Debt made by someone else

by Ron
(Springdale, AR, USA)

My sister in law was living with this guy, he had a phone installed in her house in his name. When they broke up, he left owing a phone bill. He took the phone and my sister in law just ignored the bills that came in his name. In 2003, she moved into the house with my wife, her sister and me. For some time she has been getting calls and bills from Southwesten Bell for the amount of the bill. The colletor told her that the debt was her's because the phone was in her house. Is this true, or are they trying to make her pay because they cannot find him?

Comments for Debt made by someone else

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Aug 06, 2010
 old phone bill
by: Gerri

I don't know whether or not the phone company can hold your sister responsible for this old phone bill from her previous address. It likely depends on state utility regulations. I would recommend she contacts the Arkansas Public Service Commission to find out if they regulate telephone companies, and if so, what her rights are. Their website is www.arkansas.gov/psc/

As to what to do about the debt collector, if she is being contacted by a debt collection agency (not the telephone company itself) and she does not believe she owes the bill, she can send them a cease contact letter instructing them not to contact her again. They then cannot contact her again except to sue her. If she's not responsible for that bill, then they will hopefully be smart enough to drop the matter.

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