There are some collection agencies that just don’t have any decency. They cross the line of legality and human courtesy. No debtor wants to get calls every hour from a collector agency, but it’s known to happen. It may even have happened to you.
However, there are ways to deal with such discourtesy behaviour.
1. Ask them for written proof of the debt owed
If they haven’t been sent you a written document about the debt owed, you don’t have to talk to them. Ask them to send a document giving proof of the debt you owe, before the conversation becomes more detailed. This may sound strange, but sometimes the collector may not have accurate information on the debt. So they might not call you till they have found more information about it. This can happen when the debt has been sold a couple of times.
2. Tell them the debt is disputed
Confidently tell them that the debt is disputed and you are planning to speak to a lawyer to clear up the issue. A debt may be in dispute because of family or even, matrimonial issue. When a debt is under dispute, a collection agency can’t contact you.
3. Ask them to talk to your representative
If you are represented by a reputed company like 4Pillars, you can let them know that someone is representing you. This will put their phone calls on hold for some time.
4. Inform them that you aren’t the debtor
A collection agency can’t talk about your debt to anyone else. Inform them that you aren’t the debtor and he/she is not there. They will ask questions and try to gain information on your identity, but you don’t have to give out any answers. Stick to a reply of “you have the wrong person”. They will have to look back to the original creditor and confirm the number before they can start calling. This will stop their calls for some time.
5. Inform them you want to deal with creditor directly
Collection agencies are hired by creditors to get the debt back. They’re a go-between and you aren’t under any obligation to talk to the collection agency. You can demand to speak to the creditor directly.
6. Record the conversation and let them know
It is not unheard of that collection agencies cross the line with abuses and threats. To stop it from occurring, you can start recording the conversation and inform the collection agent of it. This is a preemptive measure to stop the collection agent from crossing the decency line.
7. Inform them you maybe filing for Bankruptcy
The moment you drop the word bankruptcy, you are playing a whole new game with your collection agency. The collection agency will attempt to dissuade you, but stay firm. A collection agency might not contact you now because they are not going to get any money. They might come back in a few days to find out who is the trustee.
8. Turn the conversation around – Question them
Rather than letting them question you, you can start questioning them. Ask them if they are licensed in Alberta. If they are, find out their license number. Once they give it, ask them to hold on and you can check it the number.
You could also ask the agent to fax his/her full name and their details.
9. If you’r financial situation is bad, let them know
Letting the collection agency know of your bad financial situation, may get them off you’r back. It tells them you don’t have any income coming in and aren’t able to pay it back.
Dealing with collection agencies are a pain, but you’ll find their calls become less frequents with these tips. Obviously it does not stop the agency from calling but the above steps can make it less. If you want to stop it completely, then you will require to take some action to pay your debts either in full or thru some legal means, facilitated by 4 Pillars.
