General Telemarketing Rules and Regulations

?This link is for the National Do Not Call List
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/telemarketing.htm

The CRTC runs the Canadian DNCL  Here is a link for filing a complaint
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/rapidsccm/register.asp?lang=e

Collection Agencies
Information on collection agencies
Here are the Canadian Rules for Debt Collectors courtesy of http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/oca-bc.nsf/eng/h_ca02149.html
A collection agency is a company that intervenes to recover money owed by people in debt. Your creditors ? the people to whom you owe money ? pay these agencies to recover the amounts you owe them. If you owe money to a company or a supplier and have not recently sent in your payment, that company or supplier can turn your file over to a collection agency. Here are some useful tips:
You must be notified in writing that your file has been given to a collection agency. Don't panic. The agency is trying to recover the money you owe its client.
If possible, pay the amount you owe.
If you are unable to pay it all at once, contact the agency and explain.
If you reach an agreement with the agency, get it in writing.
Never send cash. Make sure that you obtain a receipt for your payment from the agency.
Do you feel you have been treated unfairly by a collection agency? Although the regulations differ slightly across Canada, a collection agency is usually only allowed to do certain things. Find out more so that you will be able to protect yourself from aggressive debt collectors The complete list of what debt collectors can and cannot do, as well as contact information, are available in the Canadian Consumer Handbook.  http://www.consumerhandbook.ca/en/topics/financial/collection-agencies
For example, a representative of a collection agency must not make telephone calls of such a nature or frequency as to constitute harassment of you or your family. There are certain times when a representative must not call you at all (which vary from one province or territory to another).
Specific rules by province / territory
You can view the specific rules that apply to collection agencies where you live. Click on your province or territory to access the information from the appropriate government agency regarding collection agencies' practices:
If the following document is not accessible to you, please contact us to obtain other appropriate formats.
Alberta
What Creditors Can Do If You Can't Pay (PDF, 569 KB, 8 pages) http://servicealberta.gov.ab.ca/pdf/tipsheets ... ou_Cant_Pay.pdf
Bill Collection and Debt Repayment http://www.servicealberta.gov.ab.ca/pdf/tipsh ... t_Repayment.pdf
British Columbia
Knowing Your Rights and Responsibilities http://consumerprotectionbc.ca/index.php/cons ... esponsibilities
Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws_new/document/ID/freeside/04002_00
Manitoba
Collection Practices http://www.gov.mb.ca/fs/cca/cpo/pdf/Collection_Practices.pdf
The Consumer Protection Act http://web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/statutes/ccsm/c200e.php
New Brunswick
Collection Agencies Act (PDF, 53 KB, 6 pages) http://laws.gnb.ca/en/ShowPdf/cs/2011-c.126.pdf
Newfoundland and Labrador
Collection Agencies ? Consumer Rights Pamphlet (PDF, 62 KB, 2 pages) http://www.gs.gov.nl.ca/consumer/collection/collection_agencies.pdf
Collection Agencies ? Frequently Asked Questions http://www.gs.gov.nl.ca/faq/collection_faq.html
Northwest Territories
Consumer Protection Act (PDF, 312 KB, 74 pages) http://www.justice.gov.nt.ca/Legislation/..%5 ... 0Protection.pdf
Nova Scotia
Collection Agencies Act http://nslegislature.ca/legc/statutes/collecta.htm
Nunavut
Consumer Protection Act (PDF, 312 KB, 74 pages)  http://www.justice.gov.nt.ca/PDF/ACTS/Consumer%20Protection.pdf
Ontario
Collection Agencies http://www.sse.gov.on.ca/mcs/en/Pages/Persona ... n_Agencies.aspx
Prince Edward Island
Rights and Responsabilities of Consumers http://www.gov.pe.ca/consumerservices/index.php3?number=1040133&lang=E  
Quebec
es comptes en souffrances (In French Only)  http://www.opc.gouv.qc.ca/Documents/Publicati ... Souffrance.aspx
Saskatchewan
Problems with collection agencies  http://www.justice.gov.sk.ca/problems-with-collection-agencies
Yukon
Consumers Protection Act (PDF, 527 KB, 80 pages) http://www.justice.gov.nt.ca/Legislation/..%5 ... 0Protection.pdf

Peek a boo

I am also receiving these calls. Did you buy any chance got talked into a vacation package sort of deal a while back? I did, I haven't answered the phone yet cause I work and keep missing all the calls - but I am pretty sure it's them.

