Pamela H in Texas Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 my phone number, face, etc? So a month or so ago, y'all helped me with what seemed to be a scam of a bill collection situation with my mortgage company. Today, my mother calls me saying that a man called my stepdad's sister (whose had multiple last names and whose last name has never been the same as mine) looking for me, saying it's urgent. The phone number was local, a landline in the next town over. I call (*67 so they won't have MY number) and an older man answers. I had to tell him who I was and immediately asked, kinda playfully, how they found this particular relative. He responds with, "I see you aren't going to take care of this so I'll just file a lawsuit on behalf of my client Monday." I told him I didn't even know what he was talking about so he tells me. He's a bill collector (an attorney). No disclaimer like a normal bill collector or anything though. So I told him that I should have taken care of it but just hadn't due to X and Y but am in a position to be able to over a short amount of time now. I asked him if I could just go to the doctor and pay or.... He tells me that we have two choices. He again threatens with court (for what purpose? I just said I'd pay it!) and then tells me I can pay reasonable payments. Ummm, okay, I already said I'd do that! So he suggests a 6 month plan. However, the ONLY way to do it, according to him, is for me to give him my debit card information and after it's paid, he'll send me a receipt. I'm gonna pay 6 months with no receipt? While I'm talking to him, I try a reverse phone look up, a general attorney search with his name, etc. I told him I hadn't been able to find any information and he says something about another town and a P.O. Box. I try looking that up. I can't find ANYTHING with this man's name in these towns, esp not tied to being an attorney. He accuses me of a ploy, throws in my face that I haven't paid this doctor, etc. I told him that in this day NO ONE is so much of an idiot to give their financial information to someone who won't give their professional information. I'm sure that isn't true but *I* am not that dumb! He got abusive and I hung up on him. I called the doctor's office and told them what happened. I am going to go pay them most of the bill (about 70%). They said they can make a payment arrangement for the rest with me. I asked them to still look into it because 1) if he was a lawyer, obviously we don't need to go to court and 2) if he really is working with them, they need to know how unprofessional then abusive this man was. I called my mom and she said I did the right thing. You never give financial information to someone you can't verify. Anyway, isn't it odd that two months in a row, I'd get scam-seeming bill collecting people? Now to go apologize to Aunt T that this idiot somehow found her in connection to me (btw, why NOT just call me? I'm VERY findable!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Oh Pamela, I'm so sorry. Bill collectors can be a real hassle. Years ago, dh and I decided to clean up our credit so we could buy our first house. You'd be surprised how rude people can be when YOU call THEM asking how you can pay off a five year old debt. Recently, I had someone call looking for my parents. They recently went through a bankruptcy at the business they owned for 17 years. Dh called them back 'cause he was curious how they got our number. It was very akward; like I'm really gonna call and be like 'hey mom and dad, here's a message from a bill collector calling our house looking for you guys'. :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 my phone number, face, etc? So a month or so ago, y'all helped me with what seemed to be a scam of a bill collection situation with my mortgage company. Today, my mother calls me saying that a man called my stepdad's sister (whose had multiple last names and whose last name has never been the same as mine) looking for me, saying it's urgent. The phone number was local, a landline in the next town over. I call (*67 so they won't have MY number) and an older man answers. I had to tell him who I was and immediately asked, kinda playfully, how they found this particular relative. He responds with, "I see you aren't going to take care of this so I'll just file a lawsuit on behalf of my client Monday." I told him I didn't even know what he was talking about so he tells me. He's a bill collector (an attorney). No disclaimer like a normal bill collector or anything though. So I told him that I should have taken care of it but just hadn't due to X and Y but am in a position to be able to over a short amount of time now. I asked him if I could just go to the doctor and pay or.... He tells me that we have two choices. He again threatens with court (for what purpose? I just said I'd pay it!) and then tells me I can pay reasonable payments. Ummm, okay, I already said I'd do that! So he suggests a 6 month plan. However, the ONLY way to do it, according to him, is for me to give him my debit card information and after it's paid, he'll send me a receipt. I'm gonna pay 6 months with no receipt? While I'm talking to him, I try a reverse phone look up, a general attorney search with his name, etc. I told him I hadn't been able to find any information and he says something about another town and a P.O. Box. I try looking that up. I can't find ANYTHING with this man's name in these towns, esp not tied to being an attorney. He accuses me of a ploy, throws in my face that I haven't paid this doctor, etc. I told him that in this day NO ONE is so much of an idiot to give their financial information to someone who won't give their professional information. I'm