collection agencies bug me

Have you ever had a collection agency call you asking for money? They are so rude on the phone. A few weeks ago, I guess I overwrote a check to Petco. I take that back...... we had money & we have an overdraft protection (money comes out automatically out of savings) in case of something like this. I called our credit union, and I asked why it never was taken out of savings. They told me on our savings accout, which is really in my husband's name, you can only have 6 "electronic" fund transfers a month, which we were both unaware of. Because of that the check that I wrote was sent to a collections agency! I called them last week telling them I will pay it this week, but when the called I told them I will pay it next week b/c that is when we get paid. If the credit union didn't have their stupid rules, this never would've happened! Of course, you know they won't pay the fees -- we have to. Damn collections agency people are so rude. This is the 1st time this has ever happened, and they treat you so rude on the phone.

I've become quite good at talking people out of charging me fees. I noticed that my bank charged me a $10 fee because my account dipped past a certain amount. I didn't even remember I had that option (had my account there for 6 years) so I called them up, spoke to someone and I ended up switching my plan, and they took back the fee.

I ran my credit card up past it's limit and they charged me $25 . I called them up, had a nice conversation with some lady and she removed it for me. I've been able to talk my way out of probably 6 or 7 different fees this year. I've found that I only had to be very friendly and then just flat out ask. Most of the time they have the power to do it, and it just depends on if they want to help you or not.

Tigger - I can definitely relate! Last year at this time, my husband lost his job and it took almost 3 months for him to get back to work. Since I stay at home, we had no income, and we don't save much (any) money because things are just too tight. So we ended up being late on most of our bills. It was depressing enough just for him to be unemployed, but the rude bill collecters certainly made it worse. VW Credit was the absolute worst! We paid them more during the entire time than we paid anyone else, but they still hounded us. At one point, I told the guy what was going on (again), and he said that he'd make it easy on us and come repo the car so we wouldn't have to worry about the payment! Oh, yeah, that'll help. Then when my husband finds a job, he won't be able to get there! What a jerk. I almost wanted to tell him that I hoped he got laid off someday and had jerks calling him too. But I didn't. I'm sure these people get tired of hearing excuses from everyone they call, but sometimes our excuses are legitimate! Grrrrr!!!

Well this isn't quite the same...but...I have an overdraft limit which is there in case of emergencies (well thats all I keep it for though I can use it for anything if I need to..)but the other day I was totally broke and needed to buy some lunch...so I went down the shop and used my card to buy some...it worked fine....that afternoon I tried to book some tickets on it too....they refused my card!!! Arrrghhhh!!!! What is the point of having an overdraft if they don't let you use it?!!!! There is no rule as to how many times you can use it in one day and it would only have put me about £20 into the overdraft!! So, I tried to call my bank...could I get through?!!! NOPE!! On Hold for 40 mins!!! I had to give up after that cos I have to phone from work!!! Sheesh!!!

Well, I spent about 4 years working for a bank. Most people don't ever read that little "fine print" at the bottom of their account application, etc. And most people hit the roof when something like overdraft doesn't work because its past the limit.
I have to tell you, for all of the legitimate excuses, there are 1000 ridiculous ones and I think a lot bank employees are burnt out! I have had people tell me things that are so off the wall just to get me to take back the fees that they ruin it for the people who honestly made a mistake. I came to a point last year that I would not reverse any fees for anyone because I was sooooo tired of people asking me to fix their mistakes. My theory was, don't write a check if you don't have money in your checking account. Period.
I can totally understand your situation though Tigger, it must be frustrating knowing that the money is in savings but they didn't pull it for you. I can tell you that at the bank I worked for, it was not a manual transaction. What I mean is, the computer knows when you've used the 6 overdrafts and automatically won't process more. So, its not something that an employee did to be spiteful normally. Hope it all works out for you.
Just a look at the other side of the coin.

I also worked for a bank too for a couple of years, and I agree Dtolle that some people are just ridiculous!!! Some of the excuses are just laughable!! But because I used to work for a bank I made sure I read the small print about my account....thats why it bugged me so much!! There was no reason the card should be declined!! grrrr.....oh well I get paid again next week so I'll stop whinging now!!

Yeah, its so frustrating when the bank makes a major boo boo and inconveniences its customers! Thats why I don't work there anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:laughing: :laughing2 What REALLY peed me off though, was when I was trying to get a mortgage I needed a reference from my company (the bank) to get one........they wouldn't give me a reference cos they said I should use them as my mortgage providers!!! Arrrrggggghhhhhh!!! :laughing: :laughing2

oh how typical!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't use our bank for our mortgage either, I barely trust them with my savings account, I darn sure don't trust them to hold my home mortgage! I don't even like the bank we are with now, but its such a hassle to switch everything.

