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7days · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 5:13 pm Post subject: Bill Collectors Harrassing you??

Discuss what can be done when you start getting more and more bills than your income is from being unemployed.

What can be done when people start calling you and demanding payment? What kind of agreements can be made? How can you talk them into lowering your bill? What if you had no insurance and so you had more bills? What if people are calling you saying they want their bill paid for in six months or else? What if someone talks to you three or four times in the same month harrassing you? What can be done in the USA about this???

How do you get your credit in good standing after all of this? Any ideas?

jjohnson777 · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 6:30 pm Post subject:

I love it when bill collectors call me. I act stupid and then they call me retarted. I then used that against them as why will not pay them. Little do they know I have a bacholor's degree so am not stupid. i love it when bill collectors call.

Jeffrey Johnson

Camilla · Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2005 11:06 am Post subject:

Yes well, it seems that in the US, one can sue another for the most amazing and mundane reasons and I'm not sure that's such a good thing.

Here in the UK creditors have strict rules they need to follow. My advice to anybody who finds themselves in this situation in the UK is to go to the CAB as soon as possible and get a professional to help them sort out their debt problems. By contacting creditors, deals can often be made. I've known cases where the debtor has offered to pay half of the debt and the creditor has agreed to wipe the other half. It's worth a try.

One thing to bear in mind, and this is the same whether you're in the US or the UK (or anywhere else for that matter), is that you have to prioritise which bills you're going to pay.

Sit down and work out how much you have available and then work out which of the bills are most important.

Credit cards and store cards should come at the BOTTOM of the list.

What should be at the TOP is your mortgage/rent and utility bills. Although the law in the UK says that a utility supplier cannot cut a families electricity/gas etc as long as there are children under 5 in the home, these are the bills that need your immediate attention.

Your car should come next. If there's any money left after these things are paid then you can consider whatever other bills you have.

I realise it's nice to have a credit card to use but if you're in debt, cut them up and get rid of your contract mobile phone. Use Pay as You Go instead. Don't buy the latest handset either. Try to get a second-hand one cheap. Remember that you are trying to save money and unless you really need to be contactable when not at home, a mobile phone is a luxury.

- Camilla

runyet · Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 7:13 pm Post subject:

Well all I am the despised "BILL COLLECTOR". We are actually there to help,although just like in any other proffession there are bad apples. Fortunately bill collecting for the most part is independant work so the whole bunch does not tend to get spoiled. We do get a terrible rap in the US with all the commercials advertising against us. But we are basically free debt consultants. Becasue belive me we want to get the bills paid 1 way or another just like you do. Most people think consolidation is way truth and the light but it is actually more beneficial to do bills one at a time. So to not get overwhelmed and to prevent it taking years to pay off debts that have already sat on you credit report for yrs. Also that way pshycoligicaly it is benefifial because you actually can see progress and bills being resovled and not prolonged! P.S. If anyone wants some negotiation tips on there accounts just ask!

UC Help Center · Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 9:00 am Post subject:

Runyet - good stuff there!

Not paying bills is akin to outright theft. Best bet, do not take on credit that you cannot handle. Stop living in the world of immediate gratification

Now if I could only do the same Laughing

officequeen · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 11:15 pm Post subject:

It is against the law to harrass anyone over the phone. You can report them, I believe the better business bureau is the agency you can give a complaint to. They are some very nice and professional bill collectors, but they are few and far in between. I have dealt with good ones and bad ones. What you may need to do is call the creditors yourself and make some kind of payment arrangement with them, it you are able to financially, if not you can tell them as soon as you are able to you will send money, sometimes they will accept this as an answer and if not well don't worry yourself about it. I know it's very hard to owe people money, because believe me I owe money and it does bother me, but I have come to the conclusion you cannot take blood out of a rock, so don't worry yourself sick about it.

Wish you the best!

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