So glad there are sites like these to check out the PITA callers.  Called for an employee, couldn't find her number, so I took the message from Linda at Wyndham, then looked up the number before emailing the employee.  She was calling on a 'business matter'.   I of course deleted the email without sending it.

I'll add this number to my list of about 300 numbers of calls to avoid.  What a job!

Apparently a Dave called my mother, I have not received any messages from them. Very fishy!

I received a call yesterday from Michelle Perry of Windham Professionals wanting to know if my brother in law lives at my residence.  At first she asked if I was his mother?!.  Interesting that she had his correct address in Wisconsin, but not his telephone number.  I think they prey on parents or relatives thinking that the parents will pay on time and in earnest.  Well, my brother in law hasn't been in school for 24 years and my in-laws passed away (both of them) in 2011.  I gave her his phone number and asked her not to telephone me any longer as we are not responsible for his debts.  24 years being an education deadbeat is, in my book, too darn long and he is way too old to have been relying on his ill parents.

These people called yesterday and left a message for my daughter. I looked the number up and saw that it was reported by other people as a loan scam. We didn't call them back. My son's wife called today saying that they called their house looking for my son in order to get in touch with my daughter, when we'd never even talked to these people. How did they even get my son's information to call him? My daughter-in-law called them back to see who they were and why they were calling for my daughter, they told her they couldn't "disclose that information" but then proceeded to tell her why but the information was incorrect. They also knew her by name when she had not given it to them. I don't know who these people are but I'm going to turn them in for this. This kind of crap is ridiculous.

They will try to force you to take one of their "consolidation loans" and ask you for references outside of your home (friends & family) then call them about your financial situation.  This is ILLEGAL in most states and I suggest if you receive a call from these people, you document every phone call, including to whom you spoke with--they do not accurately document phone conversations and I have had several reps be very rude, document wrong information from me and send me false documentation claiming they have spoken with me when they did not.  Contact the banking commission and your state's DA to help you fight their over-charges.

this phone number calls me every morning:  I called back and spoke to a PERKINS...who told me that I should hang up and have another cup of coffee!!!!!! I am a 66-year widow and have never been spoken to by anyone in this rude manner.  I do not owe anyone anything, and if PERKINS keeps calling me then I will sue the pants off them for harassment.

You know nothing about student loans, stop giving bad advice. there are no statute of limitations on student loans. Calling relatives for location information or to get a message to the borrower is not illegal. Hopefully you gave your sister the message, most borrowers want to pay their debts and need help with solutions.

References are required on any student loan, wether you are taking them out for the first time, or resolving a defaulted loan...References are contacted in the event that the agency is unable to reach you and is to leave a message,. And if you give perm to talk to your references, then they can, by law discuss your student loan, this is not illegal. The consolidation loan is a federal back loan that will take over your defaulted student loan, even if you haven't paid in quite some time. In order to collect on a student loan, the agency may add penalty fees to your defaulted student loan. This is stated in your promissory note... You need to read this before you sign. sounds like you like to whine..pay your bill

The dept. of Education can and will garnish you social security for a defauted student loan, Soc security office will deny it, but just wait til the first garnishment comes out of your chk.

Person claiming to be "Brandon Zubecki" calls over and over to my office claiming my son referred him to me, clearly a LIE.  According to my research this number is Wyndham Professionals, some kind of collection agent.  They will not be honest with trying to get to someone - deceipt and lies seem to be the way they do business.  NOT PROFESSIONALS as their name would suggest

It's amazing to me how little is required to actually obtain a student loan for thousands of dollars. There is no credit check conducted or monthly income verified. You simply enroll in a college, fill out your financial aid forms, and sign on the dotted line. Then what happens next? You attend college, receive an inadequite education and an expensive piece of paper, that upon graduation means practically nothing because you cannot even land a job in your field of study. In my opinion our college education system is designed to set students up for failure and years of debt, much like the recent mortgage crisis in this country. The banks approved mortgage loans for individuals and families that clearly could not afford them, the same is true for student loans.

Instead of bailing out banks and large greedy corporations, we (U.S. Government) should be bailing out the working class who are struggling with debt, such as large student loans. Which brings me to my next thought. Why does a four year degree cost so much in this country anyway? In other countries, a four year college education is free. The Student Aid process and requirements neccessary to obtain a student loan in this country need to be seriously reconsidered.

As for the unprofessional people at Windham Professionals, they will be hearing from my attorney soon. They may be a legitimate collection agency but they certainly are not a professional one as suggested in their name. Good luck to all of you who are having to deal with these people. My advice, educate yourself on your rights and if neccessary get yourself an attorney. Just because you have a debt does not give collection agencies the right to treat you like a criminal!

