Nco

[leftyf]

I'm getting harassed by some company called NCO now...I assume they are a common player in the industry. I don't even know what debt they are calling about? I have debts ranging from $250.00 to $40,000.00+. They are very annoying. Can I send a cease and desist letter when I'm not even sure which debt they are calling on? Or should I just continue to ignore them? Or both?
What should I expect from these scumbags?
Thanks,
Lefty

[chpxiii]

Get an address and send a letter, certified mail return receipt requested, informing them to notify you only by mail. If anything, you want to start a paper trail.

[Cassiopeia]

Yep, big player in the game.

NCO had my accounts for Capital One platinum card, Dell Computers, Verizon (landline phone bill) and Walmart credit card.

I had a slew of addresses for them, for multiple accounts, put them ALL on my matrix.

Now that I am discharged, they are NO MORE!

[EveryDayAdam]

NCO is one of the biggest collection firms in the country. I'd answer the phone. Record the call if you can...you can usually record any call that you a part of in most states without notifying them that you are recording. Check google for the laws in your state. You can usually pick up cheap telephone recording devices from radio shack...about $20.

Ask very clear questions:

Ask for and DOCUMENT the following:

Ask for the person's name who is on the phone.
Ask for the phone number that they can be reached.
Ask for a mailing address of their company.
Ask for the name and address of the original creditor.
Ask for the amount of the original debt.
Ask for the full account number of your debt.

Document the date and time of their phone call.

Thank the person and tell them that you will be in touch in regards to this matter. Don't promise them anything. They will press you, and press you HARD to commit to a payment.

Also: Do not give them any information about you, or your situation. They don't care if you lost your job, or why you can't pay your bill. The ONLY thing they care about is the money. Any information you volunteer can and WILL be used against you.

Things they may ask you:
Your current address & phone number or any phone numbers that you can be reached at.
Who you work for, how much money you make, and what you do for your job.
Where your bank accounts are.
If you own a house/car, etc.

If they ask you any of these questions, or any questions at all, tell them that you can not comment on that information at this time. I wouldn't answer any of their questions, at all...but especially don't answer the ones above or any variations on them. You are not obligated to tell them anything nor are you obligated to tell them WHY you can't comment....so DON'T. They are fishing for that information so that if/when they get a judgement they can garnish much more quickly. They also use how much you make and your job to determine if you are worth going after in a law suit and where to serve the garnishment papers. Don't lie to them...just tell them you can not comment to any of their questions at this time and be FIRM! They will try to reword, act friendly, scare you, and try to get you to tell them using any means they can...don't tell them anything about you except your name.

Once you have all the information that you need, thank them for their time, inform them that the call has been recorded (even if it hasn't and regardless of whether the laws in your state allow the call to be recorded) and hang up. If they call you back, repeat the whole process.

If they call you at work, repeat the process, but make sure you tell them to not call you at work because your employer does not approve of personal calls at work...When they call you at work, document that it was an "at-work" call and that you informed them to stop calling you at work.

Once you are done talking to them, write a limited cease and desist letter...you can find a plethora of example on this forum. This basically tells them to stop contacting you except by US Mail to your address that you give them in the letter.

Send that letter to the address they gave you. Send it certified with return receipt...it'll cost you a couple bucks, but it's worth it. When you get the return receipt in the mail...save it along with a copy of your letter.

If they ever call you again after the date the return receipt is signed, then you have a fool proof small claims action against them for $1000...each time they call you. This is why you document all of that information. You can compare your logs to the date they received the letter and each time they contact you after that date, it's $1000...it's open and shut, especially if you have the calls recorded.

[treehugger1]

And, as I've mentioned elsewhere, tell them you do not share any personal infomation over the telephone. You are also well within your rights to be concerned about identity theft. Would you share information with me, if I called your home saying I needed to verify who you are because you may have $20 million dollars coming to you? This would be no different than if I called you stating you owed $20 million.

[leftyf]

I now also have a company called PSA after me...they are being real jerks and calling other people in my office. I plan to call them back (first time I'll actually talk to a collector) and tell them to talk to my attorney...does that make any sense? Or is that a waste of time? I actually do have an attorney, btw.
Yep, I'm definitely in the collection agency phase now...trying to hold off filing for a few months.

[EveryDayAdam]

I now also have a company called PSA after me...they are being real jerks and calling other people in my office. I plan to call them back (first time I'll actually talk to a collector) and tell them to talk to my attorney...does that make any sense? Or is that a waste of time? I actually do have an attorney, btw.
Yep, I'm definitely in the collection agency phase now...trying to hold off filing for a few months.

If they call you at work, follow the same script above, make a log as I stated above. But be sure to tell them that you can not receive calls at work as your employer does not approve of them.