Please do file reports with the FBI, your state attorney general and Department Of Justice,FTC & FCC..

http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx
http://www.fbi.gov/
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#&panel1-1
https://esupport.fcc.gov/ccmsforms/form1088.action

Also read up on the laws and your rights:

http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fdcpajump.shtm
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb/search ...
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/pdf-0096-fair-credit-reporting-act.pdf

And see:

http://800notes.com/forum/ta-86217073a9c8dad/ ... 077595690349410
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http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0258-fake-debt-collectors
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http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/pressreleases/extortion_scam.htm
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Section 809 of the FDCPA http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre27.pdf requires 3rd-party debt collectors to give debtors written notice of debt (the key word is *shall*) :
"§ 809. Validation of debts
(a) Within five days after the initial communication with a consumer in connection with the collection of any debt, a debt collector shall, unless the following information is contained in the initial communication or the consumer has paid the debt, send the consumer a written notice containing?
(1) the amount of the debt;
(2) the name of the creditor to whom the debt is owed;
(3) a statement that unless the consumer, within thirty days after receipt of the notice, disputes the validity of the debt, or any portion thereof, the debt will be assumed to be valid by the debt collector;
(4) a statement that if the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, the debt collector will obtain verification of the debt or a copy of a judgment against the consumer and a copy of such verification or judgment will be mailed to the consumer by the debt collector; and
(5) a statement that, upon the consumer?s written request within the thirty-day period, the debt collector will provide the consumer with the name and address of the original creditor, if different from the current creditor."
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A Collection Agent May Not?

Here are the top 11 actions prohibited by the The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act:

Misrepresent Him or Herself

  A debt collector may not misrepresent himself as an attorney or law enforcement officer.

Use the Telephone to Annoy or Harass

  A collection agent may not cause a telephone to ring or engage any person in telephone conversation repeatedly or continuously with an intent to annoy, abuse, or harass anyone at the called number.

Threaten Arrest or Lawsuit

  A collection agent may not threaten a consumer with arrest. It may not threaten legal action that is either not permitted or not actually contemplated. In other words, a the threat of a lawsuit may be an empty one.

Use Abusive or Threatening Language

  A debt collector may no use abusive or profane language in the course of communication related to the debt.

Publish a Bad Debt List

  Publishing the consumer?s name or address on a "bad debt" list is prohibited.

Contact By Embarrassing Media

  A debt collector may not communicate with a consumer by post card. It may not use any language or symbol, other than the debt collector?s address, on any envelope when communicating with a consumer by use of the mails or by telegram. A debt collector may use its business name if such name does not indicate it is in the debt collection business.

Contact a Consumer at Work

  A collection agent may not communicate with consumers at their place of employment after being told this is unacceptable or prohibited by the employer.

Seek Unjustifiable Amounts

  A debt collector may not demand any amounts not permitted under an applicable contract or as provided under law.

Contact a Consumer Represented by an Attorney

  A collection agent may not contact a consumer after it learns the consumer is represented by a lawyer.

Communicate With a Consumer After Receiving a Validation Request

  If a consumer sends a written §1692g response within 30 days, the collection agent may not communicate with the consumer until it mails the consumer the requested verification of original creditor's name and address.

Communicate With Third Parties

  A debt collector may not reveal or discuss the nature of a consumer?s debts with third parties other than the consumer?s spouse or attorney. A collection agent may contact neighbors or co-workers only to obtain location information. It may contact a third party again if it has reason to believe the information the party provided previously is false.

Bills.com FDCPA FAQ

Below are questions Bills.com readers ask frequently:

Can a Collection Agent Call My Cell Phone?

  Yes. However, if you tell the debt collector it may not use that number because it is a cell phone, it may not contact you again at that number.

I Keep Receiving Dozens of Calls From Collection Agents. Is That Legal?

  No. Unscrupulous collection agents will use "block parties" or "office parties" where they contact a consumer, multiple neighbors, or co-workers telling them they need to reach the consumer on an urgent matter. This is not permitted under the FDCPA.

A Collector Says I Will Be Arrested if I Do Not Pay

  This was a true statement before the US Civil War, but has not been true since. People may be arrested if an aggressive judge files a bench warrant for a person who does not appear at a hearing relating to a lawsuit regarding a debt. However, in that case, the offense is the failure to respond to a court order, and not the existence of the debt. As stated above, it is illegal under the FDCPA to threaten a consumer with arrest if the consumer does not pay the debt.

ARO hung up on me as I tried to explain that I did not receive any letter from them stating to call within 10 days. She insisted "Jennifer" that I owed Scotia Visa $ plus interests from early 2000. I tried to explain that I had the cashed checks to prove that I was paid in full. She impolitely said that the deal was now off the table and hung up on me. That's some customer service that they have.

Omg They call me every day form 6am and it dont stop all day long For a person whom dont even live at my house.. I have had it up to the ears.. Today i let them have it and i went all out on many F words..
They dont seem to get it and keep calling .. Its harrasement on so many levels.. Never phone call will be And the words out of my mouth will be Get ready for a law suit..

This number 1-877-789-1056 calls 5 or 6 times a week on my cell at all hours leaving a long message on my voicemail, (which I have to waste time to listen to and then delete) telling me I won a trip if I do a survey and if I want to stop the calls to press 9.  When you press 9 they say"Congratulations! you have won a trip blah, blah, blah" so there is now way to really stop it.  I texted the number to Stop Calling!!!!!!!!!!! and they just called again.

