i do collections for a living....attack me now

[bk4sky]

basically i got into the field at a young age. all we were able to do was call and try to talk the person into paying. ive done several lines of collections and trust me we take alot of abuse on the phone as well. To answer someones question as to have i ever had to call myself for collections?? lol the answer is NO, because all the collection jobs ive had would always run a credit report and general rule of thumb is you cant collect for a company you owe money to. i was collection manager/supervisor. basically ALL collections is different so its hard for me to give you the "ins and out" of collections. i can say one thing for sure, its much better to answer your phone or at least call back the collectors and explain your situation...really we are not monsters. of corse there are a few who will give you attitude but most good people wont. so basically just keep in touch with them. if they give you an attitude, your going through enough you dont need that. i listen to all kinda stories all day and i know what people mean. its hard out there.
one thing that bothered me is when i collected on CC's we were not allowed to accept any type of payment except balance in full, and that bothered me greatly, i used to hate having to tell a person no i cant accept that we need payment in full. basically if you guys have any specific questions about collections id be more than happy to asnwer them.

[justplaintired]

basically i got into the field at a young age. all we were able to do was call and try to talk the person into paying. ive done several lines of collections and trust me we take alot of abuse on the phone as well. To answer someones question as to have i ever had to call myself for collections?? lol the answer is NO, because all the collection jobs ive had would always run a credit report and general rule of thumb is you cant collect for a company you owe money to. i was collection manager/supervisor. basically ALL collections is different so its hard for me to give you the "ins and out" of collections. i can say one thing for sure, its much better to answer your phone or at least call back the collectors and explain your situation...really we are not monsters. of corse there are a few who will give you attitude but most good people wont. so basically just keep in touch with them. if they give you an attitude, your going through enough you dont need that. i listen to all kinda stories all day and i know what people mean. its hard out there.
one thing that bothered me is when i collected on CC's we were not allowed to accept any type of payment except balance in full, and that bothered me greatly, i used to hate having to tell a person no i cant accept that we need payment in full. basically if you guys have any specific questions about collections id be more than happy to asnwer them.

Thanks and I'm sure alot of us will. Do you feel it's best to answer the calls as soon as they start. I mean if someone puts off answering them will this cause calls at work? And if someone says you can't call me at work do you have to oblige? Far as giving attorney's name and number what do you do with that info? Note the acct? I'm just curious. That's where we are at now. We gave his name and number but are waiting to file. So far so good. They did call our attorney, I asked the paralegal.

Thanks again!

[bk4sky]

Thanks and I'm sure alot of us will. Do you feel it's best to answer the calls as soon as they start. I mean if someone puts off answering them will this cause calls at work? And if someone says you can't call me at work do you have to oblige? Far as giving attorney's name and number what do you do with that info? Note the acct? I'm just curious. That's where we are at now. We gave his name and number but are waiting to file. So far so good. They did call our attorney, I asked the paralegal.

Thanks again!

basically, if someone tells you not to call them at work they are not supposed to. they are supposed to remove the number. every company i worked for would always remove the work number when asked verbally. alot of companies make you put it in writing. its best to answer right away and be honest and explain the situation and tell them right then and there that you cannot get personal calls at work and will possibly lose your job if they call at work and ask them to remove the number. if debt collectors bother you that bad you can also request a "cease and desist" in writing for them to only contact you by mail..again some collection agencies will accept a verbal cease and desist, while others request it in writing.

as far as attorney involvement goes, every collection job i had if someone said they had an attorney we would just take the name, number of atty, and cease calls to the debtor and call the atty to verify that the debtor really did retain the lawyer. and yes of course we note the account with all the info, general rule is once they tell us they have an attorney we only contact the attorney from that point on.

also once they start calling you at your home its best to asnwer right away, cause if they have any reason to believe its not your home phone number they can start calling nieghbors and relatives in hopes of reaching you. best thing to do as soon as you realize your not going to be able to pay is call the creditor, make sure they have your correct home phone/cell phone. tell them right off the bat you cant get calls at work and to remove any existing work numbers. and if the calls are putting too much stress on you just request the "cease and desist" and to only be contacted my mail.

[JRScott]

its okay we all have to work at something

(I knew several of the folks I worked with at Marriott went on to work for Discover and stuff collecting debt. I was happy at Marriott though back then).

[epiphany]

My lawyer used to collect for BOA!

Anyway, most of the debt collectors I have dealt with have been nice, but there have definitely been a few nasty ones, and YES THOSE ARE THE SCUM OF THE EARTH! However there's scum in every profession.

