Debt Collectors: HuffPost Readers' Weirdest Harassment Stories (AUDIO)

Debt collectors perform a useful function. They recover scads of bad debt for creditors -- an estimated $40 billion worth in 2007 -- that helps keep lending costs down for credit card companies and others. And, per the industry's reputable trade group, ACA International, "debt collectors often get flowers and thank you letters from grateful consumers."

Last week the Huffington Post asked readers for their weirdest debt collector stories. We received many tales of harassment, but none of flowers and thank yous. (We would like to! Send 'em to [e-mail].)

One woman wrote that debt collectors had been calling her over a debt that belonged to her husband's previous wife ("No need to tell you how mad it made me feel getting phone calls about my husband's ex's debts"). Another reader wrote that collectors were on his case for a credit card debt his dad allegedly owed when he passed away.

"They only stopped after I sent back a bill, unopened," the reader wrote. "I had left my father's name on it but had crossed out my address and wrote in the recipient's new address as: #1 Cloud Way, Heaven."

One of the best stories came from Billy Green, 47, of San Francisco, California. His debt collector troubles date all the way back to 1991, when he had some trouble leasing a trombone.

"I tried to rent a trombone and they ran a credit check on me," he said in a telephone interview with the Huffington Post. "They said, 'We wanted to ask you about this problem that you have when you were living in San Leandro.' I'd never lived in San Leandro."

William Green is something of a common name, it turns out.

Here's Green's letter to HuffPost:

I have had several instances of companies request credit reports for me and receive the report of a different "William Green" instead. I have been told variously that I have tax liens against me, that I'm a serial check bouncer, that I have defaulted on home loans and any number of other credit sins that I've never performed.

Story continues below

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Several years ago, my bank sent me a notice that they had cut the credit limit on my Visa card to $1,000 because of a credit report they received. Trying to find out what the credit report said was like pulling teeth. For a week or so, they refused to give me any details of my alleged sins that had caused them to reduce my credit limit. When they finally told me that it was because I had defaulted on a home loan when I lived in San Jose a couple of years earlier, I nearly lost it. I asked if it had ever occurred to them to check their own records -- having banked with them for many years, they should already know that I have never lived in San Jose, and that I've never even bought a house anywhere, much less defaulted on a home loan. My credit limit was restored in a matter of minutes.

Every few years, a collection agency contacts me regarding debts owed by "Wiley Green." After a few calls, they admit that they considered it a long shot based on similarity of names (thinking if I'm not him, maybe I'm related), and they give it up. But every couple of years the letters start arriving for "Wiley Green" again, and the cycle starts anew. At this point, it's more of an annoyance than anything else, kind of like mosquito season.

Poor Wiley Green, wherever he is. But collectors have an ingenious trick for foisting a phony identity on the real William Green:

The most current tactic seems to be for collectors to use an automated dialer and a recording. In the calls I have received on my answering machine in recent weeks, the recording begins by saying "We are trying to reach Wally Green regarding an unpaid debt. If you have not hung up by this point, we assume that you acknowledge that you are Wally Green." I've not heard any more of this recording because either my answering machine or their calling machine tends to hang up around this point.

Here's audio of the voicemail for Wally Green:

As for the trombone, Green said that the rental went through in the end.

Comments

[nomorefed]

1st 100 days - There are 2.9 million more people unemployed in May than there were unemployed in January. The unemployment rate went from 7.6% to 9.4%.
Since May 2008, we have lost 5.5 million jobs. The biggest losers were:
Manufacturing 1.5 million lost
Finance & Prof Serv 1.5 million lost
Construction 1.1 million lost
Retail & Leisure 1.3 million lost

hat tip to href=".http://www.iamned.com"> for providing good finance and economics articles

where is the change? where is hope? why cant ppl find jobs?

[brooklyncitizen]

Interesting how the sloppiness is never in your favor...like hey we owe you thousands of dollars.

Years ago I hired an attorney in Miami to handle a matter for me in Florida. Several thousand dollars later the case was heard and all was resolved favorably. A month later I started receiving collection notices for non-payment from an agency hired by the attorney.

Stumped, I called and explained all moneys had been paid. THe agency insisted there was a balance (they claimed more than half was due). I had to round up cancelled checks and so forth to mail to them. What got me is that the erroneous request for payment never came directly from the attorney's office; it just came from a collection agency and they were wrong.

Weirder still is that I get yearly Christmas cards from this attorney.