1) Never assume they have a VALID DEBT OR LEGAL RIGHT TO COLLECT
 
2) Debt collectors MUST FOLLOW your STATE laws regarding licensing.  Check your Secretary of State for licensing requirements for ANY collection agency that contacts you

Debt Collectors DO NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS INFORMATION!    
The INFORMED CONSUMER IS THE DEBT COLLECTORS WORST ENEMY!

THE CORRECT WAY TO HANDLE COLLECTION CALLS AND ILLEGAL TACTICS

READ DEALING WITH DEBT COLLECTORS, RECORDING CALLS AND STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS BY STATE

You can also post your questions here http://www.collectorsexposed.com/forum/   NEW URL!    

These links are to attorneys for those being scammed www.naca.net or http://www.consumerjustice.com/consumer/searchattorneys.aspx


Dealing with Debt Collectors
Http://www.budhibbs.com/First.htm    
    
Statute of Limitations by State ? always double check YOUR OWN STATE Government Website
http://www.budhibbs.com/statute_of_limitations.htm

Recording calls from Debt Collectors - always double check YOUR OWN STATE Government Website
http://www.budhibbs.com/record.htm


From Federal Trade Commission Website ? FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT
Debt Collection FAQs: A Guide for Consumers
If you?re behind in paying your bills, or a creditor?s records mistakenly make it appear that you are, a debt collector may be contacting you.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation?s consumer protection agency, enforces the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which prohibits debt collectors from using abusive, unfair, or deceptive practices to collect from you.
Under the FDCPA, a debt collector is someone who regularly collects debts owed to others. This includes collection agencies, lawyers who collect debts on a regular basis, and companies that buy delinquent debts and then try to collect them.
Here are some questions and answers about your rights under the Act.

What types of debts are covered?
The Act covers personal, family, and household debts, including money you owe on a personal credit card account, an auto loan, a medical bill, and your mortgage. The FDCPA doesn?t cover debts you incurred to run a business.

Can a debt collector contact me any time or any place?
No. A debt collector may not contact you at inconvenient times or places, such as before 8 in the morning or after 9 at night, unless you agree to it. And collectors may not contact you at work if they?re told (orally or in writing) that you?re not allowed to get calls there.

How can I stop a debt collector from contacting me?
If a collector contacts you about a debt, you may want to talk to them at least once to see if you can resolve the matter ? even if you don?t think you owe the debt, can?t repay it immediately, or think that the collector is contacting you by mistake. If you decide after contacting the debt collector that you don?t want the collector to contact you again, tell the collector ? in writing ? to stop contacting you. Here?s how to do that:
Make a copy of your letter. Send the original by certified mail, and pay for a ?return receipt? so you?ll be able to document what the collector received. Once the collector receives your letter, they may not contact you again, with two exceptions: a collector can contact you to tell you there will be no further contact or to let you know that they or the creditor intend to take a specific action, like filing a lawsuit. Sending such a letter to a debt collector you owe money to does not get rid of the debt, but it should stop the contact. The creditor or the debt collector still can sue you to collect the debt.

Can a debt collector contact anyone else about my debt?
If an attorney is representing you about the debt, the debt collector must contact the attorney, rather than you. If you don?t have an attorney, a collector may contact other people ? but only to find out your address, your home phone number, and where you work. Collectors usually are prohibited from contacting third parties more than once. Other than to obtain this location information about you, a debt collector generally is not permitted to discuss your debt with anyone other than you, your spouse, or your attorney.

What does the debt collector have to tell me about the debt?
Every collector must send you a written ?validation notice? telling you how much money you owe within five days after they first contact you. This notice also must include the name of the creditor to whom you owe the money, and how to proceed if you don?t think you owe the money.

Can a debt collector keep contacting me if I don?t think I owe any money?
If you send the debt collector a letter stating that you don?t owe any or all of the money, or asking for verification of the debt, that collector must stop contacting you. You have to send that letter within 30 days after you receive the validation notice. But a collector can begin contacting you again if it sends you written verification of the debt, like a copy of a bill for the amount you owe.

What practices are off limits for debt collectors?
Harassment. Debt collectors may not harass, oppress, or abuse you or any third parties they contact. For example, they may not:
    use threats of violence or harm;
    publish a list of names of people who refuse to pay their debts (but they can give this information to the credit reporting companies);
    use obscene or profane language; or
    repeatedly use the phone to annoy someone.

