seedy collectors

I just want everyone to know their legal rights if this company calls you.
COLLECTION AGENCIES

Collection agencies do not fall under the National Do Not Call Registry's restrictions. Collection Agencies are governed by the FDCPA (Fair Debt Collection Practice Act); therefore, to cease calls, you will need to do the following:

(1) Send a letter to the agency via USPS Certified Mail with Return Receipt to cease calling you. NOTE: A Cease and Desist is different than this request and may bring on additional and immediate unwanted actions. Once the agency receives this, they are required by FDCPA to stop calling you, EXCEPT for the following:
15 USC 1692c
§ 805. Communication in connection with debt collection
(c) CEASING COMMUNICATION. If a consumer notifies a debt collector in writing that the consumer refuses to pay a debt or that the consumer wishes the debt collector to cease further communication with the consumer, the debt collector shall not communicate further with the consumer with respect to such debt, except?
(1) to advise the consumer that the debt collector?s further efforts are being terminated;
(2) to notify the consumer that the debt collector or creditor may invoke specified remedies which are ordinarily invoked by such debt collector or creditor; or
(3) where applicable, to notify the consumer that the debt collector or creditor intends to invoke a specified remedy. If such notice from the consumer is made by mail, notification shall be complete upon receipt.

(2) File a complaint with the state's Attorney General's Office for which the company is located: http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/offices/usa_listings2.html

(3) File a complaint with your state's Attorney General's Office: http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/offices/usa_listings2.html

(4) File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC): http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/contact.shtm

(5) File a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC): http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints.html

(6) File a complaint with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) office for which the company does business: http://welcome.bbb.org/

(7) File a complaint with Consumer Sentinel:
Consumer Sentinel
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20580
Website: http://www.consumer.gov/sentinel
Consumer Sentinel is a consumer complaint database maintained by the Federal Trade Commission. The database was created to allow law enforcement to track consumer complaints involving Internet cons, telemarketing scams and other consumer fraud-related complaints. Consumers can file complaints on-line on the website mentioned above.

(8) If you suspect fraud, file a complaint here, too: http://www.fraud.org/

(9) Post complaints in forums such as these used to identify the callers, especially those who are ignoring the FDCPA, to assist others in researching issues similar to yours!

By all means, please share this information! They (Collection Agencies) rely on consumers not being knowledgeable and enforcing their rights, so don't fall prey! And I highly recommend taking Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University (http://www.daveramsey.com/fpu/home/) if there is one near you; very educational and enlightening!

TIP: If you are receiving calls from telemarketers or other scams, you may use some of the above links for filing complaints as well!