Peter Vaccarezza calling on personal business matters, but can't specify.

When Van Ru called looking for my roommate & I informed the caller that the person she was looking for was not available, the rep asked if I could take a message. I informed her that "no I was unable to take a message at that time." Rep proceeded to interrogate me and question why I was not willing to take her message. I finally got fed up and hung up on her. After stewing on it a minute I decided to call the witch back and asked if she was the one looking to speak to _______. Yes it was the same woman so I laid into her and told her how rude and unprofessional she was. Rep then took it upon herself to belittle me and ask why I couldn't take a simple message which "a 6yr old could do." I told I owed her no explanation but if she insisted to know, I was driving at the time. Her response? "Well why couldn't you have just told me that to begin with?!" um... Maybe because you were rude and condensending and therefor did not deserve any explanation of any kind. This call had NOTHING to do with me and I did NOT deserve to be spoken to in such a manner. If this is how Van Ru treats people I feel bad for those that are subjected to their hostility.

some guy named Tom Gatz called me at work, after I told them repeatedly not to do this!!!!!!!

I have to backpedal a little, albeit nearly a year later. The collection agency was out of bounds if its first call to an emergency line was knowing and willful. I cut some slack here since the agencies may not have any registry of local PD hotlines to filter their calls. Certainly once DaMoms gave notice to quit calling PoE, that should have been the end. Given the nature of that particular workplace, it was especially "known to be inconvenient" for more badgering calls from a Van Ru slug.

Man named Bob Gagnon, keeps calling my mother-in-laws phone

got a call at my WORKPLACE today and this lady "Betsy" lied to my coworker to try to get me on the phone, saying they wanted to make sure i got the fax they sent me and that it was regarding my payroll. ummm if it's regarding payroll, speak to the payroll department!! so when i put her on with my office manager, she said "we wanted to speak with her and let her know everything is squared away on our end". my manager: "well if everything is all good, then she doesn't need to return your call right?". Betsy: "um, no, well, she does, because she needs to be involved in the rest of the process"....

i don't know who these people are or what they want but this is the THIRD call i've gotten within one week at my place of employment. AND THEY LIE! they'll say whatever to whomever to get their hands on you! isn't that illegal?

The FDCPA doesn't address calls to emergency numbers. Possibly state law would. Van Ru was likely in the clear until the point of call permission revocation.

Isn't that ILLEGAL of them to call an emergency line? Send a car out to arrest them. Use your channels.

Exactly. Debt collectors for student loans are among the worst. I was late ONCE during the six years I paid on mine and was treated like a common criminal when I attempted to explain my situation and tried to tell him what my "intention" was, for making payment arrangements which was only THREE DAYS LATE. When he wouldn't let me talk and kept screaming at me, I screamed right back at him and hung
up on his butt. He called back and this time I would not let HIM get a word in edgewise and told him I did NOT appreciate the way he talked to me. When he apologized and tried to use the excuse that he was under "intense pressure" to collect on delinquent student loans, I didn't let him off the hook for his behavior. "Did I not just TELL you what my "intentions" were for bringing my student loan up to date?", I asked. "Yes, you did and I'm sorry", he replied.

As soon as I was able, I got the mortgage on my home refinanced and paid that student loan off. I didn't ever want to have to go through that, again.

You might be surprised to learn how very typical that hostility is among collections reps, right to the haughty reaction to any resistance. Calls to workplaces get special attention in the FDCPA. One should be able to verbally revoke call consent, but a written cease-comm is often needed. In your case, given the particular category of employer, you could probably tan Van Ru's hide in court for well above the $1K statutory fine, which I would strongly encourage.

Workplaces are favorite targets of lawbreaking collectors. Our non-home contact data is found through many sources we can't much control, firms which spend all day compiling and reselling data about our purchases, credit history, public records, and so on.

Learn how to exercise your rights as an alleged debtor at FTC-dot-gov.

I believe 'e' is right. Van Ru is for a student loan debt. I only just recently learned this due to them harassing my workplace and my co-workers (and I work at a police station!) When I told the guy (who hardly speaks a word of English) numerous times, "do not call my work. it is an emergency line only!", he decided to call back 5 minutes later! Had a police officer take the call for me to tell them to stop calling and they said that HE was harassing THEM! Then threatened to complain to our supervisor! WTH?! Totally unprofessional, rude and extremely annoying! How did they get my work number?!

Thank you so much for this info!

van rue (student loan)  they called my kids' school where i volunteer!!  makes me mad! how did they get school name and number?  ...