Looks like you're the "dumb*ss", punk!

By all appearances, I'd agree that FAC was in compliance by refusing to discuss the account with anyone but that daughter. However, debt collectors are well known to call family members and other "nearbys" needlessly, faking a skip trace to apply pressure and create false shame.

It sounds like Mom was authorized to discuss the debt, but the agency wasn't clued in. One overlooked FDCPA provision would have solved this, right at the top of § 1692c: "prior consent of the consumer given directly to the debt collector". The "consumer" means the alleged debtor daughter in this case. You can't rely on medical billers to pass along this consent for you, and by statute the collection agency can't accept that indirect consent anyway. This all assumes you *want* to use the phone and the agency is not pulling the usual obnoxious tricks to get paid.

This thread is sprinkled with older comments wagging a finger at the audience and advising that we all make payment arrangements with the strangers on the phone before bad things happen. Take a guess who would have an interest in giving such advice.

This isn't a discussion as to whether or not we should "pay our bills"---

This is about consumers' rights when it comes to the collection of debts.

Thanks for playing.

Oh, and, BTW---it is a violation of a provider's contract to balance bill someone when they have already agreed to accept a capitated payment. They had no business turning the poster over to collections. and should have been reported. I know this because I used to work for an HMO.

You are one sad and pathetic excuse for a human being..  You should have to pay for the air your using along with a high tax for the global warming your creating!

Trolling a cancer survivor who made a post two years ago.  You are a truly a class act, real tough guy huh?

A word of warning, if you were expecting to get away with that here, you are sorely mistaken

Yes I did and I note with some interest they are the defendant in several FDCPA suits, care to comment dumbass?

http://dockets.justia.com/docket/georgia/gandce/1:2014cv00681/203300
http://dockets.justia.com/docket/pennsylvania/paedce/2:2012cv05327/467952
http://dockets.justia.com/docket/tennessee/tnwdce/2:2012cv02464/62069
http://dockets.justia.com/docket/florida/flmdce/3:2012cv00489/270849
http://dockets.justia.com/docket/florida/flmdce/8:2012cv00473/268812
http://dockets.justia.com/docket/georgia/gandce/2:2008cv00143/152632
http://dockets.justia.com/docket/georgia/gandce/4:2008cv00059/150745

Well I'm sure the doctors and nurses that took care of you and provided a service to you would like to feed their kids too. How would you like it if you didn't get paid at your job? I mean even a 20.00 payment a month would be a courtesy. But like most of this country I guess you expect everything for free?

WHAT would cause someone to respond to a post nearly 5 years old ?. Spammers and scammers are so hard up, that they never give up! Try again 5 years from now , if you are still a member of the living, and not a member of the deceased.

Sue for what? Just pay your bills and you won't have this problem.

Um just google frost arnett. Dumbass

No they are not a scam and yes they are legit. If your daughter was of age on the date of service then she is legally responsible for the bill. And since she is of legal age then it is a violation of HIPA to discuss the matter with anyone other than her without permission. Maybe you and your daughter should just pay your debts that you owe and you wouldn't have to worry about a collection company calling.

Keep getting a call from 713 300-2683, and people saying they want me to hold on the line for a personal business matter.  They want me to hold, but they called me.

I just received a call from (270) 849-2141.  The lady said she was calling from Frost-Arnett, asked to speak with _____ (my name) and asked me to verify my date of birth.  When I told her that I don't give out that information unless I know who I am speaking with, she said "Okay, thank you." and hung up the phone.  I assumed that this is some kind of scam and then saw from the other posts that it clearly is a scam.

Caller was Yolanda Galvan from 1 800264 8818 w/ Frost Arnett Company.  Took message - I was on a bus call and they ask for someone else.   They are calling a business number and inturepts customer call.   Will ignore this and other number in future.    What a pain.   Sounds like they get a number and won't let got of it. Since they don't pay for the phone line I don't have to answer the phone.   Waste of their time.  Person doesn't work here.

feel your pain, good luck with the X, nothing a buss and a slight push could not solve lol...

This is from FAC Frost Arnett Collections. If they are calling you make some type of arrangement with them to pay and then do it. I didn't realize I still owed money on a medical bill and ignored their calls for months. The collection showed up on my credit report and not only for the bill, but for every month that went by that it was not paid. So one unpaid bill took 8 hits to my credit, looks like 8 unpaid bills because they report it for every month you continue to ignore them. It has wrecked my credit score. Don't ignore them because you think you didn't owe anything like I did. I am paying for it now by not being able to get a loan anywhere.