False statements. Debt collectors may not lie when they are trying to collect a debt. For example, they may not:
    falsely claim that they are attorneys or government representatives;
    falsely claim that you have committed a crime;
    falsely represent that they operate or work for a credit reporting company;
    misrepresent the amount you owe;
    indicate that papers they send you are legal forms if they aren?t; or
    indicate that papers they send to you aren?t legal forms if they are.

Debt collectors also are prohibited from saying that:
    you will be arrested if you don?t pay your debt;
    they?ll seize, garnish, attach, or sell your property or wages unless they are permitted by law to take the action and intend to do so; or
    legal action will be taken against you, if doing so would be illegal or if they don?t intend to take the action.

Debt collectors may not:
    give false credit information about you to anyone, including a credit reporting company;
    send you anything that looks like an official document from a court or government agency if it isn?t; or
    use a false company name.

Unfair practices. Debt collectors may not engage in unfair practices when they try to collect a debt. For example, they may not:
    try to collect any interest, fee, or other charge on top of the amount you owe unless the contract that created your debt ? or your state law ? allows the charge;
    deposit a post-dated check early;
    take or threaten to take your property unless it can be done legally; or
    contact you by postcard.

Can I control which debts my payments apply to?
Yes. If a debt collector is trying to collect more than one debt from you, the collector must apply any payment you make to the debt you select. Equally important, a debt collector may not apply a payment to a debt you don?t think you owe.

Can a debt collector garnish my bank account or my wages?
If you don?t pay a debt, a creditor or its debt collector generally can sue you to collect. If they win, the court will enter a judgment against you. The judgment states the amount of money you owe, and allows the creditor or collector to get a garnishment order against you, directing a third party, like your bank, to turn over funds from your account to pay the debt.
Wage garnishment happens when your employer withholds part of your compensation to pay your debts. Your wages usually can be garnished only as the result of a court order. Don?t ignore a lawsuit summons. If you do, you lose the opportunity to fight a wage garnishment.

Can federal benefits be garnished?
Many federal benefits are exempt from garnishment, including:
    Social Security Benefits
    Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefits
    Veterans? Benefits
    Civil Service and Federal Retirement and Disability Benefits
    Service Members? Pay
    Military Annuities and Survivors? Benefits
    Student Assistance
    Railroad Retirement Benefits
    Merchant Seamen Wages
    Longshoremen?s and Harbor Workers? Death and Disability Benefits
    Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Benefits
    Compensation for Injury, Death, or Detention of Employees of U.S. Contractors Outside the U.S.
    Federal Emergency Management Agency Federal Disaster Assistance
But federal benefits may be garnished under certain circumstances, including to pay delinquent taxes, alimony, child support, or student loans.

Do I have any recourse if I think a debt collector has violated the law?
You have the right to sue a collector in a state or federal court within one year from the date the law was violated. If you win, the judge can require the collector to pay you for any damages you can prove you suffered because of the illegal collection practices, like lost wages and medical bills. The judge can require the debt collector to pay you up to $1,000, even if you can?t prove that you suffered actual damages. You also can be reimbursed for your attorney?s fees and court costs. A group of people also may sue a debt collector as part of a class action lawsuit and recover money for damages up to $500,000, or one percent of the collector?s net worth, whichever amount is lower. Even if a debt collector violates the FDCPA in trying to collect a debt, the debt does not go away if you owe it.

What should I do if a debt collector sues me?
If a debt collector files a lawsuit against you to collect a debt, respond to the lawsuit, either personally or through your lawyer, by the date specified in the court papers to preserve your rights.

Where do I report a debt collector for an alleged violation?
Report any problems you have with a debt collector to your state Attorney General?s office (www.naag.org) and the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov). Many states have their own debt collection laws that are different from the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Your Attorney General?s office can help you determine your rights under your state?s law.

For More Information
To learn more about debt collection and other credit-related issues, visit www.ftc.gov/credit and MyMoney.gov, the U.S. government?s portal to financial education.
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad
February 2009

File complaints with

Federal Trade Commission  https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/FTC_Wizard.aspx?Lang=en

Your State Attorney General
State Attorney General is every state they have offices

Link to all State Attorney General Websites www.naag.org

If you or they are located in NY ? use this SPECIAL Link  www.NYDebtHelp.com
This special website was created by NY AG Andrew Cuomo specifically for reporting illegal debt collection practices.  HE?S CRACKING DOWN AND SHUTTING THEM DOWN!
    
