My neighbor's creditors calling me

[RunningOnEmpty]

What is the name of your state? California

Yesterday, a collection agency called my house stating they were trying to reach my neighbor. I'm not sure how they got my telephone number. (We are not particularly friendly with these neighbors, so I know they didn't list us as a contact or reference).

The collector said they were unable to reach my neighbors as neighbor doesn't answer phone or have an answering machine. They asked me to take a message over to the neighbor's house, with a request for neighbor to contact them.

One of my friends told me the same thing had happened to her, with a collection agency asking her to bring message to her neighbor across the street.

I'm assuming this is done to humiliate the deadbeat debtor. Is this a new collection trend? Is it lawful?

 

[demartian]

Law

I don't know if the initial call is legal, but if they call you again, make sure to file harassment charges against them as they are not even allowed to continue to call the debtor after they are asked not to and would certainly not be allowed to call you again. I would have given them a few choice words for calling me since they have the US postal service for delivering messages.

 

[demartian]

Another Post Here

There is another post that fully shows what they can and can't do.

https://forum.freeadvice.com/showthread.php?p=1473976#post1473976

From there, I take it, the Creditor is not allowed to give information about debts to anyone other than the debtor, so I believe they would be in violation of this act.

 

[demartian]

Link

https://forum.freeadvice.com/showthread.php?p=1473976#post1473976

 

[K'Ta]

I'm assuming this is done to humiliate the deadbeat debtor. Is this a new collection trend? Is it lawful?

It isn't new and it is absolutely legal. It's called skiptracing and it's what collection agencies do when they can't find/contact a debtor. They are not allowed to tell you that they are calling about a debt or to mention in any way that the debtor owes money. But they are perfectly allowed to call you and request you deliver a message personally to them if the debtor won't answer letters or calls.

As a matter of fact, in a previous life I was a bill collector/skip tracer and I once called Al Franken during my search of neighbors to deliver a message. Part of it is humiliation. If the debtor finds out that companies are calling his/her neighbors to contact them it's embarrassing, even if the neighbor contacted doesn't know what the call is about, and it tends to get people who were previously unreachable to pick up a phone.

 

[GregG]

true

I think you anyone has a right to call anyone they choose. (unless you meet do not call list guidelines). You can call ANYONE as long as you have the intent to communicate. Repeated calls are harassment. True they can't say they are a debt collection agency. But.. If the busiess is called "Professional Collection" they have the right to say "if you see Joe tell him to call Professional Collection at 555-1234." You can bet they they aren't calling to talk about the weather..

 

[eloxley]

I think you anyone has a right to call anyone they choose. (unless you meet do not call list guidelines). You can call ANYONE as long as you have the intent to communicate. Repeated calls are harassment. True they can't say they are a debt collection agency. But.. If the busiess is called "Professional Collection" they have the right to say "if you see Joe tell him to call Professional Collection at 555-1234." You can bet they they aren't calling to talk about the weather..

And the same laws apply to the neighbor that apply to the debtor as far as communication goes. If you tell them to cease communication, as a third party collector, they have to stop calling. Although, that doesn't stop them from calling the NEXT house down!

Have you tried talking to your neighbor to see if they are ok? Maybe approaching them in a kind manner might be helpful. They truly must be humiliated....