The calls just started and I LOOOVE Google Voice!

[Shawshank]

Sent a few of you PM's with invites.

[anykey]

I use gmail=- does anyone have a google voice invite?

I admit I am me- then I set the phone down and go about my day. I have to say event that is getting frustrating.

[flyinbroke]

I get lots of "No Number" calls. I don't bother...at least one was a CA and it wasn't even for me. I also got a lot of 1-000-000-0000 and they are part of the "screened" list so the phone does not ring when they call. I did this with known BoA and GE Money numbers since I am now on their s*** list for going to collections. A CA will be a new number and ring, just in case they promise a good offer. (Bwaaaahahaha...)

[coolmom04]

I've been getting calls from "unknown number" every hour on the hour for the past 4-5 days.. I've lost count. I have it where it rolls straight to voicemail and doesn't even ring anywhere. I am guessing that no one will ever leave a message though.

[flyinbroke]

I don't use my personal home or cell for this purpose. Am on waiting list for Google VOice but bought a cheapo T-Mobile phone and changed all my bill numbers to it. No one uses this phone so I can change the message with impunity.

Most of the calls are robos, so there is rarely a message. Even if you pick up, there is rarely someone on the other end.

[nickifan]

And I will have to change my voicemail. That way they can leave a message though most of the time they won't bother.

That much I did already...Mine now says "Hello, you have reached Nickifan. (You know what I mean...my real name) at (telephone #) xxx -xx -xxxx. Please leave me a message."

No one has yet.

I wonder if I should confirm my address too, or at least the city? Hate to do that though...I've already had a friend wonder aloud why I changed my message...and unfortunately, since I'm madly looking for a job, I also don't want to make any potential employers wonder ....

[flyinbroke]

I was going to say it is a psychological phrase to goad you into paying. GoingDown beat me to it. They have key phrases while they are in the good cop phase, then they browbeat you in the bad cop phase.

I do not consider the convo all that tough; I can only do what I can do. Unfortunately for them, I like the idea of having cash. I also found out I will owe the IRS nearly 2K and they WILL go after your paycheck successfully. I have to take care of immediate issues first.

And I will have to change my voicemail. That way they can leave a message though most of the time they won't bother.

[GoingDown]

Hi flyinbroke. Sorry things are getting tough for you so quickly...I have two BoA cards and have only spoken with one person representing one card, and he was very nice, but I know that won't last. I'm still within Month One of starting not to pay cards...and I'm still making payments to the ones I'm still using. I will likely not have the "luxury" of NOT using any CC's before filing.

But...what exactly is the importance of their marking down "refusal to pay" vs. "debtor says she "can't" pay right now?? Does refusal to pay send the account to the dreaded third-party collectors?

"Refusal to Pay" is a phrase that all debt collectors are taught to say. It is psychological warfare against the debtor. It is meant to draw the debtor into a conversation where they eventually end up agreeing to pay some or all of the debt or to make payments.

They will not accept the fact that you can't pay. One time they told me if I can afford to pay for the phone I was talking to them on, then I could afford to make a payment to them.

The less you talk to a debt collector, the better off you will be.

[ApresMoi]

I absolutely LOVE Google Voice! I've had BOA call me from two different numbers 3x a day yesterday and today. I set it up so that they automatically get sent to a VM that states, "You've reached XXX & XXX of (our address) and yes, we are aware that we are late on our payments. Thank you for your reminder call."

So... is that okay? I remember reading that as long as they know they've got the right contact information, they tend to not call quite as frequently... or is this totally incorrect? Do I actually need to answer every once in a while? Is it okay to say I intend to send payment in a couple of weeks even though I obviously do not intend to??

BTW - I have three invites left for google voice, so if anyone is interested, PM me!

I agree...it's the greatest. I changed my voicemail today (on the advice of someone in this forum) so they know they are reaching me. I am not returning ANY of these calls (hope to file next month, or at least be ready to file if I am served with a summons).

[nickifan]

BoA called and I took it...not even 60 days out and already collections is calling. I told them I can't afford it and when they asked why I said "insurance went up, rent went up, gas went up, food went up, utilities went up...salary went down." I will owe the IRS too. She put me on hold and I got a manager. He babbled on about "valued customer" and I fired back that I am so valued I was ratejacked AND CLDed to the tune of 9K, maxing me out. I apologized and said there was no money anymore. He said he had to document a "refusal to pay". Yeah, I know. I figure I bought a week or two of radio silence though, and in fairness they were pretty nice. They have a job to do, but I have needs that need cash.

.

