Collection Call Frequency

[Uncle]

I stopped paying on all my cards in September. Inevitably, I started getting the phone calls from creditors. I plan on filing chapter 7 in February. I wanted to get some input on whether the calls will get more intense before I file, or is this is bad as it gets. I have most of the calls blocked on my my phone now and am having no problems handling the calls. Just wanted to see what to expect when I go from 30-60 days late to 6 months late.

[Freddy03]

It really depends on the company.

I would get calls every day (3-4 times a day) from the larger balances due. The smaller accounts just called once. I pre set my ringtone to silent for anyone I do not have the number saved for so my phone wouldn't ring.

After 90 days I started to receive phone calls at work.

You could send them a letter telling them that all calls are a inconvenience at this time you can only be reach by mail. That might help. They don't always listen.

[pikaroth]

I, too, am filing late January or early February, and I stopped paying on my cards toward the end of last month. As of today, I am getting calls from two companies. Bank of America is the worst. I was, no joke, four days past due on a payment, and I got a letter from them in the mail. Two days later an 'uknown' number kept calling me. While I have no proof it is them, I am assuming that it is being that, at the time, they were the only card I was late on. I am getting calls from them every two to three hours, and I have answered it exactly three times (and I will not do so again), and there is NO ONE on the other end. I just ignore it now.

Today Discover began calling. I've gotten three calls from them today alone. At least they list their number and do not block it. I have not answered it, but when I do, assuming they actually have someone on the other end, they'll get my attorney information.

So, as of now all five of my CCs have not been paid in over a month, and BOA has sent two letters and calls daily. Discover started today. I have not gotten a thing, mail or phone call, from any of them others. I know they're coming, but BOA has been the worst, and it now appears Discover is following suit.

Oh well.

[Uncle]

Thanks for the replies.

I do have another issue. I have retained an attorney but have yet to file. I've spoken too several callers and tried to give my lawyers info as he instructed, but none would take the attorneys info. They wouldn't get off the phone until I hung up. This hasn't been a problem because I have been avoiding the calls. Today, my dad called me and told me that my aunts and uncles were getting calls for me from creditors. I have a call in to my attorney but haven't heard anything yet. Any advice? This is getting embarrassing.

[ryan]

The creditors will not be interested in atty info unless it includes a BK case #.

[keepinitreal]

Today, my dad called me and told me that my aunts and uncles were getting calls for me from creditors. I have a call in to my attorney but haven't heard anything yet. Any advice? This is getting embarrassing.

They want to force you to talk to them on the phone. That way they'll either get you to send them money or get some incriminating information from you that they can use against you in the future. Hopefully you can be up-front with your aunts and uncles and tell them to please just hang up on anyone who asks about you and to not tell callers anything about you. Good luck!

[Freddy03]

I got all the fax numbers to the collection departments for all creditors & faxed them a letter telling them to contact my attorney retained for filing my BK.

My phone has not rung once since doing this

[tobee43]

talk about irony...well we did get some creditors calling before we moved out of state, that would call, beginning at 8:30 in the morning until 8:45 at night...some 4 times a day....finally we moved out of state and got an unlisted number.....wow...cool we thought NO MORE CALLS to deal with......

right...that "new" number just happenstance belonged to a person who owned everyone and their mother and THEIR mother's mothers!!!! OH!!! night and day and day and night...boa, chase, citi, discovery........although we did answer and told them they had the wrong party and the number is "new" actually, not connected, were told by the telephone company...(no one had the number for over a year)....well...as soon as it was re-connected these creditors went for the throat!!

we could have changed phone numbers...but after over 33 years with the same number i was JUST beginning to remember this one by heart...and my other half was concerned as we had issued this "new" number to all important persons and would have to contact everyone to change everything...so we rode thru these other persons calls...the telephone company..."blocked" all the numbers and those that continued to call i filed complaint with the FTC....and have now thankfully stopped hearing from them.

i would just turn the phone off....and if not...simply do not SPEAK with them..don't answer the phone....and it will stop after you file.. so that's something to look forward to.

[Uncle]

The creditors will not be interested in atty info unless it includes a BK case #.

My attorney actually told me to give their name and number. Now, the attorneys office has advised me to get the caller's info and the attorney's office will call the creditors. This is not really my main concern right now. I can handle this.

When do creditors start calling random people with the same last name in the phone book? If I answer speak to the creditors, will they stop calling others looking for me? My only real concern right now is them calling people who are related to me and harassing them. I don't want others knowing my business.

