Debt collection via telephone

[osmosis]

What is the name of your state? FL

1. Is it illegal to lie to a debt collector?

2. If the call is being recorded "for quality assurance purposes" does the debt collector have the responsibility of telling every person that handles the phone that the call is being recorded? (i.e. daughter answers phone, is told call is being recorded & hands phone to dad)

I was handed the phone by my 10 year old daughter last night. She looked at me with a blank expression and said "it's for you. somebody wants to sell you something." I answered the phone and was greeted with "Hi (my first name), this is Joanne. How are you tonight?"

At this point she informed me that she was calling with a company I've never heard of (which I found out later was a debt collection agency). She did not identify the company as such. She began asking me personal questions to verify my identity.

She read off the last 4 digits of my SSN and then asked me if it was correct. I told her no & politely hung up the phone.

I didn't realize until later while researching the name online that it was a debt collector (emergency room bill) I would have given straight answers otherwise!

So is this little slip-up going to get me in trouble legally?

 

[TigerD]

No, it isn't illegal to lie to anyone unless you are under oath.

It will, however, make it more difficult for you to take care of the debt.

DC

 

[osmosis]

Thanks for clearing that up!

 

[Ladynred]

1. Is it illegal to lie to a debt collector?

That's funny. What authority do you think some desk jockey at a collection agency has anyway ?? They will LIE to you.. w/o a single qualm if it'll part you from your money !

2. If the call is being recorded "for quality assurance purposes" does the debt collector have the responsibility of telling every person that handles the phone that the call is being recorded? (i.e. daughter answers phone, is told call is being recorded & hands phone to dad)

If you get that recording you must assume that the call IS being recorded and I don't believe they are required to tell any subsequent listeners that the call is being recorded. However, IF they ARE recording, you will hear the tell-tale beeping and they MUST have that beep in there so you KNOW you're being recorded.

She began asking me personal questions to verify my identity.

And WHY would you give a perfect stranger personal information anyway ??? I don't care WHO they are, if you don't know who is calling and asking those types of questions, you are under NO obligation whatsoever to answer - and you shouldn't ! ID theft is so rampant, you should never take that chance w/o knowing EXACTLY who is calling and exactly WHY they want such information.

I didn't realize until later while researching the name online that it was a debt collector (emergency room bill) I would have given straight answers otherwise!

Again, why ? They have NO AUTHORITY and you have EVERY right to ask who they are and what their business is and under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) if you ask, they are legally required to give you that information.