I hate to admit it, but I have been harassed by a collection agency for the past few months and lately it has been getting worse. The calls always come at night (with the most recent one coming about a half hour ago), and I have received them as late as 10:30 p.m.
Of course, the gutless cowards don't actually make the calls themselves. The messages are totally automated, and it is obvious from the message that I am not the only one who is getting them.
After the first few words of the message are spoken, there is a pause and then a different voice names the person who is supposed to be getting the phone call. "If you are not (insert name), please hang up. After that, I am told that Financial Federal is contacting me about the money I owe and I am given a phone number to call them and correct the matter.
I am a stubborn person. I have not called them and I have not made any attempt to correct the matter. It is unlikely Financial Federal is going to leave me alone. I did some quick internet research and apparently this company is well known for its merciless approach and constant skirting of the Fair Credit Act.
A few moments ago, I filled out a form with the Better Business Bureau to report this company's pattern of harassment. This is not an effort to get out of paying my bills. In fact, I have an excellent credit record. You will understand what my problem is with Financial Federal when you read the text of my letter to the Better Business Bureau:
For the past several months, I have been harassed by Financial Federal. The calls began a few months ago. At first, they came on a weekly basis. Lately, I have been receiving them on a nightly basis, including Saturday and Sunday and as late as 10:30 p.m. Each time, it is a recorded message telling me they are calling about my debts.
The calls are apparently are being received by many people since a different voice inserts the name. The harassment would be bad enough, but these calls are being left for someone named Chris Scarletta. I don't know a Chris Scarletta, I can't find any record of there being a Chris Scarletta in Joplin, and I have had this phone number for almost five years, and as far as I have been able to determine, no one named Chris Scarletta had it in at least two or three years before the number was assigned to me. The company has apparently not even made an honest effort to reach the actual Chris Scarletta.
I wonder how many other people are suffering because of this company's unethical tactics.
Any help you can give me would be much appreciated.
Randy Turner
At first, I thought there has to be a place in hell reserved for people like the ones at Financial Federal, but the more I thought about it, the realization occurred to me- hell is too good for them.
This Scarletta person may have given your name and phone number as a reference on a credit application.
ReplyDeleteCould be. I never thought of that, but these people are apparently thinking that he is at this phone number. I suppose he may have deliberately written down a false number.
ReplyDeletecontact the missouri attorney generals office and give them the info that you have. they should help you.
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Randy, ten thirty saturday night would have been around the time you were gazing adoringly into my beautiful eyes enjoying some post sex cuddling. My point is simply that I think you have the time wrong...silly!
ReplyDeletehey Randy. this is Chris Scarletta. tell them if they dont quit they could wind up sleeping with the fishes. or wake up with a horse head along side them. have some fun with them! threaten them back. tell them to call your friend bernie madoff.
ReplyDeleteI have had the same problem with more than one company, always looking for someone else. The first time it was someone who had previously had the phone number but when I moved, I changed my number. I then had calls to someone I never heard of on a brand new number after about a year from collectors. It's a rough battle but I fought back, calling up the companies, reporting them to who ever I could, and finally got it shut down - so far, so good anyway!
ReplyDeleteI used to get collect phone calls from a prison in California.
ReplyDeleteApparently the woman who had my phone number before me (and I have had the same number since 1992) had a son who was incarcinated in a California prison.
It took me a while to track down the circumstances, but the son was a schizophenic who, when he took his medicine, was a nice guy, but if he took his medicine he got to feeling better and didn't think he needed to take his medicine anymore and he would turn into a monster.
I occasionally get solicitations from auto insurance companies wanting to sell the son insurance.
You need to call the number back and strongly inform them the person does not and has not ever been at the implied phone number or address. Inform them that you no longer want any phone calls from them. This is a Federal Law...also they CAN NOT call you that late at night. Once you have informed them, you can file suit against them and if you tell them that, more than likely the calls will cease. I/we get phone calls for a step-daughter and I get so mad I could explode...both at the company and her. I think she puts down our name as the "nearest relative". The collections agencies have many sources...they tracked us down from an out of state phone number over 4 years ago. Needless to say when I started rattling about the feds, the calls ceased. The other problem is that companies sell the bad debts and it may start all over again after a long length of time.
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