The reason you are getting so many calls is right there in your message. You are not answering the phone. You have to assume the calls are from BoA because you are not answering them. They will continue to call over and over again. Answer the call and you get peace for a few hours, days or maybe even a weeks. I always answered my phone and only had a one or two that made it a point to call daily (for a while) but none that called more often than that as long as I was answering the calls.

On telling them that no time is convenient, I believe part of that paragraph says something about as long as the debtor has given the party a reasonable time frame that they can call or such language.

[rooster0330]

The predictability thing does get easy. They're going to start calling you during the weekday first. If you're not responding, then you're going to start getting the Saturday/Sunday 8:05 am calls until 8:55 pm in the evening. You can also look for the calls to increase on Friday evenings,around the first, middle, and last of each month (when many people get paid), and even when the weather is bad in your area.

Auto-dialers are automated in so much as they call automatically. However..... the auto-dialer does not just turn on by itself. It is controlled by a person who submits "the script" (debtor list) to be contacted.

Take New York right now. You can bet the auto-dialers are hitting that area hard due to so many people being snowbound. However there is nothing worse than a beautiful day with sunshine to run the autodialer.

They are predictable because once you start thinking like the script writer, you would do the same thing.

I live in New Jersey we got 25+inches!! I thought the phone would be going crazy Saturday and Sunday and I only got a few!!! I guess they forgot about me!

[flyinbroke]

Bell, I did speak with BoA. (They left a VM with a call, and before I could call them they called me. That was the call I took.) They asked me to contact them in a couple of weeks to update. The calls that were blocked numbers happened SINCE that convo with BoA. One happened about two hours after I spoke to the representative. They call on average 5-6 times a day as though my situation changed in the 2 hours/days since I spoke with them.

I also spoke with a rep from GE Money; they have stopped calling. For now.....

My home number is getting CA calls, but to the woman who had my number a couple years ago. Those I don't answer as the OCs did not believe that I am not her. I doubt the CAs will believe me.

[anykey]

One could imply that I will take my business elsewhere if you call more then 1 a month.


/foot stomp!