Calls out the Whazooo!!

[IvoryAngel]

I decided at the end of last year to go ahead and file Bankruptcy. So around December I stopped making payments on everything and just been anticipating filing. I found a good attorney got all the paperwork just have to make time to get it done and gather my information. Its just really hard when you have to work all the time. So for like two months almost everyday the bill collectors called me at work asking me for money coming to my job etc. I would say the something every time, but they still called. Kind of hard to ignore calls from them at work when you have to answer the phone. I even had a few come to the house. Which I thought was ridiculous waste of time for them and me. Then last Friday I quit my full time away from home job to work from home. Nothing to do with them just bad situation at work and time for a change. Now they call my house phone and leave these messages I swore they are funny. One lady said "We are going to hunt you down, we know you quit or was fired from your job" Like it is any of her business. But isn't it illegal for my employer to disclose my personal business that way? I need to get with the program and finish my paperwork so they can stop calling me ugh.

[ilovemycaitybug]

I don't think they can continue if you tell them to stop

I'm no attorney, so this is not legal advice... I think I've read somewhere that, especially at your place of work, they cannot contact you by phone if you've told them not to. What kind of creditors are these? I think it's down-right creepy that they're actually came to your house! Next time one calls, make sure to get the company, name of person calling, phone, address, and all other info you can think of and tell them DO NOT CALL! Have you retained an attorney? I haven't filed yet (will be next week) but my attorney told me to just send the callers to him. That's REALLY cut the obnoxious phone calls down. Yes, they do want their money... and yes, you do owe them (right now)... but like you said, it IS a waste of time. Especially if you tell them you're filing b/k.

Good luck to you! Keep us posted!

[SinkingFast]

I don't know if it's illegal or not,.............. But it's certainly unprofessional of your previous employer to tell anyone who calls more than "Ivory Angel is no longer with our Company."

I would think you could call and/or write your previous employer and convey your disgust with them giving out your personal information. Possibly suggest if they do not quit, you will take appropriate steps to see that they do. Kind of a veiled threat of legal action without actually stating it,.......... If you catch my drift.

As far as at home,............. If you've already talked to them, told them your story, that you cannot pay, and they keep hounding you,.......... Just screen the calls. Use Caller ID or an answering machine. If you don't recognize the phone number or the person leaving a message, don't pick up. If your new work at home requires using a phone, get a 2nd line or cell phone for business purposes.

[NYCountry]

I even had a few come to the house. Which I thought was ridiculous waste of time for them and me. ......................................

I wish these people would show up at my home. I live out in the country by myself and usually answer the door with a gun peeking out of something.

[NYCountry]

As far as at home,............. If you've already talked to them, told them your story, that you cannot pay, and they keep hounding you,.......... Just screen the calls. Use Caller ID or an answering machine. If you don't recognize the phone number or the person leaving a message, don't pick up. If your new work at home requires using a phone, get a 2nd line or cell phone for business purposes.[/QUOTE]...............

I sound really hostile tonight but I really am not - just weary of all the nonsense these companies go through. OK! Here goes: I have a large whistle by my phone and if I happen to answer the phone (which I usually don't) and it is one of "them" I blow the whistle into the phone.

[ilovemycaitybug]

LOL @ NYCountry... you've got me laughing so hard!!! That's an awesome idea, especially if it's the same person "Mrs. Jones" or whatever they call themselves, calling you!

[SinkingFast]

LOL @ NYCountry... you've got me laughing so hard!!! That's an awesome idea, especially if it's the same person "Mrs. Jones" or whatever they call themselves, calling you!

Dittos!!

That was too funny!! I hadn't thought of blowing a whistle in their ear!!

[treehugger1]

I had not thought of a whistle. My brother told me that when he was going through some hard times for a few years, he would say, "Hold on, I'm fixing my meal and need to stir something." He would then take a steel pot and beat on it with a large metal spoon, a few inches from the phone. The whistle idea is not bad, "Give me a second, I need to get the dog in."

[IvoryAngel]

Thanks for the Suggestions!!

The whistle and the pans were good ideas. Knowing the ladies that have been calling it would make them absolutely livid. LOL I actually forward my calls to my home phone which has caller id and of course gives the business name calling and we let them go to voice mail. When I was working outside the home of course this was not an option, but now we don't have to answer the phone. Last night I was thinking of some options to reduce the ringing of the phone though. With us working from home we cant have all the outside noise. And I realized I had forgotten that for our home phone we use VOIP and there are all those cool features like privacy manager. That will prevent anyone who doesn't know the secret code from ringing through. This way only those people we want to talk to will ring through and everyone else will go to voice mail and the phone wont even ring. All I need to do now is come up with a catchy voice mail message. So if anyone has any niffy voice mail messages please let me know. Thanks for also adding alittle humor to a once dreary subject.

[SinkingFast]

"You've reached the number you dialed. You can leave a message at the tone. We may or may not get back with you."

"Congratulations! You've reached the year 2007! Please leave a message at the tone. You may or may not be of interest to us. We may or may not get back with you."

[wayne-o]

screening is the best and easiest option and they will continue to call until you can give them a case #. As far as your employer goes whoever answered the phone and probably said "she doesnt work here any longer" not that you had quit or beef fired. The bill collector is just doing what they do.

[CPO]

"You've reached the number you dialed. You can leave a message at the tone. We may or may not get back with you."

"Congratulations! You've reached the year 2007! Please leave a message at the tone. You may or may not be of interest to us. We may or may not get back with you."

When I'm in the mood, I kinda mess with mine. I try to get a few of my "friends" to say something illegal....like they are going to send me to jail...

I had one lady from Bass & Ass tell me she was a lawyer.......she claimed to have a law degree from University of Texas @ Arlington....

Well, just happens to be my school also, and located in the next town over here in the Metroplex....imagine that...

She didn't have much too say when I told her law degrees are not offered and never have been offered by UTA....

That recording went off to a collections attorney....along with a copy of the "ceased & desist" letter/Domestic Return Receipt they signed two weeks earlier.

Collectors are so full of s#*t....

Just screen your calls. Nothing you say will make them go away, and it provides an income for the terminally stupid and barely employable. Treat them with pity............

CPO

[whatamess]

what if

You set the phone down while they were on the line and didnt hang up. Let them just sit there, put the phone up to some salsa music on the radio....they usually hang up. Did this when late before. They say "Is 'wam' there?"..I put them on latino hold....or on Sundays we have a lovely Indian music program on the college station....or put someone like Rush limbaugh on. That will really get em.
WAM

[JollyGG]

This made me smile. I hope some of the people calling for our former manager were credit card companies now.

Unfortunatelly, our former manager passed away (not the part that made me smile).

When he would get phone calles after I moved into his old position I wouls simply say "I"m sorry *name* is no longer with us". Sometimes I would get asked where he had gone. I would then explain. Alot of times it was someone trying to sell me a magazine subsciptions. The conversations got very short.

[Minnymouth]

Here's a phrase I have used in the past..........

"You spent your dime, but I really don't have time, to chit-chat with you today...... leave your name and number at the sound of the tone, and I MIGHT call you back when I get home.....

Today I am not buying anything, selling anything, or giving anything away.....

If your a friend you know how to get ahold of me, and if your a bill collector you know where you can go............

Please leave your message after the tone....."


Works for me,

Minny