I know what you mean... I keep thinking about changing too but I just can't be a$$ed!! ha ha ha

Isn't there protection for harassment? I mean if you are paying of your late bills and they still call, then you could file a harassment suit against them. I was harassed even after I paid off a loan. I told them if they didn't quit, then I would sue them and they stopped. I've also had collections call. They call day and night. Have any of you consolidated your bills together so you can make only one single payment a month? I am considering doing that as I have three years paying for a student loan and other bills.

I had a collections agency call me because they couldn't find my mom! My parents are retired and were off touring the country in their camper. What happened was that the company they bought their car from "forgot" to send in the automatic payment form to my parents' bank, so my parents thought the car was being paid by automatic payment, but nothing was happening. So the car place sent my parents' info to the collections agency.

The thing that irritated me is that they were rude to ME! It wasn't MY car, it wasn't MY mistake, it had absolutely NOTHING to do with ME, yet the collections agent treated me like I did something wrong! Geez! Then, they way they treated my mother when I tracked her down and she called was unexcusable. Here's this retired lady who has never done anything wrong in her life....who is really anal when it comes to money and they rip her apart. Little did they know that people who cross her don't live to see their next birthday. She had the president of the company calling to apologize once she was done with them. Heheheheheh.

The people at our credit union are rude on the phone, too. A few years ago I was at Petsmart at the register..... I used my credit cars & the girl said it was declined! Oh, I had money in there because we had gotten paid the night before! So, I told the girl I'd be right back. I called the bank & she told me they had cancelled our credit cards (it's used as a check/bank card that comes out of our checking). I asked why & she said it was because we didn't have money in it. Somehow our account got screwed up & you know how it goes: you think you have money, but you don't. I said that was a few days ago. She said consider yourself warned & if you do it again, we will cancel your cards for 6 months! She was a $%#& about it, too!

Gosh these stories I'm reading.....
There are laws out there that protect the consumer...
alot of times collection agencies will get away with doing all kinds of harassment to people because people are unaware of their rights...
I did an article for The New York Times a few years back...on the very topic you are discussing here...

Loretta

That's why I have "Privacy Manager". Weeds out all the unwanted sales and collection calls. Well worth the monthly fee.

It's called Privacy Manager. It blocks out any unwanted solicitors and collection agencies as well as telemarketers. When they call, a recording comes on and asks them to identify themselves. Once they do that, you push a button to hear who it is. If you don't want to accept the call, you don't. If you do, you hit a number and the call will be connected. The call also shows up on caller id. Out of all the things I've had to give up to cut back financially, this is NOT one of them. I would recommend it to anyone. Call AT&T and ask if they have it in your area.

BTW, you are NOT responsible for your mother's bills. And if they call you at work, tell them it's against the law to harass someone at work to collect a debt.

These people really are rude. Another trick I use is if someone asks for "Donna Ploss", that is a clear indication of a bill collector or solicitor (how many of your friends call and ask for you by first AND last name??). I just tell them she's not home. If they call me at work, I tell them she doesn't work here anymore. Works everytime!



Donna

I have the exact thing thru QWest, and love it...... Only thing though, is when that collection agency called me, the girl only identified herself as "Monique!" Man, was she ever rude, when I asked who she was. And, then when my husband put me back on the phone, she asked if this was his wife! If I'd of known it was the collection agency calling, I never would have answered the phone....

I had my wallet stolen once and even though a store called me to ask about a check the thief wrote because they acted suspicious. I told them not to process it and gave them the case # from the police report but they sent it through anyway. So I had a collection agency harrass me for years. I got really mad once and told the guy he was barking up the wrong tree and would never get any money back cause it wasn't me that wrote the check. He had the nerve to tell me that I must have let one of my relatives use my check book. The store was a Kohls and I have never shopped at any since because they refused to admit they screwed up. I was seriously thinking about sueing them for harrassment.

LoopyMom

They have a new gizmo that can attach to your phone and once you know it is a telephone solicitor or bill collector, you push a button and they get an automated message they have to deal with! Plus, if it is a solicitor, there is a tone afterwards that makes the computer that dialed you hang up and takes your area code out of the system so the computer won't dial you again. It is pretty nifty and worth the cost- $45.00