[karinova]

Yet another case of mistaken (not stolen) identity:
For two years, my brother, who's name is Gavin-- not super-common, but hardly unheard-of-- had to battle aggressive collection actions directed at someone named "Cy SameLastName."

At first we found it hilarious-- he's been called a lot of things (Calvin, Garvin, etc.)-- but... Cy??Not even close! Not to mention that at the time, he was only 17. It got a lot less funny when the Army started to send scary-looking letters to "Cy"-- which we did not open. We're not citizens (we're legal!!), so it was a bit unnerving. Thankfully, when he registered for Selective Service, it went away. Thanks, Army!

[karinova]

I cannot believe I typed "who's."
Excoriate me please.

[davidwayneosedach]

When they call trying to get in touch with my son-in-law who hasn't lived here for years I tell them where to go.

[FALCON72]

I attended a funeral service for a gentleman who attended my church. Within a few weeks I received a phone call from someone wanting to know if I were in charge of the deceased person's estate. I was perplexed that I was contacted, being of no relation, and told the person how I knew the gentleman and that I did not know any family members whatsoever as they were all from another state. I received several more calls after that, each time being asked if I were in charge of the man's estate. I finally told the last caller his company apparently thought I was a liar and that I was contacting the police department regarding their harrassment. He told me that they were trying to find the man's widow, who shared the same first name as mine. Apparently they must have checked the names of the people who signed the guest book at the funeral service, looking for relatives to collect from. What a disgusting way to track down someone!

[Openyoureyes312]

I owed an ambulance company $1500.00 for a 10 minute ride to the hospital. They gave the debt to a collection company who were calling multiple times a day and when I spoke to them they threatened to take to me to court over the debt, which I guess is illegal. A year later I received a letter in the mail for a class action lawsuit against the collection company. I signed it and mailed it back and some months later got a check in the mail for $107.00 and the debt disappeared!

[cyclobenzaprine9]

Awesome! I think the public in general should be better educated about debt collectors. A lot of collection companies purchase really old, often expired debts from businesses or loaners for pennies on the dollar, and then proceed to harass individuals, even by claiming to be attorneys or law enforcement and threatening their victims with jail if they don't pay up. If more people are educated about these illegal practices, they won't fall victim to these collections scams or be intimidated by their malicious tactics. And then perhaps more victims can come together and file class action suits against these horrible companies, like in your case, and bankrupt these collectors.

[lyta]

There is no such thing as expired debt. As I understand it that is an often misconception. It will often expire off your credit report IF it hasn't been resold but it is in actual fact never expired debt.

[nomorefed]

If the truth were being reported we'd be having riots in the streets. And meanwhile the top execs in banks and brokeragesa that caused such a mess are STILL employed and making millions while laying off THOUSANDS of people that actually do work. If you know anyone in banking that's still employed, odds are they are doing the work of three people so the top execs can show 'savings' and contineu collecting mega-incomes.

good articles: href=".http://www.bit.ly/12NCJR>recommended reading

[Delphine]

For years I got calls for a man with a similar name (although I have a girl's name) and a similar last name. Apparently he was a major loser. No matter how many times I told them no one by that name lived there, and they "updated the file", the calls continued. Finally I yelled at them "There is no man here! I'm divorced!!" The collector said, "Oh, so you were married to [loser guy]!" Argh.

I got calls for some woman with the same name who lived in a different city and was facing foreclosure. Again they would not stop calling. I presume the foreclosure happened (or she paid up) because they finally stopped. The next time I checked my credit report, her address was on there. Argh.

I bought a house last year and the people who'd lived there years ago (the house was vacant when I bought it) owed a debt. I started getting fedex mail addressed to them. I threw the first few away but then I opened one - and I called and told them they had the wrong address. More letters came. I called again and got someone to listen. They'd "note it in the file". The next day a process server came to my house looking for them!. When I told him no one lived in the house when I bought it, he said "Do you know them?" Uh, no numbskull. And then he said "Were you in business with them?" Argh.

[SteveDenver]

I get calls for two deadbeats with my same name. I just say, "I'm gay, I have no kids and owe no child support, and I have never lived on Willow Drive."

They just keep passing this crap around and the call is always the same. They appreciate that I don't blow up about it, then I don't hear for a couple of years.

I did get collections calls for my ex-wife (yes, gays marry women all the time because some of us hope to "straighten" out). I just gave them her address and phone number, and her mom's info.