sure that isn't true but *I* am not that dumb! He got abusive and I hung up on him. I called the doctor's office and told them what happened. I am going to go pay them most of the bill (about 70%). They said they can make a payment arrangement for the rest with me. I asked them to still look into it because 1) if he was a lawyer, obviously we don't need to go to court and 2) if he really is working with them, they need to know how unprofessional then abusive this man was. I called my mom and she said I did the right thing. You never give financial information to someone you can't verify. Anyway, isn't it odd that two months in a row, I'd get scam-seeming bill collecting people? Now to go apologize to Aunt T that this idiot somehow found her in connection to me (btw, why NOT just call me? I'm VERY findable!). In hopes there are no bill collectors on this board, I'd just like to say I agree with Dave Ramsey that they are generally pond scum. They lie. A lot. I do not help bill collectors locate ANYONE EVER. I have a BIL that I don't even like, but I won't give them any info on him. I had one partiularly nasty one call here....and he told me he would keep calling.....so finally I told him if he would give me his phone number maybe my BIL would call him back. Well he fell for that....so I called his number and told his supervisor that a lawsuit was coming to them if they EVER called my home again. That worked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Oh Pamela, I'm so sorry. Bill collectors can be a real hassle. Years ago, dh and I decided to clean up our credit so we could buy our first house. You'd be surprised how rude people can be when YOU call THEM asking how you can pay off a five year old debt. Recently, I had someone call looking for my parents. They recently went through a bankruptcy at the business they owned for 17 years. Dh called them back 'cause he was curious how they got our number. It was very akward; like I'm really gonna call and be like 'hey mom and dad, here's a message from a bill collector calling our house looking for you guys'. :001_huh: When they call looking for my BIL, with whom I share the same last unusual name, I do not even verify that I know my BIL much less that he is my BIL. I tell them, 'you called my house and I do not have to answer your questions. Goodbye.' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Ugh, Pamela. You handled it perfectly. I've had bill collectors call looking for people with our last name and refuse to take, "No I don't know that person." for an answer. What happened to the old adage, "You gather more flies with honey than vinegar?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Shew! Maybe it's time to go underground :lol: I would've told him I'd see him in court. Maybe you should call the Dr's office? See if they can tell you what's what :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 You did the right thing in NOT allowing him access to your accounts. Sheesh, can you see the train wreck that would be? That's scary! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 my phone number, face, etc? So a month or so ago, y'all helped me with what seemed to be a scam of a bill collection situation with my mortgage company. Today, my mother calls me saying that a man called my stepdad's sister (whose had multiple last names and whose last name has never been the same as mine) looking for me, saying it's urgent. The phone number was local, a landline in the next town over. I call (*67 so they won't have MY number) and an older man answers. I had to tell him who I was and immediately asked, kinda playfully, how they found this particular relative. He responds with, "I see you aren't going to take care of this so I'll just file a lawsuit on behalf of my client Monday." I told him I didn't even know what he was talking about so he tells me. He's a bill collector (an attorney). No disclaimer like a normal bill collector or anything though. So I told him that I should have taken care of it but just hadn't due to X and Y but am in a position to be able to over a short amount of time now. I asked him if I could just go to the doctor and pay or.... He tells me that we have two choices. He again threatens with court (for what purpose? I just said I'd pay it!) and then tells me I can pay reasonable payments. Ummm, okay, I already said I'd do that! So he suggests a 6 month plan. However, the ONLY way to do it, according to him, is for me to give him my debit card information and after it's paid, he'll send me a receipt. I'm gonna pay 6 months with no receipt? While I'm talking to him, I try a reverse phone look up, a general attorney search with his name, etc. I told him I hadn't been able to find any information and he says something about another town and a P.O. Box. I try looking that up. I can't find ANYTHING with this man's name in these towns, esp not tied to being an attorney. He accuses me of a ploy, throws in my face that I haven't paid this doctor, etc. I told him that in this day NO ONE is so much of an idiot to give their financial information to someone who won't give their professional information. I'm sure that isn't true but *I* am not that dumb! He got abusive and I hung up on him. I called the doctor's office and told them what happened. I am going to go pay them most of the bill (about 70%). They said they can make a payment arrangement for the rest with me. I asked them to still look into it because 1) if he was a lawyer, obviously we don't need to go to court and 2) if he really is working with them, they need to know how unprofessional then abusive this man was. I called my mom and she said I did the right thing. You never give financial information