This is a collection agency, Frost - Arnett, 10700 Richmond Ave., Houston, Texas.  They have a website.  The website provides a different number, 800-264-7516.  Whether or not you owe a debt, they must stop calling you upon your demand.  Write to them and tell them that you have contacted an attorney, that you know your rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Acts, federal and state; tell them to stop calling; and tell them that if they call you again, you will sue them.  I was getting calls from them and they would not identifiy themselves, which they are required by law to do, and started asking me personal questions.  Do not give them any information about yourself.  Simply demand that if they want to contact you they must do so by mail.

i do not  want any phone call from this company

For those who commented for us to pay our bills or not get the services. Some us have to have the services or we will die. 15000.00 for each chemo treatment is a lot of money insurance will not cover it all. Now I have had 5 heart attacks because of the chemo causing me to not be able to work. Yes, I would love to be able to pay my medical bills but I had rather feed my children. JS

Someone called "Jolanda" called me from this number, and she wanted me to pay for a bill that actually exists, and I haven't pay it yet, so the call could have been absolutely legit. She didn't give any detail about which company she works for, just wanted a credit card number that she could use...

I recieved a call from this company Frost - Arnett Company, the lady wanted to verify my date of birth and they were calling me on my cell phone number. I told them I was not the one since i never give my cell number to anyone. How do they get a cell phone number for collection purpose, can I sue them or ask them where they got the information? I am getting tired for them calling me.

They call all the time I have no idea who it is.  If I answere they hang up, if it goes to Vmail there is a recording asking me to call back.

Calling my cell phone.  No messages. Just running up my minutes.

They keep calling me about credit card transfers

Agreed, Formerbillcollector,
I posted this on another w/s just like this one...
Folks, just about the VAST majority of all this would be eliminated if we just paid the money that was owed, to the  Company (Hospital, Medical, Cable, Electric Bill, etc.)
Its all a business, and if you did YOUR part and paid after someone gave you service, of course, the right thing to do is pay up!
If you cant afford the service, DON'T GET IT DONE! Or, make ways to pay it off.
Businesses usually do not send accounts to collections after at least 90 days or so. So if someone owed you money, and hasn't paid after that long, tell me what you'd do.
Yes, bill collectors, businesses, and the like are ran by......
HUMANS.
So of course there will be mistakes. But most likely not the majority.
I am actually on both sides of this.
I have debts in collection, and I also work for a Collection Agency.
So are we mad because we are getting the calls, or are we mad about ourselves failing to participate on our end of the business agreement; Not paying?
Just some thoughts from someone who's on both sides of the game.
Merry Christmas!

This place has been calling me at 6:45 or 7:45 in the morning.  I have no idea what it is for because they never say.  From what I've read, it's a scam.  I need to do more research.

This is a debt collection company. These people are trying to collect a debt from a hospital that is part of our bluecross network. Blue closs told us they have to accept the amount for there services that is payed under the plan and may not bill us extra. I informed this nasty Alba lady of this and and informed her of our intent to pursue legal remedies. These guys are extortion agents who dream up a bill then harrass people until they pay to get rid of them. DON'T PAY THESE BUTT-HOLES. complain to the state att. generals office.

Actually no they wouldn't as a former debt collector (which is what they are) it is VERY VERY ILLEGAL TO TALK ABOUT THE ACCOUNT TO ANYONE BESIDES THE PERSON THAT OWNS THE ACCOUNT!!.......UNLESS you have a power of attroney and are willing to fax them that. Then and only then can they tell you anything regarding the account. If they did tell you the person that is on the account can sue the company for telling you anything without there permisson.People tend to think that something is "fishy" when debt collectors call because of this reason. It's illegal to say why they are calling on voicemails. That's why they say we have a file or a personal bussiness matter.If the person has ever put you on as a reference on anything not just this certain account then they skip-trace and they find you and then you get called. Just being a relative will come up when skip-tracing.NOW if you tell them I will not give this msg to to whomever they are calling for and they do not live with you and they keep calling record it. Then if they keep calling you can sue then for harrassment. If they ever make threats like we are gonna sue you or the ploice are gonna come even if you owe the bill you can sue. But some times it will be in a pre-legal status and then they can say that there is a "possibility" this can be sent to a lawyer. Lines are very thin what a bill collector can can't do.

Some lady named Alba called my phone trying to contact another member of my family.  This rude little wrench did not give me any explination as to why she was calling or anything.  This company should get some training in manners and how to talk to people.