[retiree]

They really do try anything to find the person who owes them, however, they're too stupid to figure out what they're doing wrong. I had several snotty phone calls asking for someone I'd never heard of. Finally, I asked to talk to a supervisor. I asked him who he was trying to get ahold of and where they were located. The area code was one number off - half way across the country from where I'm located. I told the supervisor that perhaps if they could start with a correct area code, they might have better luck.

[wordherder]

I moved across the country several years ago and got a cell phone plan with Cigular, as my old one wasn't nationwide. It turns out that the woman who had the number before me shared my first name. I would get calls at all hours of the day, asking if I was her--so of course I responed in the affirmative, as it was my first name too. To top things off, I'm pretty certain she was a drug dealer, as I often got calls asking if I could get people the "hook up." To add to this suspicion, I received a call from a guy in prison, asking if we could get together when he got out. Needless to say, when I moved the following year, the number didn't come with me.

[Antonio518]

tHERE IS NO POINT IN TALKING RATIONALLY TO THESE PEOPLE. They dont give a damn whether your mother died or if you owe the money or not. The best thing is not to owe money. I was able to afford cash for most things (except my used car) while I was working, now that I have most gadgets that I want, and am retired, I simply save as much as possible every month, then buy cash. I simply dont understand how people fight to get a high credit rating. They are fighting to sell their soul to the devil - Dr Faustus would understand this- they are fighting to get ensared in a web-they are fighting to lose their freedom. They are really really stupid. The most revolutionary thing you can do and the fastest way to overcome this evil and destructive system is to never, never use a credit card.

[LeeLoosMultiPass]

A good credit rating will allow you to buy a house. A good credit rating will allow you to buy a vehicle.

Aside from that, a credit card will allow you to rent a vehicle. Have you tried to rent a car otherwise? Your cash debit card won't do it.

It's great if you can save and pay cash - truly a good thing for you and others. But most people cannot pay cash for a house or a car. And the way to get a good credit rating is to go into debt, and repay the debt.

And no, people aren't "really really stupid."

[jakitchen]

You can rent a car with your cash debit card. I've been doing it now for 12 years!!!!

[FdeBear]

You are right. This is an evil and destructive system. I wish we had fiscal management as basic education in our schools. But I have to admit, it riles me when the "good intentioned" respond to stories about people who are currently in debt with "The best thing is not to owe money." Well Shoot, Sherlock - that''s no answer - and its not even helpful. It's like telling somebody whose been in a car wreck, "Well the best thing is to drive more carefully". Congratulation on living within you means. I recently put my one credit card on ice and understand it as a political statement as you do - but I'm not shaking my finger in anybody's face about how they "shouda". handled their business. There are so many circumstances beyond people's control. I hope you don't ever have a catastrophic illness or unforseen situation and that you have an unlimited bank account to overcome this evil and destructive system.

[dontpointthatthingatme]

I made a mistake in college and bit off more than I could chew when it came to my T-Mobile cell phone. Although the T-Mobile customer service reps were willing to give me time, they ended up selling my debt to a collection agency. In the dizzy move from a small college town (where every house gets mail for people who lived there years ago) to a city, I lost track of T-Mobile.

The debt collection agency sent me a letter and it had a phone number on it. The woman on the other end of the phone was very nice, and very understanding. She asked me some basic questions about how much I could afford a week. She promised to get back to me. She called back with a deal that would either allow me to make small payments over time and pay back the full amount, or do a one-off payment that worked out to slightly less than half of what I owed. I took the one-off payment.

So, I can't say I have ever had a horror story with debt collection. My one and only experience -- which was totally my fault -- was great. And my credit card score didn't suffer.

Is this luck of the draw???

[wantthetruth]

All these poor victims.

[LeeLoosMultiPass]

Excuse me while I laugh out loud that debt collectors have actually been sent "flowers and thank you letters from grateful consumers." Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha. That this is repeated in all seriousness in the story here without any disclaimer is laughable in and of itself. "Thank you, O Great Debt Collector!" Please. Must we believe what any lobbying or p.r. group has to say about the people they represent?

Aside from that, many of these debts, resold numerous times, are often out of statute, but prey upon those who do not know that fact. Check with your state to see the statute of limitations on collection of a debt. It can vary from state to state. Also, from what I read recently at one site, even if you agree to pay a portion of your debt, you can still get screwed in the end - debt collectors seem to have a habit of taking your payments right up to the next to last one, and then re-selling your debt, whereupon not only is your money down the drain, but the process of debt collection on the same debt starts all over again.

We need more regulation as to how many times the same debt can be resold, long after it has been charged off by the original company.