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Debt Collectors Sneaking Robocall Exemptions Into Budget Bill
TCPALaw writes: Hate robocalls? In July, the FCC tightened the rules regarding robocalls to cell phones, especially debt collection calls (in particular limiting calls to wrong numbers or to anyone who is not the debtor). Now the debt collection industry is getting their revenge by sneaking in a massive exemption (see section 301 on page 10 to the PDF) to the the FCC's rules that would expressly permit debt collection robocalls to cell phones (and even collect calls!) for student loans, mortgages, taxes, and any other debt owed or guaranteed by the government. Time to make a few phone calls myself to some senators. The Senate switchboard is (202) 224-3121 or go to senate.gov to find the number for your senators. This may come up for a vote in 24 hours or less.
You sound like a moron. He filed for bankruptcy. By federal law collection efforts have to stop during the proceedings. Collections companies do not trump the law.
The Fair Debt Collections Practices Act allows statutory damages. Follow the rules, sue them in small claims, and then collect when they either default or the attorney settles as it is more of a hassle to show up. Collecting can be fun in its own way as well. I helped a guy who had the collectors dodge him for weeks, so we showed up at the office with a truck and started taking office furniture and anything else we could find.
Someone did that to a local bank. Won a default judgment, called the sheriff department and news media, and shut down the branch office for a day. Under the law, he was entitled to the cash in the drawers and anything else he could carried out to satisfy the debt. The bank quickly settled as the one day closure and bad publicity cost them too much..
Evidently you never had someone make a purchase in your name without you knowing and then ignoring you when you tell them you didn't make it or in my case.....
Someone purchase something online and just happen to give them a random phone number that ends up being yours so you end up telling them 50 times that the person they are looking for doesn't live there, you never met them before, you don't know them and you didn't purchase anything.
There are a whole slew of actions. They do require a little effort though.
Write a physical letter to the hospital.
If no response a week later. Call.
If no response from calls and follow ups then
---- Send it certified (you will get a response).
Send response to credit agencies and bill collection agency.
Ask collection agency for a letter of clearance.
If no response send it certified.
If no response it doesn't matter if it's cleared from credit reports.
However if it isn't removed by the collection agencies OR you insist on complete closure and the collection agency doesn't respond the go and file a small claims suit. You WILL get a response. If you are in the right it WILL be dismissed.
Cost: Time and effort and perhaps some money ($4.00 for each certified letter and $20.00 or so for the small claims court filing).
Is it a pain-in-the-a$$? Yes.
If you're scared of your govt then you need to further restrict its powers
Vote 3rd Party in 2016 and beyond