[tobee43]

My attorney actually told me to give their name and number. Now, the attorneys office has advised me to get the caller's info and the attorney's office will call the creditors. This is not really my main concern right now. I can handle this.

When do creditors start calling random people with the same last name in the phone book? If I answer speak to the creditors, will they stop calling others looking for me? My only real concern right now is them calling people who are related to me and harassing them. I don't want others knowing my business.

we had relatives "listed" in the book and they began hitting them up about 4 months out.

[Bell30656]

First, take control of the conversation. As soon as you verify who you are stop them. Demand that they clearly state the name of the company and address for service. Right after they give you this information tell them: "In this recorded conversation, I am informing you that I am represented by the law firm of Dewey, Cheatum and Howe to represent me in this civil matter. My state law 16-18-103b clearly states that once I've informed you that I am represented by an attorney any further communications MUST be with said attorney."

Even after my attorney filed, I never told the JDB, CA or OCs that I'd filed. I simply told them I was represented on this matter. When a couple demanded to know if I'd filed, what chapter, etc., I simply stated that I was represented by an attorney and they could have thier attorney contact mine. *Note* The law quoted above is made up but the collection agent won't know that.

[bk2009]

Make sure you have caller ID and ignore them. My husband likes to play with them a bit and tell them that it's their lucky day because he only takes one call a week from a collector. Of course, this gets them excited thinking he's going to give them some money. Then he tells them that no, there's still no money to give to anyone. When they threaten suit, he tells them to go ahead, they'll be behind some others.

Discover does not call for long. Maybe 60 days or so, they filed suit quickly. DH wasn't working at the time, so we just let it go, knowing that we'll eventually file and will be able to take care of them at that point.

[tobee43]

Make sure you have caller ID and ignore them. My husband likes to play with them a bit and tell them that it's their lucky day because he only takes one call a week from a collector. Of course, this gets them excited thinking he's going to give them some money. Then he tells them that no, there's still no money to give to anyone. When they threaten suit, he tells them to go ahead, they'll be behind some others.

Discover does not call for long. Maybe 60 days or so, they filed suit quickly. DH wasn't working at the time, so we just let it go, knowing that we'll eventually file and will be able to take care of them at that point.

bk 2009...what is it with these MEN....LOL!! my husband actually MISSED their calls...he was so bad..a few times he actually got them to cry he had them so upset. but he was "good" at interrogation and did it for over 40 years so they didn't have a chance in heck to get the last word in. and he's the "silent" soft spoken deadly type!

but personally, i'm glad they have now stopped!

[Bell30656]

Ah the head in the sand approach. Just get Caller ID and ignore them. That's a great plan if you really don't care who knows your in financial difficulty. See, many collection agents especially JDB's will call you 10, 15, 20 times a day when you are not answering. Then you think you are getting over ignoring their calls. Next the collection agent starts calling your work, your neighbors, your friends, you relatives, etc. These are called attempt to locate calls and are legal.

Think that the collector can't get all that info about you? Go to www.411.com and type in addresses on your street. There's your neighbor's phone numbers. Type in your last name and the town you live in... There's some relatives. Live in a small town? Call a few churches and leave a message for telling John Smith to call ABC Debt Collections at 1-888-555-1286 or whatever. Keep in mind these collectors want one thing, their money. They will take any steps they can to get their money. If that means embarrassing you in the process? So be it.

I never ducked collection calls after the first collector called about 15 extensions at my work leaving messages for me to call them. Then they apparently called people with the same last name as me in the town I live in because my ex-wife got called. I've even received a few calls for neighbors of mine.

[pikaroth]

Make sure you have caller ID and ignore them. My husband likes to play with them a bit and tell them that it's their lucky day because he only takes one call a week from a collector. Of course, this gets them excited thinking he's going to give them some money. Then he tells them that no, there's still no money to give to anyone. When they threaten suit, he tells them to go ahead, they'll be behind some others.

Discover does not call for long. Maybe 60 days or so, they filed suit quickly. DH wasn't working at the time, so we just let it go, knowing that we'll eventually file and will be able to take care of them at that point.

You bring up something that, oddly, I thought about early on but it has not crossed my mind until I read your post. How often do they file suit? Discover just started calling me approximately five days ago. The only way I know that it is them is due to putting their number in Google. I HAVE actually tried to answer twice, but they are not there when I do, and I refuse to wait for them to come to the phone. Thinking about it, having something filed against me is almost the scarriest thing to think about. I won't be able to file until the end of January, so if they, on average, go two months, that does not sound good for me.

Nerves acting up again. Not good.