Then make sure you send your cease & desist letter to them...send it certified with return receipt. Be sure to keep a copy of the letter.

If they keep calling you at work, keep making your log and repeating the script that I mentioned in my earlier post. Make sure that you tell them everytime that they can not call you at work as your employer does not approve of those calls.

When you get your return receipt in the mail, check the date that it was signed. If you got any calls at work or home after that date, then turn over your log, the copy of your letter, the return receipt, and any call recordings you've made to your attorney...

Your attorney will be MORE than happy to go after NCO at $1000 per phone call, plus legal fees & court costs.

[leftyf]

Thanks for the advice EveryDay...should I mention that I will be filing soon? Will this make them feel that there efforts are futile?

[Lindsay]

I still talk to some of the collectors. I talked to Discover today (90+ days past due), the lady was relatively nice. I received a letter from a regular collection agency today so I imagine one of my accounts have been placed with outside collection. I guess that means the nastiness will start. I will most likely be filing within 30 days though. I'm also considering telling the collectors that I will be filing for BK in the next few weeks. I'm not sure if it will make a difference in the collector call volume though.

[chpxiii]

I still talk to some of the collectors. I talked to Discover today (90+ days past due), the lady was relatively nice. I received a letter from a regular collection agency today so I imagine one of my accounts have been placed with outside collection. I guess that means the nastiness will start. I will most likely be filing within 30 days though. I'm also considering telling the collectors that I will be filing for BK in the next few weeks. I'm not sure if it will make a difference in the collector call volume though.

Lindsay, as has been suggested here, do NOT tell the collectors ANYTHING. Quite frankly, they don't give a shit about you, all they want is their money. Your sob story will NOT make a difference in the number of calls you are receiving.

The ONLY thing that will make a difference is if you have an attorney. Has your attorney said you could give his name and phone number to collection agencies now? If so, when a creditor calls give them your attorney's name andnumber.

I know that for me, in 2003, the only thing that stopped the calls was when I gave them my attorney's name and number.

[tay666]

They are fishing for that information so that if/when they get a judgement they can garnish much more quickly. They also use how much you make and your job to determine if you are worth going after in a law suit and where to serve the garnishment papers.

That is the reason I have been giving them a little information lately.
I think all our debt has been moved to outside collections now (like 7 monts without paying)
So the ones that actually have a reasonable person on the line when I pick up. I just tell them. Since my wife can no longer work, due to medical conditions. I am now supporting a family of 4 on just over minimum wage.
Funny how most have quit bothering to call now.
And I don't get nearly as many letter FedEx delivered to me about my debt.
Want to wait until March/April time frame to file, and I'd like to stave off any judgements until then.

[wingnut]

Put THEM on hold for once.

Hey,

I usually just say, "Sure, hold on a second..." and then set the phone down by a speaker. The crazier the music, the longer they seem to listen. If there isn't a stereo around, I just set the phone down and laugh as they try to insult and intimidate me.

Don't let them fool you into believing that they are more powerful than they actually are. I haven't paid on my cards since April of 2006. Only 1 of several cards has tried arbitration, and we've been going back and forth on that since February!

Any communication you need to do can be done in writing. If you wait long enough, you'll get offers for lump sum settlements - sometimes as low as 30-40% of the outstanding balance. So, either start squirreling money away for the lump sum payments, or think of bankruptcy options.

Finally, there are prepaid cellphone companies which let you change your # free of charge. I'd mention the company I use here, but that might be a violation.

Best of Luck!

WINGNUT

[EveryDayAdam]

I still talk to some of the collectors. I talked to Discover today (90+ days past due), the lady was relatively nice. I received a letter from a regular collection agency today so I imagine one of my accounts have been placed with outside collection. I guess that means the nastiness will start. I will most likely be filing within 30 days though. I'm also considering telling the collectors that I will be filing for BK in the next few weeks. I'm not sure if it will make a difference in the collector call volume though.

My Lawyer advised me not to tell them I was filing. I didn't see any reason why not to tell them, but I followed his advice.

If you tell them, i'm sure they will tell you that you can't, you need to pay the debt, they changed the law so you aren't able to now, etc. Don't listen to em :-D But I just wouldn't tell them any information about your situation at all. Think of that phone as a one way valve...all information should be coming from them. Don't tell them a thing...you're under no obligation to, and telling them anything can only hurt your situation.

[IOIOIO]

I've sent NCO cease and desist letters for four different accounts they've tried to collect from me. They've ceased and desisted immediately each time. I have different NCO addresses for each letter, or I'd post their address. I thought the collector was required to send you a collection letter within five days of their first phone call, which is what they did with me, enabling me to reply to them in writing immediately.