to someone you can't verify. Anyway, isn't it odd that two months in a row, I'd get scam-seeming bill collecting people? Now to go apologize to Aunt T that this idiot somehow found her in connection to me (btw, why NOT just call me? I'm VERY findable!). I am so sorry you have to go through that, Pamela. :grouphug: Debt collectors have become nearly criminal in the way they operate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConnieB Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Actually if he is in fact an attorney, he is required BY LAW to provide you with his State Bar number upon request. It is then possible for you to look at your state bar's website and find out if in fact he is a legit, and upstanding, member of the bar (for instance, if he has been suspended he can't call himself an attorney even though he may possess all the education and experience, he's not in the eyes of the law and can't call himself one). LYING to you about being an attorney is illegal and can have serious consequences for the bill collector. Here's more details about what bill collectors can and CAN NOT do: http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/article-29999.html Also DO NOT pay your doctor directly. Since they have placed your account for collection, paying them directly may NOT resolve this matter. Your doctor made a contract with the collector that gives the collector the right to collect not only the debt but interest and whatever fees are legal in your state. After the collector gets paid from you, they pay a percentage to the doctor, per the agreement, and the rest is profit for them. If your doctor instead takes your money and marks their account paid in full, the collector still has a contract that says he can continue to collect from you....and sad to say, you're caught in the middle. If you're willing to pay the doctor directly, require that they contact this collector and revoke their contract with him. And that you require something IN WRITING from the collector saying that they no longer are pursuing collection against you at their client (the doctor)'s direction. You don't want to be in the middle because the collector will trash your credit even more by marking it uncollectable when you flat out refuse to pay him when you've already paid the doctor directly! This typically happens because the doctor's staff doesn't understand that marking their account records paid doesn't call off the dogs..errrr.collection company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Whatever happened with the mortgage situation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Also DO NOT pay your doctor directly. Since they have placed your account for collection, paying them directly may NOT resolve this matter. Your doctor made a contract with the collector that gives the collector the right to collect not only the debt but interest and whatever fees are legal in your state. After the collector gets paid from you, they pay a percentage to the doctor, per the agreement, and the rest is profit for them. If your doctor instead takes your money and marks their account paid in full, the collector still has a contract that says he can continue to collect from you....and sad to say, you're caught in the middle. If you're willing to pay the doctor directly, require that they contact this collector and revoke their contract with him. And that you require something IN WRITING from the collector saying that they no longer are pursuing collection against you at their client (the doctor)'s direction. You don't want to be in the middle because the collector will trash your credit even more by marking it uncollectable when you flat out refuse to pay him when you've already paid the doctor directly! This typically happens because the doctor's staff doesn't understand that marking their account records paid doesn't call off the dogs..errrr.collection company. This is extreemly wise advice! I'm sorry you had to deal with this guy, and I hope you're able to get everything settled without much more pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela H in Texas Posted October 9, 2009 Author Share Posted October 9, 2009 update on doctor bill: I called the doctor's office immediately after this happened. I made arrangements and left immediately after posting the OP to pay them 70% of the bill. When I got there, I reiterated how unprofessional this person was and why I was unwilling to work with him (he wouldn't give me any way to verify who he was). The office manager said that she contacts their collection person but doesn't know who they employ otherwise. I asked her to be sure to handle this as the man was threatening court as of Monday. Hubby told me to go ahead and pay them the rest but I will talk to the office manager to make sure the dogs are called off before I do. update on mortgage people from last month: They respected my threats of handling the situation legally. We paid the bill within the grace period and so didn't hear from them. We paid this month's bill early so I don't know what would have happened Oct 2nd. Guess it doesn't much matter :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoPlaceLikeHome Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 He sounds like a con artist and not a debt collector. However, there have been documented instances of abuse by debt collectors. Please check out the following government web site on your rights with debt collection: http://www.ftc.gov/ :grouphug: P.S. I would never give out your banking or debit card info:) Sorry if I am the master of the obvious as my dh says;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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