Do creditors ever come to your house?

[Quagmire]

Hello,

Right now, I have about 6 creditors calling me (for bills that are ALMOST 30 days late), but so far I have not answered or returned their calls. I am going to work on finding a BK lawyer and put them on a retainer before I try to talk with the creditors. Yet in the meantime, I was wondering if anyone has ever had creditors actually come out to your house looking for you and or talking with your neighbors to try to find you until you actually talk with them? If so, about how late were you on your bill(s) (while never talking with them on the phone) before they actually physically came to your house looking for you?

Quagmire

[ryan]

Believe it or not my 2nd mortgage lender sent a woman to my door. She wanted me to call the lender while she was there so they could 'help me'. I did not consent...but I will sure say it was unexpected!

[Quagmire]

Thank you Ryan. About how many months were you past due, before that "nice" lady came out to see you?

Quagmire

[jtallerie]

I am shocked that a creditor would come to your home! I never heard of this! Is this common practice?

[Quagmire]

Hello Jtallerie,

I have heard that creditors will come out to your home if they can not get in contact with you (in a manner “they” deem as timely) by way of phone and or if they feel that you are ignoring the Snail Mail collection letters they send to you.

Plus I have also heard that if they come out to your house and are unable to get someone to answer the door, they will go over to your neighbors houses to get information as to if you live there, when was the last time they saw you. Plus I have read in the FDCPA, creditors have the right to contact your family, friends, neighbors, employers, co-workers . . . just to get a little basic contact information about you (though they do not identify themselfs as debt collectors when they talk to these people) . . . yet I think that it is pretty safe to say universally, if someone comes out to your home or neighborhood or your place of work looking for you . . . I think all of the people that the debt collectors talk with will automatically know that you are being tracked down for a debt.

Yet I have heard of debt collectors coming out to someone’s house to “leave” a letter to contact a lender, if they can not get someone to come to the door. Now with that being said, I have heard that when things escalate, a debt collector will send out a Process Server to your home (either it can be a private company or the sheriff of your city/county) . . . yet I do not know what type of paperwork they are serving you with, but I am guessing it is the paperwork when a credit card company or mortgage company wants to take you to court. So unless it is not court related, I can not see a Process Server or sheriff coming out to someone’s house . . . YET “I could be wrong”. Yet that is why I joined this forum . . . to learn from others and to try to gauge what I might be in store for.

Quagmire

[WhatMoney]

I have heard there are silent black helicopters that the government sends out at night to hover over the houses of debtors. They are watching for you to bury your assets in the your backyard, to hide them from the creditors. I'd suggest if you have a dog that you not take it out to pee after dark if you are behind in your payments.

You could learn a lot by just reading the Stickies in this forum. That's why they are there.

[AngelinaCatHub]

I have heard there are silent black helicopters that the government sends out at night to hover over the houses of debtors. They are watching for you to bury your assets in the your backyard, to hide them from the creditors. I'd suggest if you have a dog that you not take it out to pee after dark if you are behind in your payments.

You could learn a lot by just reading the Stickies in this forum. That's why they are there.

Well. LOL. I'll say it a bit differently. It is rare if not ever, that a creditor would come out to your house. Now if it were a personal loan from family or friend, they may become a bit pizzed, but a credit card company, etc. is not going to waste their time. Also, you certainly are not obligated to respond to anyone who would if they did. It won't happen.

They may call anyone you put down as a reference but once filed, you will not have a problem.

Don't over react and yes, read the "stickies" it will help you out very much. 'Hub

[jtallerie]

You guys are sooooo funny. With all my problems right now you made me laugh! I have not had a good laugh for a while? Thank you. I've been so depressed you guys made me crack up!

[Quagmire]

WhatMoney, thank you! LOL!!! Okay, okay, okay, I will read the Stickies.

AngelinaCatHub, thank you for your input. I really appreciate it very much.

Jtallerie, I am glad that you are enjoying the postings, due to my original posting. Keep on laughing. With all of our life problems, it is nice to take time out for a few laughs from time-to-time.

Quagmire

[ryan]

Quagmire, since you seem to be easily shaken by all these 'impending creditor events' I want to clarify something. The woman coming to my door I later found out was actually a realtor retained by a company that my 2nd mortgage lender was trying out. They were trying to use new ways to contact debtors/customers who they hadn't been able to reach.
I was one of those.

However, I did notice when she left she was driving a black car with dark tinted windows and another similar car has been stationed in front of my house ever since.

....AND, the other night I let my dog "Fudgicle" out to pee and he just disappeared.???

[LoadedGuns]

Yes they do. I had a secured personal loan with American General. The nice loan lady came knocking only 60 day past due in January 2009. They got their judgment in June 2009. Had the local fuzz out in May 2010 to execute a writ of levy. If I did not respond to the cops knocking on my door. They would issue a warrant for contempt of court and have me arrested. I settled for 5K the next day with AG.

Now for unsecured credit cards. They go for the wage garnishments and bank levys.

[AlmostAmos]

CitiMortgage sent somebody to my door...

[flyinbroke]

Secured creditors are more likely to pay a visit. I have stopped paying five unsecured accounts, with 3 OCs, between November 2009, and February 2010. No one has come to my door and they are not the big 3 with regard to lawsuits (Chase, Amex, Discover); the only reason I am still paying Chase is that they sue at the drop of a hat and it is a really small balance.

Two of the OCs (which hired 3 CAs for four accounts) should be, very soon, getting a letter from my lawyer about their violations of every act under the sun and offering to have THEM settle with me now...or face litigation. The violation amounts alone are higher than what I owe after their ridiculous penalty interest and late fees, btw.

[AngelinaCatHub]

Yes they do. I had a secured personal loan with American General. The nice loan lady came knocking only 60 day past due in January 2009. They got their judgment in June 2009. Had the local fuzz out in May 2010 to execute a writ of levy. If I did not respond to the cops knocking on my door. They would issue a warrant for contempt of court and have me arrested. I settled for 5K the next day with AG.

Now for unsecured credit cards. They go for the wage garnishments and bank levys.

American General is one of the worst in pressure collection. Once we informed them that we bk'ed, they sent reaffirmation papers to my lawyer. We of course ignored them. At my 341 in the TRUSTEES case folder, guess what? Another set of unsigned American General reaffirmation papers. The Trustee smiled handed them to us and said, I think these are yours, not mine and that was the last of that. 'Hub

[Quagmire]

Thank you Ryan. I appreciate you providing me with more details of your experience.

LoadedGuns, WOW!!! If sounds like you have been through the absolute worse with your creditors. Out of curiosity, when AG was trying to contact you in those 60 days, did you ever let them know your circumstances or where you just ignoring all of their letters and phone calls?

AlmostAmos, I hope that everything works out for you. Based on what you shared, it sounds like you have all of your ducks in a row. Good luck to you.

Flyinbroke, thank you for sharing your experiences with me. Amex is the first one that I went past due with. I am about 34 days late with them as of today, but they have called about 30 times in the past 2 weeks. I just went past due on a Chase on Saturday, but no calls as of yet. I just went past due on Discover on Friday, but no calls as of yet. I am less than 30 days past due on 4 separate B of A credit cards, and they have called about 30 times in the past 2 weeks. But good luck to all that you are having to endure.

AngelinaCatHub, I am glad that things worked out for you with AG.

Quagmire