ANNOYED with calls from debt collecting agencies? Pressured perhaps or threatened?

People who have accumulated obligations that have been remiss often suffer from frequent calls to pay up. Collecting agents would always have a good reason to believe that what they are doing would help in their bid to collect unpaid dues in behalf of a client.

Why not? These collecting agencies are into a very big and lucrative business especially at a time when collection is of utmost importance. In fact, these collecting agencies would even buy somebody else's debt for a bigger profit.

Real annoyance starts when your debt has already been sold to a collecting agency by the person or entity from whom you owe money. These collecting agencies would do everything, from very frequent phone calls that tend to press you to "immediately pay up or else", to taking your case to courts. They have every reason to make you pay up. Motivations come in on a long list of strategies, which includes harassment.

Dealing with collecting agencies

Collecting agencies, also known as litigation referral companies, are pressing for payment based on federal laws in the same manner that debtors themselves are protected by the state laws. Just how do we deal with the pressures, or shall we say harassment?

Upon sealing an agreement with the client making them (litigation referral companies) the duly designated collectors of the former, the collecting agencies make initial contact with the people of the entities owing some money from their client. Legally, that's how it should be.

What you should do

The last thing that a debtor should try to do is panic. A debtor should also remember is that he or she should be given the chance to dispute the claim (of him or her owing money) through a written verification which contains the name of the person or entity pressed for payment, the amount of money that is to be paid up and options to contest whatever is disputable in the statement of account.

Upon verification, it is advisable to immediately seek a credit counselor, whose job is to work out something (maybe an out-of-court settlement), which may sound acceptable to you as well as the person or the entity from whom you owe money.

Collecting agents are pressed to remind you of your obligations through frequent phone calls, which, to some, appear as very annoying and disturbing. For the general information, collecting agencies are only allowed to make phone calls at home or at work between 8am to 9pm.

You can actually make them stop. Try writing the collecting agency on the office restrictions during working hours. As for calls to your home, it is strongly advised to do the same, especially when calls are made in wee hours of the night. Make sure that you have proofs that they actually received your mail.

Once completed, expect the collecting agency to write you back a letter, which would appear to be their last reminder for you to pay up. You must have already an idea what follows next --- case filed in court, of course.

Other things you should know

It is also important for you to know that only the courts have the legal authority to direct the company where you work to deduct sums as payment to your debt. Collecting agents who'd tell you they are capable to doing just that are bluffing. Equally important is the need to report acts of these collecting agents that you deem as harassment. GP