Also report your calls and contacts with debt collectors at http://www.budhibbs.com/index.html  If the company is listed under agencies ? report there. If not on the list YET, click on Watchlist! and add to the list.   You can also post here http://www.collectorsexposed.com/forum2/index.php?board=2.0

So, does that mean they are legitimate and are allowed to contact people requesting all of this personal information and forcing them to pay this debt originally owed to someone else?

personal services

i owe money on my student loans, but i am not working, and cannot pay right now, these people call me EVERY day, and nowe they have started leaving harrasing messages. Yesterday when they called and got the machine, the person was yelling my name and then says "she wont answer cuz shes watching Opra. "
this is harrassment and i am going to call the attorney general and report them.

Just received a call from 877-768-2286:  when I called back they
said they were looking for someone who does not live at my address.  when I asked
them what it was about - I was told a "school matter"....
I am a 66-year old widow and do not have any school debts.  Nor do I wish
to be harassed by any bill collectors.
I will call the solicitor generals office if they continue to do this.

They treat u like dirt then hang up!!! A** holes

yup a***oles why don't u pay ur bill...duh trying to then hangs up

I agree with you times are hard and paying private student loans isnt always the easiest in this economy

I think everyone would agree that paying a bill is not the issue.  Why don't you try and pay a bill that started out at a reasonable number and now Wyndam Professionals has tacked on another 50k.  The minimum they will take is 1,000.00.  They can threaten all they want they cannot take more than you can afford, my attorney tells me that I can pay what I can legally afford and that is enough.  It really is ridiculous that your educated answer is "Why don't you try and pay your bill"  Why don't you learn a bit more about this economy and the facts before spouting off your judgement.  That lack of compassion you show others is something you should work on.

The hard truth is that they are not calling for the Federal Government they are calling about private Student loans, or in other words the loan sharks at Sallie Mae.  It is easy to ask someone to pay the bill but until you have a Sallie Mae loan you don't know what you are talking about.  The amount of fee's and additional interest they add should be illegal.  I love the way banks can just call the government for a bail out and then you have honest hard working citizens that want to pay their bill but the least they will take is 1,000 a month that is unreasonable.

High Five!

Danny- how are things going with this agency?  I've been navigating around the mess with Sallie Mae, NSLP and Windham.  Please let us know if they have been on the "up and up"

Thank you.

Be firm and tell them you're paying what you can and tell them to quit calling you.  I'm pretty certain if you tell them that, they can't keep calling.

Yes, it's legal to call you to try and find your sister.  That's call skip-tracing.  Students who get loans actually have to give phone numbers and addresses of people who will "always" know how to reach them just for this reason.  As long as the collector didn't give you any details about your sister's obligations, she did nothing wrong.

I am dealing with them right now, they're not trying to scam you out of money.  They are government contracted and aren't messing around.  I even called the us dept of ed and just by typing in my info the automated system was able to tell me that my debt was being handled through windham professionals.  supposedly after paying on time for 6 months I will be able to take out new loans, and after 12 months the loans are taken out of default and I get my forebarence and defferment rights back.

I got a call from them and to be honest i thought all my loans were consolidated through sallie mae apparently after research sallie mae cannot consolidate Perkins loans. which is what this particular dept. collects. i worked with a brian and he walked me through the process. btw he speak perfect english they all do. as for the fees the range per school he told me and that windham gets paid regardless if i pay this off, consolidate or the school takes my taxes they STILL GET PAID! so for all of us who are sensitive or thing we know where all are loans are, do we really? i mean comon did financial aide sit down with you when you graduated and advised you of all the loans you had. I know they didn't for me. just call them back and listen to them, if your collectors an a***ole then ask for the manager or a nicer collector.

you might wanna call em cuz sometimes if u get ur student loans consolidated they miss a couple n the ones the company misses goes in default. or just call maybe they got the wrong number.

it is legal for them to call u just not give u any information about y they are calling. it just mean ur sister has defaulted with the federal government and she needs to pay her bills.

I Just got thru talkin to Mrs. Perry- A PROFESSIONAL! i dont think so- This lady is too much! talking so fast I don't understand a word she says--- then hangs up before the conversation is over!
Lady I wasn't done talking to you! The previous calls were totally unprofessional with the the people cussing and sounding like old hicks! I asked to lower my payment because times are hard and also to get off the Automatic Payment Thing! they did not listen or try to help me with either! i've been paying on this since 2006! and the have never sent me a statement AS I REQUESTED- I would like to see the activity on my account! This place is a RIP-OFF with lousy so-called PROFESSIONALS!!!