But you're cool, so don't take it personally.

And I dig the fact that you're here (but sorry that you are for your sake) and willing to share information. I am certain we'll be picking your brain.


ep

[notsoHappyMomma]

one thing that bothered me is when i collected on CC's we were not allowed to accept any type of payment except balance in full, and that bothered me greatly, i used to hate having to tell a person no i cant accept that we need payment in full.

I SO agree. If they would have taken partial payments, we might, and I do mean might, have been able to squeak by. I have never understood why they wouldn't take what I had to give. With the mortgage company, too. I sent my mortgage company 3000 and they just didn't take the money! I didn't know...which got us into the whole forclosure issue. What upset me the most? We only owed them 733 more dollars, but just couldn't give it to them, we had to feed the kids and put gas in the cars! Had they cashed the check, and allowed us to pay the extra 700 the following month, what would that have hurt?? AT LEAST we were trying. Shouldn't that count for something?

[Minnymouth]

Unfortunately many companies have a policy of "no partial payments".... and will not accept them especially if the account has gone to collections. Collection agencies have a payment plan (sometimes) but it is usually higher than what the actual original payment was.... thus most people can't make it either. Once your over extended its almost too late to do anything...

[ichb]

I used to work as a bill collector, I had to "push the button" on a foreclosure on an 80 year old widow. Hated that!! But like the others have said I have no ill will against collectors.

I had one nasty person call me from a notorious CA but otherwise people took my information and left me alone. We have filed now so no more calls at all. I have been getting the occasional e-mail because I was set up for that type of thing, I'm sure it isn't deliberate.

[Flamingo]

Maybe cause I haven't had my afternoon cup of coffee yet but I'm a bit confused as to your first sentences (though flabbergasted by the mentor comment - thank you! That's just experience, nothing more...). I look at things this way - we all have jobs, whether in or out of the house - we change our "hats" daily from one job to another; the OP puts on his "Bill Collector" hat in the a.m., comes home and puts on his "Dad" or "Hubby" hat and then maybe changes to "Soccer Coach" or another hat later in the evening. Then back in the a.m. to "Bill Collector" hat. We all do what we gotta do. Each job has a meaning and purpose that in some way benefits us all.

[Tom_Mi]

Working in collections is like being a Mortician or a Proctologist. Tough job, but somebody's gotta do it.


I promise that's the only similarity I was insinuating.

[gymbo]

BkSky, I think being a debt collector is like every other profession. There are some good ones and some bad ones.

Back when I had stellar credit, I let a medical bill go too long. (Insurance Co assured me it was 100% covered so I ignored the notices.)
Started getting calls from the worst piece of filth I have ever dealt with. Mean, demeaning, mean, mean and did I say mean?

I tried to explain that it was not my debt to pay and asked him to be patient, he replied "I CAN'T BE PATIENT IN MY BIZ ANYMORE THAN YOU CAN IN YOURS, I KNOW WHO YOU ARE!"

He called me at work 3 times in one day. I said "Are you allowed to call me at work?" (This was my 1st encounter with this) He said "Of course I am. Look it up if you don't believe me."

Anyway, I called the insurance co, they apologized for the delay in payment (?!?) and I ignored his calls for a couple days (but the messages were a real pleasure, believe me!)

Then 3 days later, he called again, I answered and explained to him the insurance company assured me the bill was pd in full.

He started SCREAMING at me for not letting him know that as soon as I found out. I hung up and HE LEFT MORE NASTY MESSAGES! Keep in mind, at this point there is no debt to collect.

There are mean people in the world working in every profession. This one just seems to attract them since not only is this behavior allowed, its encouraged.

Sad part is, at the time, I thought to myself, my credit is fine. I have a great home and car. IF I actually owed this debt, I WOULD NOT PAY IT based simply on the way he treated me. You catch more flies with honey...

[CindyLou]

As long as anyone does a job that is legal and they do it with ethics and a conscience, then there is nothing wrong with that job. (well except maybe legal prostituion in nevada, I still have a problem with that.....I guess that wouldn't qualify under eithical or moral....IMO at least) oh, my, how did I go down that road???

[bk4sky]

BkSky, I think being a debt collector is like every other profession. There are some good ones and some bad ones.

Back when I had stellar credit, I let a medical bill go too long. (Insurance Co assured me it was 100% covered so I ignored the notices.)
Started getting calls from the worst piece of filth I have ever dealt with. Mean, demeaning, mean, mean and did I say mean?

