Collection calls

[endisnear]

How do they get your phone number? Does the orig creditor just use what they have in their system? Do they hunt you down? Most of mine have old phone numbers....i won't be able to py my CC's and am considering just letting them go. DH has been out of work a year now. I'm just scared of the phone calls, and i really don't want them to find out where i work and start calling at my job

[liz417]

You can't hide from them...they will find your phone number. Are you planning on filing BK? You don't want them to start calling your neighbors or family members, I would pick up the phone and talk to them. Tell them you are doing all you can to fix the situation.

Good Luck!

[One Half Full]

They hunt you down.

[ansky0007]

Yes, They will call everyone in the phone book with the same last name and start asking if they know you. If they are not successful with family they will start calling your neighbors that are in the phone book and ask them to knock on your door.

[endisnear]

Is this like right off the bat, as soon as you're late? I'm current up to now, but this month some decisions will need to be made. And i know once we go late, there really will be no turning back, financially speaking. I've read that the recommendations are to file after 90 days of last use, which 2 i used for gas and food in Oct. None of the rest have been used in a while. I'd really like to file ASAP, but we've not seen an atty yet to get a professional opinion.

[ansky0007]

By 60 days I had family calling me asking why someone was calling them and asking them about me. Once this happened I made sure I finished paying the lawyer to make these calls stop. They sent letters to all my creditors that they were no longer allowed to contact me and they needed to contact the lawyers office only. After they did this and I informed the collection companies that called that we were represented I have not received a call.

[endisnear]

WOW at just 60 days! YIKES!!! I'm just so nervous about all of this. I've never paid late in my life. I don't mind even filing right now, and if anything is objected, then just deal with and pay that. I can handle not answering my phone at home, but once all that gets drug into my work life and my relatives' lives.....EEK! Can you send C&D letters to orig creditors calling for money, or just once it's turned over to a collection agency?

[liz417]

WOW at just 60 days! YIKES!!! I'm just so nervous about all of this. I've never paid late in my life. I don't mind even filing right now, and if anything is objected, then just deal with and pay that. I can handle not answering my phone at home, but once all that gets drug into my work life and my relatives' lives.....EEK! Can you send C&D letters to orig creditors calling for money, or just once it's turned over to a collection agency?

Hi,

I stopped paying cc's in mid May (like many of us on this board, never late, high fico score), within two weeks of being late, creditors were calling. I was able to refer all cc calls to my attorney and as of right now, still haven't filed for BK (we're paying the attorney in payments, hope to be paid in full by the end of the year). Don't rush into filing BK just because you are late (unless you have judgements/garnishments against you), you need to "plan" this BK to benefit you. Get a few free consultations from some BK attorneys, make sure that you will be able to refer all collection calls to him/her. I believe C&D letters only apply to CA's and not the original credit cards.

[endisnear]

ok thanks Liz! I was just hoping to do it all quickly while DH is still out of work. Once he starts working, if i did the means test correctly, it'd push us over being eligible for ch7.

[liz417]

ok thanks Liz! I was just hoping to do it all quickly while DH is still out of work. Once he starts working, if i did the means test correctly, it'd push us over being eligible for ch7.

Gotcha, remember that being over the median doesn't automatically disqualify you from filing ch 7, everything is taken into account. If your expenses (IRS standards) exceed your income, it is possible to do a ch 7 (for the most part). If you have the $$ to start the process right now, by all means...go for it!!! I really doubt that your creditors are going to challenge day-to-day expenses charged to your cc. The creditors need to prove that you intended to commit fraud by not paying for the purchases at the time you charged these items.

[endisnear]

By no means did we EVER think we'd be here...all of our charges had been with the intent of paying them back. With each month, we'd think ok, by next month he'll have found a job making enough to pay all the bills, and then that month would come and go with no luck.....Now we just want to to be able to cut our losses and move on. Had we known that the economy would keep on getting worse and he'd end up being unemployed for so long, we would have cut our losses a long time ago, rather than live on credit in order to keep things paid and current.