Debt Collection for the Wrong Person
I'm getting calls involving debt collection for the wrong person. The collection agency is calling me about a debt that is not mine. This is a common complaint we have been hearing lately. Here's what you can do if you are dealing with a debt collector for a debt you do not owe. Step One: Find out who is calling. Ask a debt collector for the name and contact information for the collection agency. If the collector refuses to provide this information, it may breaking the law. If the call is a "robo call," where there is no one you can talk with, try calling back to the number they leave and see whether you can identify the company calling you. If you still can’t figure out who is calling, then try reporting as many details as possible on our collection company complaint page and perhaps you will hear from others who have been able to locate more information about the collection company. Tip: It's a good idea to use our Free Debt Collection Worksheet to keep track of these interactions with the collector. Step Two: Tell the debt collector, “The debt is not mine and I do not want you to contact me again.” If they are skeptical and don't believe you, too bad. This is your right under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. If they contact you again after you've asked them to stop, go to step three. Step Three: Send them a letter by certified mail asking them not to contact you again. You'll find more details about using a cease and desist letter to stop a debt collector here. It's also a good idea to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at FTC.gov, and your state Attorney General. If the Federal Trade Commission or your state AG sees a pattern of abuse, where a particular collection agency is repeatedly contacting consumers about a debts they do not owe, they may step in. (See the example below.) If the debt collector contacts you again after you've sent this letter, it is breaking the law. Go to the Step Four. Step Four: Contact a consumer law attorney. If a debt collector breaks the law, you may be entitled to damages and the collector will have to pay your attorney's fees so there is no cost to you. Get a free consultation with a consumer law attorney now. Essential Step for Everyone Who is Dealing With Debt Collection For the Wrong PersonCheck your credit reports to make sure this debt does not appear on your credit! You can get one free credit report each year from each of the major reporting agencies at AnnualCreditReport.com - the official website for a truly free credit report. If the debt collector is reporting the collection account on your credit reports, follow our instructions that describe how to dispute credit report errors. Is a debt collector trying to collect a debt that's not yours?
Do you have a question or complaint about a debt collector trying to collect a debt that's not yours? You can enter it here. Please be specific, including dates (that you were contacted or fell behind on the bill, etc.) and amounts (the original debt and/or the amount they are trying to collect now, for example), and be sure to list the state you live in. Other Comments about Debt Not Mine.Click below to see questions from other visitors to this page... A Cautionary Tale In 2002 I lost my job was out of work for 1 yr., fell behind on my bills. I get a job in 2005, by 2006 my wages were being garnished and I had several ... Several debt collectors have me confused with my father, and hound me repeatedly because we have the same name. My father lost his house to foreclosure about 2 years ago. He also accrued a lot of debt on credit cards, utilities, cell phone, and medical bills. I ... Do I Have to Pay a Bill if It's Not Mine? My biological father whom i recently moved to Arizona to get to know has a delinquent bill that he never paid his house was foreclosed on by the bank and ... Credit Card Company Calling Me About Someone Else's Debt Discover card keeps calling for my son..I told them he doesn't live here but they keep calling about 11 times a day, how do I get them to stop calling ... Collection Agency Keeps Selling a Debt that Is Not Mine my husb & father-in-law have the same first & last name. we keep getting harrassed for a bill that is my father-in-laws. we have proved it each time with ... Collector Has Me Confused With My Father A lawyer is coming after me for a medical debt incurred when I was under aged and under my father's insurance and roof. That debt was included in my fathers ... COLLECTIONS DEBT The collection agency keep sending me debit letter that I owe money after I inform them that I am unemployed for over 20 years. And my only income is social ... What to do about collectors constantly calling my phone number for a debtor who has no connection to me. Apparently a debtor has been using my home phone number on her credit applications. She must often default because I have been getting numerous calls from ... Debt Is Not Mine I'm in Georgia and a local hospital continues to try to collect for a procedure to some else with my same name. The Doctor's office realize the mistake ... A collection agency forced me to pay my son's debt What can I do? I just learned that they cannot take away my home and that the debt was not transferable from sons to parents. Debt collectors having the wrong address and phone number I have been receiving phone calls daily from a bill collector for someone I don't even know. I even received a bill in the mail for that person. I am ... Debt That Is Not Mine In Collections I have recently discovered that I have large amounts of debt (thousands of dollars) on my credit report that are not mine and that has been sent to collection ...
unknown caller to my husband's work phone
debt collector calling for a relative
A debt collector is calling me looking for a relative. Am I required to give them contact information for the relative? Repossession of car I have never owned A representative for a repo company came to my house several times and demanded to know where I was. Turns out that they were repoing a car used as collateral ... Federal Trade Commission Fines Collection AgencyIn early 2010, a nationwide debt collector agreed to pay a civil fine of more than $1 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it violated federal law by inaccurately reporting credit information and pressing consumers to pay debts they often did not owe. Credit Bureau Collection Services, and two of its officers, Larry Ebert and Brian Striker, were charged with violating the FTC Act and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.This case is one example of why you should report instances of debt collection for the wrong person to the FTC and your state attorney general.
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