Creditors calling, how to handle?

[endro]

Sorry. I'm brand new to this. I've never had creditors after me and never thought it would happen. Never thought I'd be considering BK.

A couple CC agencies are starting to call me continually. I haven't talked to them, should I? What happens if you flat out tell them you are unable to pay?

Thanks again.

[CATCHMEIFYOUCAN]

Avoid talking to them so you dont get talked into something you dont/cant afford to do, change you phone number. Are planning on filing for BK? Send them a "do not call letter," there is plenty of info from this site you can pull from the forum!

Best wishes, catchmeifyoucan

[lrprn]

Sorry. I'm brand new to this. I've never had creditors after me and never thought it would happen. Never thought I'd be considering BK.

Nothing to apologize for. The vast majority of us never thought we would be here either. You aren't alone - we were all brand new at some point. BK is humbling but very surviveable, especially when you have people to talk with who understand.

A couple CC agencies are starting to call me continually. I haven't talked to them, should I? What happens if you flat out tell them you are unable to pay?

No matter what you say it's 98% likely that nothing will happen for 4-6 months. Just don't give them any kind of personal information they can use to contact you away from home - where you work, other family phone numbers, work numbers, etc. - and don't ever make promises you don't intend to keep.

Typically they will increase their efforts to get you on the phone in person by calling more often and they may start calling other numbers on your account, so warn any co-signers or others with card privileges. After 4-6 months of non-payment, your original creditor typically shifts your account to a collections agency who then tends to increase the harassment to get you to pay. To deal with the ringing-off-the-hook phone, if you don't already have caller ID and an answering machine, get both. Don't answer numbers you don't recognize - let the callers leave a message. You aren't required to talk to creditors or collection agencies, no matter what they they tell you.

See http://www.consumerlaw.org/action_ag...llection.shtml for good advice on how to deal effectively with debt collectors (if you are sure you are going to file bankruptcy, ignore the "make a deal" section). Don't be intimidated. They are calling you in your home and you don't have to answer if you don't want to. Answering or not answering doesn't seem to make much of a difference in how fast things move forward.

Good luck - hang in there! The calling stage is one of the worst to suffer through. Get earplugs if necessary and remember we're here for venting when the calls start to get to you.