Hi flyinbroke. Sorry things are getting tough for you so quickly...I have two BoA cards and have only spoken with one person representing one card, and he was very nice, but I know that won't last. I'm still within Month One of starting not to pay cards...and I'm still making payments to the ones I'm still using. I will likely not have the "luxury" of NOT using any CC's before filing.

But...what exactly is the importance of their marking down "refusal to pay" vs. "debtor says she "can't" pay right now?? Does refusal to pay send the account to the dreaded third-party collectors?

[GoingDown]

I can't say for certain, but in my opinion the willingness to throw a "block party" (call your neighbors) or an "office party" (call your office/boss) is strictly related to the meanness of the collector, or a policy by the creditor that they really must bring you to the phone every so often for a little chat.

I suspect that if they get voice mail long enough they will eventually try to "locate" you like this, which stretches the meaning of "locate" to mean "force to have a conversation with us."

I realize this is splitting hairs but it may affect those of you using voice mail diversion strategies to avoid this nasty behavior.

For those that call you at work or call your neighbors or relatives, I would certainly follow up with a Cease and Desist Communications Letter in the mail to them. If they that cross that line, then it is time to at least try that. It doesn't work on all original creditors but I have found that it does work on the majority of them. The majority of them seem to voluntarily follow the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, eventhough they are not required to do so. But it must be in writing and in this case, it should be sent by certified mail. Send it to the address listed on the collection letter you get from this creditor so that it gets to the right location, not the payment address.

[GoingDown]

[QUOTE=flyinbroke;369911]Collectors prey on fear and ignorance. They hope that people will roll over without a fight; many will suggest you blow off rent/mortgage or insurance to pay them. They will harp on ruining your credit score (even if they pretty much did that with ratejacking and CLDs that max you out.) And a majority will fall for the BS and pay, to their own detriment.

If you don't give a crap about what someone on the other end thinks of your "refusal to pay", if you refuse to be a slave to the credit score, if you fight back....they may sue but they may also go for more profitable low hanging fruit who will roll over and give the diaper money to them.[/QUOTE]


Exactly! Debt collectors have bills to pay and they don't want to waste their time going after someone who makes it hard for them to get the money. They go after the people who are easy to scare and shake loose money from them.

Just remember this... if a debt collector never gets to speak to you on the phone, then he or she doesn't make any money from you.

They can't afford to sue everyone. If every debtor in the world would wise up and stop talking to debt collectors on the phone, the debt collection industry would go out of business.

[GoingDown]

its been over 16 months since i quit paying on credit cards one roughly is 25k other one is 21k and have only spoken to first collectections by mistake once when it went outof the oc hands.i am on my 4th different collections now .bout every 3 months it changes to new aholes all they ever get is a phone recording verifying who they have reached.if they have contacted anyone trying to talk to me i dont know about it.they can all go pound sand

This is exactly how to handle it if you are worried about them contacting relatives etc. trying to find you.

Have a voicemail or answering machine slowly and clearly say your name and direct callers to leave a message for you. Remember it takes a while for the automated dialers that call your number to pass your call to a live operator and if you talk too quickly on your message, the live debt collector will never hear your name on the recording.

To deal with this problem, I would often make some noise at the beginning of the message such as the sound of rustling papers or air blowing up against the microphone, which seems to fool the computer into thinking they have a live person on the other end of the phone, and it gives the computer time to pass the call over to a live operator, and then I would slowly say my name and repeat the phone number and then tell the caller to leave a message.

BUT NEVER TALK TO THEM ON THE TELEPHONE. ABSOLUTELY NO GOOD WILL EVER COME FROM IT! LET THE ANSWERING MACHINE OR VOICE MAIL DO YOUR TALKING FOR YOU.

Fortunately, I no longer get any phone calls from debt collectors. It has been over 5 years since I stopped paying on my debts and they have given up on me.

[catleg]

So the debt collector's tactic only works if you have fear, or actually care what others think.

Believe me that I'm on the same page here, even my wife realized that if I called them in response to the block party, then "the terrorists win".

It's tougher with a spouse to worry about, I don't know what I'd do with kids asking about it. Luckily my dogs just lay there and wait for their bellies to be scratched.

[flyinbroke]

Collectors prey on fear and ignorance. They hope that people will roll over without a fight; many will suggest you blow off rent/mortgage or insurance to pay them. They will harp on ruining your credit score (even if they pretty much did that with ratejacking and CLDs that max you out.) And a majority will fall for the BS and pay, to their own detriment.

If you don't give a crap about what someone on the other end thinks of your "refusal to pay", if you refuse to be a slave to the credit score, if you fight back....they may sue but they may also go for more profitable low hanging fruit who will roll over and give the diaper money to them.