I use call blocking apps works really well :)

I keep receiving phone calls from no: 877-789-1056. they leave messages saying that this is not a soliciting  
call. It is very important concerning my file no..... and they give a no. they ask me to call back. no names of any kind. it could be just anyone. That is obviously no correct. any clean business will call, leave name of company and name of person to contact. they will also ask for a specific person. it is just annoying as it became more frequent than before. all what i do just delete all. let's see where is that leading to .

My husband got a call today from ARO we are in Ontario.  They told him to get a message to someone in our household, that something was going to happen to them and it was urgent that they call them asap.....said that they only want to help !!!  Is this place for real! This is like the friggin MOB for crying out loud.  Something is going to happen to this person unless they call ARO??   I'm pretty close to calling the police.  We know the financial position of this person and what they are doing to rectify the situation.  This is uncalled for and down right serious harassment with threats that have upset both my husband and myself.

i called back and punched in the extension and i got an answering machine the voice was was distorted sating his name and the rest was a generic  voice saying that hes not "at home"

he also had an extension   ext  3159

a guy left a message for me, he couldn't even say my last name lol...  all he said was that we have to deal with important matter here at th office and that i should call him back right away, he called twice saying the same thing, i couldnt relly understand the company name he kinda mumbled it souned like he said a-roll inc

don't appreciate ARO using up my cell phone time, I see Scotia Bank has been mentioned but could it be an internal Bell Mobility scam?  anyway the msg I rec'd sounded sooooo impt and intimidating and I was to call them immediately.  think i'll tell them to go smoke some crack. . . you want a piece of me? come to my door & unless you have a badge I won't be answering any of your questions . . .
sto c***o!!!

they are fishing for information. dont give them any of your personal data!

I received a call from this number but they left a message.. saying they have an important business call for a member of my household

This is a collection agency working for Scotia Bank.  Here is a laugh.  I had a car loan through Scotia Bank.  They arranged for the car to be repossessed.  I was not late on my payments.  Then the company (Repo Depot) that repossessed it would not return my calls.  Now I find out that three months after they repossessed my car and sold it at a ridiculously low price, Scotia Bank then reported that I was delinquent on my payments.  Sounds like a major scam on the part of Scotia Bank and Repo Depot.
When I retuen the calls from ARO, they do not know who I am or why I was called.  They have also been harrassing my sister trying to locate me.
Seems kind of crazy to me.  I advised Scotia Bank that I would be contacting the Police concerning their theft of my car.  They changed their tune, but still being bugged by ARO.

this lady named "deanna" keeps calling me from aro inc. asking for my mother. she has called multiple times already and yells (literally and hangs up the phone). i tell her that my mom isn't available and that i'll take a message. she refuses to tell me what it's in regards to.
deanne: hi i'm calling from aro inc. may i please speak to...(my mom)
me: she's not avail. can i take a message?
d: tell her to call me back at 289-789-1001 ext. 3013
me: may i ask what it's in regard to?
d: (hesitates) it's a personal matter.
me: well she's my mother i'm not giving her a message without knowing what it is in regards to.
d: WELL THEN DON'T! (screams and hangs up)

bottom line: they are very rude and will not state the purpose of their calls. if you are a collection agency then state that you are looking for money, why waste everyones time? avoid giving them any information.

ARO - is a collection agency , will call on odd times and weekend ...

A msg was left on Apr 28 at 7;30 stating that there is a business matter pertaining to someone in my household and to call 1-877-789-1001 ext 8062. Called back a # of times and  told to leave a msg which I refused to do, so I called back and presses 0 for reception. She asked for the # where the msg was left because they obviously had call display and the # I was calling from  didn't match with anything in their system. She then tranfered me to a lady named Chantal and asked for a case #. I told her that one wasn't left and again she asked if the msg was left at the # from where I was calling. Once again I provide my home # and she couldn't find anything in the system. This leads me to believe that they're trying to look for someone with the same last name and is going calling them all in the phone book.

This number is a collection agency out of Montreal Called ARO Inc. They also have a branch office in Markham, Ontario. They have been harassing me for a bill they say I owe Scotia Bank for a car I bought several years ago, paid off in full and somehow it got sent to collections agencies. For two years now I have been paying what they say I owe and all's it has gotten me is more calls from more agencies. The loan was paid off in full with bank withdrawls, never once late. Scotia Bank is run by a bunch of crooks itself so it doesn't surprise me that they send info on accounts that have been paid off into the collection scam companies. Someone at Scotia Bank, I think it was the loan officer, did a bunch of underhanded dealings, and that's how these companies get info on innocent people. Then the collections company can scare the people into paying them, over and over again.

They left a message saying it was regarding an important business account, please call back at 1-877-789-1001, ext. 3189, and also a business file #. I called and they said they were unsure if I was the person they were looking for so they asked me to confirm my date of birth. I said I would prefer if they could tell me the date they had and I would let them know if it was me. It was not, so I dont know if it was a scam.