I tried to explain that it was not my debt to pay and asked him to be patient, he replied "I CAN'T BE PATIENT IN MY BIZ ANYMORE THAN YOU CAN IN YOURS, I KNOW WHO YOU ARE!"

He called me at work 3 times in one day. I said "Are you allowed to call me at work?" (This was my 1st encounter with this) He said "Of course I am. Look it up if you don't believe me."

Anyway, I called the insurance co, they apologized for the delay in payment (?!?) and I ignored his calls for a couple days (but the messages were a real pleasure, believe me!)

Then 3 days later, he called again, I answered and explained to him the insurance company assured me the bill was pd in full.

He started SCREAMING at me for not letting him know that as soon as I found out. I hung up and HE LEFT MORE NASTY MESSAGES! Keep in mind, at this point there is no debt to collect.

There are mean people in the world working in every profession. This one just seems to attract them since not only is this behavior allowed, its encouraged.

Sad part is, at the time, I thought to myself, my credit is fine. I have a great home and car. IF I actually owed this debt, I WOULD NOT PAY IT based simply on the way he treated me. You catch more flies with honey...

thats terrible, that guy sounded like he had alot of problems of his own to treat others that way. Thats one thing i would never collect on is medical. i was told alot of it is just people having to refile the claims and the insurance takes care of it, but theres no way in hell i would be able to collect from someone who fell ill and had no insurance and now owes thousands. i dont even feel like its their fault. i just wouldnt be able to do it. and from what i heard if you owe medical bill they will take everything u got to get their money, i just think its sad. i mean the ones here who spent too much on credit cards, lived above our means, we just made a mistake and we are taking care of things and trying to do the right thing to get out of it. theres poor people out there who never had a credit problem in their whole life, ended becoming sick and had there whole world torn apart by medical bills. it breaks my heart when i hear stories like that.

[ssdsco]

i notice alot of pre-judgement on the boards about debt collectors calling them the scum of the earth and every thing else under the sun, and it bothers me. ive done various types of collections for years. i really dont feel the need to defend myself, i just think more people need to realize that the very debt collector that calls you is probably going through financial problems of their own. so go ahead guys....say what you want to say. this board has been a great source of support. but if someone here is going to judge me because i call people to let them know they are behind on bills than owell. the bottom line is this: if you dont or cant pay your bills the company is going to collect on their money...right? so people are just doing their jobs. i was never in prision, i never felt like my paychecks were blood money, and i also have a college degree.

[bk4sky]

I am here cause i fell into a really high paying phone job at a young age, they had an opening in collections and it sounded intersting. so i took it and ended up moving up to manager within a few years ( also put myself thru school while working there got degree in business management). was making great money and living very comfortable, ive been to many beautiful places in the world. my parents kept telling me to save some money, but instead i relentlessly travelled every chance i got. i love travelling and my goal is to see the world. then things happened i lost that job and was back to square one. i didnt want to admit i couldnt live like that anymore. so with some credit card balances already ( nothing major) i had stellar credit so i kept charging to keep up with my circle of friends, then i got another collections job, not very well paying, it was just enough to do the minumums on my credit cards, thats when i knew there was a prob, so i would just charge food and gas, and basically diaappeared from my hangouts and such. but then before you know it i was promoted again to collections supervisor given a pretty nice salary, almost as much as i was making as collaction manager at the 1st job. but my take home pay was enought to do my minimums on the cards and use cash for food and gas, i was relieved and thought with a few good bonus checks i can wack some of these cards real good. then that part of the company i was working for shut down and the only opening they had for us was in a diferent department doing soft collections, i was optomistic about it as i was promised i would make tons of money in bonus checks wich i believed cause ive done so in the past. well that didnt happen. of corse my salary got slashed they couldnt give me sup salary to do a basic customer service/collection operator job. once i got my 1st paycheck i couldve cried. there was no way i was goinbg to start paying the cards just to charge food and gas, and thats when i went to see the lawyer. everyone i work with likes me, and all the supervisors know what ive been thru ( only me losing my supervisor job part)
they swear a new position is going to open up soon and they all put in good words for me but i really dont believe it, the company has been doing layoffs and cost cuts like you wouldnt believe. when i retained my lawyer we figured out i was 38k in credit card debt. he said he doesnt say this to many people but im definetly a chapter 7. we'll see.

thanks so much everyone on this board has been so cool. i started this post mainly because i seen some really mean comments about bill collectors and i just wanted to lay it right out on the table, but most of you have been so great and understanding.

the ironic part is how do you like that....a bill collector filing for bankrupcty. i never seen myself in this position but really none of us did.