Should we tell the CC companies we're filing?

[GreenLotus]

HI everyone! My husband and I are filing chapter 7. We have an appointment Jan 7, 2009 to start the paperwork going. MY question is.. we have credit card companies calling us like 50 times a day and now they've started calling my parents house 5 times a day looking for my husband and myself.. should we tell them that we are filing bankruptcy?? I don't know how this all works so I don't know if telling the CC companies before we file will hurt us or not??

Any info would be great! I don't like that they call us so much but now they are draggin my family into this and I DON'T want that to happen!! This is our problem not theres.

Thanks so much!

Niki

[jessegirl]

Are you using an attorney to file your chapter 7? If so and you have paid them a retainer, you should be giving the cc companies your attornies name and phone number. If the cc companies ask if you are filing bankruptcy, just tell them to call the attorney.

[jandrl2001]

Green, i didn't want to let anyone know what i was planning, hoping they would give me more time before charge offs, reposession, and collection agencies and things like that. I agree the calls are relentless, and horribly annoying, i couldn't imagine them calling and bugging my family.

[GreenLotus]

We haven't paid anything yet to the lawyer. We meet for the first time on Jan 7th. I feel like I should wait to tell them but Discover is being ruthless! They are calling my parents house for information on my husband! I haven't lived at home in 13 years! I don't know what to do??

[philslyn]

u know they are really annoying!
if you have a lawyer answer the phone and give the law office number..
and tell them that u no longer want to speak with them and that you will not answer any question anything should be ask to your attorney.
However it aint that easy coz they just keep going and calling and will still talk to u and wouldnt care about your lawyer.
if ur filing on ur own and u have a case number give them ur case number, if not yet, then just mute ur phone and let everyone knows to call your celfone and leave a voicemail if its important thats all u can do.

I have a friend whom i did the petition and she was telling me the same problem
guess what i myself spoke to those poeple and they are just stubborn like crazy.
so what we did. we unplug the phone period.

[philslyn]

if you have retained a lawyer then u shud be able to just give the number of the office and let them handle them.
however it doesnt work that way, those creditors caller
they are just pain in the AZZ they will insist and insist so its really a waste of time coz they dont listen.
and if you are a pro se; wait till u have a case number and let them know that ur filing bk and give them ur case number.

Best thing to do is.. ignore that phone call
how? what if we unplug the phone. coz truthfully they will keep calling and calling
i know coz it has happened to me.

[Bell30656]

Simply thank the collection agency or credit card company representative for calling and explain to them you are the party they are trying to reach but at this time you wish not to discuss the alleged debt. Since you have nothing else to discuss you will now wish them a nice day and please keep in mind that I record all telephone calls. Then hang up the telephone.

Make no commitments including when you will be willing to talk about the debt. Stick to your script and never let them take control of the conversation.

Collection agents are trained to take control and keep control of the conversation. They really hate it when someone else controls the conversation. They also really, really don't like it when you don't answer their questions. It's almost as though they feel entitled to answers just because they loaned us money and we promised to pay it back. Sheeesh, the nerve of them.

[liz417]

I stopped paying my creditors in mid May and just gave all our creditors our attorney's name and number...I haven't heard a peep in almost 8 months! Give them your attorney's number and be done with them. Good Luck!