Telephone Harassment Subforum.

[renegotiation]

I would very much like to see a subforum dedicated to telephone harassment. Perhaps even split that up into subsections for each D.C.A.. I think that this is a disgusting issue that needs to be tackled in a much more organised and offensive fashion. The more I think about it the more it makes my blood boil. It must be causing tremendous grief to numerous families around the country. It is a personal invasion of a family home. They are ringing up an individual, who usually genuinely can't pay the debt off, but end up affecting many others. I can understand that they are going to send out letters, but that is as far as it should go. You close the door behind you when you get in from work or whatever you do and that should be it. Those mofos shoudln't be phoning you up. I don't care how much money you owe. I would like to see the sticky here shifted over to this new subforum and everyone that has posted on it encouraged to start individual threads. Also, it should be actively encouraged that all other victims start new threads there. This would make it much easier to follow individual cases to successful conclusions. At the moment, as far as I can make out, there is just the one long sticky thread and individual threads where the telephone harassment issue is generally a side issue in a specific fight with a given D.C.A.. Admittedly there are probably some threads around solely related to telephone harassment, but not many. Maybe C.A.G. could make some targeted mass complaints to the relevant bodies and even initiate some court cases for willing parties. I would happily volunteer to go to court in my area as a rep! This is Debt 'Action' Group right? :-0

 

Feedback please.

[ThisVeryMoment]

The only reason creditors call is when you stop paying the amounts you AGREED to. the only reason they keep calling is because you are IGNORING them. that is not harrassment, it is trying to get a debt avoider to face up to their responsibilities and PAY.

 

What would YOU do if someone owed YOU money and ignored your letters? Shrug your shoulders or phone them? Hmmm, I wonder.

 

Easy choices if you do not want a call;

 

1. Pay your bills on time

2. You call the creditor PROMPTLY when they write to you

3. Refuse to give a phone number when appying, (strange how debtors glady provide a phone number at that stage. i wonder why?)

 

You are not the victim. The victim is the creditor.

[Fuzzgin]

I agree with this idea. It would be useful for anyone studying the effects of the harassment and for people who might be able to get change in this area. I've seen some horrendous situations on here.

[renegotiation]

Well that's a feedback of one! Thanks. How about a few more? Come on people. Hope you all have a happy festive season.

[2Grumpy]

Sounds good to me

 

I have suffered from DCA's calls to my son including when he was away

 

I had the "oh we will call back" when I asked them not to

My wife had agressive ones who shaouted at her called her a liar - my son was really there

and when he was there, they convinced him to increase his payments to something that he couldn't afford - easier to do that by phone

 

Grumpy

[itsamomentintime]

there should be sub forums for each DCA, as well as a telephone harrassment one.

[sillygirl1]

This is definately going to be on the increase in the new year, hence my thread on setting up a spreadsheet as to who deals with who, and counting how many people from this site lodge a complaint against the companies involved. A telphone abuse log would be very helpful. I suffered deeply a few years back from Capital One and they are still trying to screw me despite going to court (and them not turning up) and the case being discontinued - if it was discontinued why are they still reporting on me to Experian?

 

A No of Complaints section should be included in each sub-forum so we know who are the worst abusers

[ThisVeryMoment]

"if it was discontinued why are they still reporting on me to Experian? "

 

There is a world of difference between not owing money and a creditor discontinuing action.

[zazen.warrior]

I think this would be a good idea, I''m now paying BT extra for anonymous call reject and chose to refuse, but why should I be driven to this extra expense? Okay with this combination the calls have now dried up but no notice was taken of my verbal requests to stop calling or the recorded delivery telephone harrasment letters. V. unhappy about this aspect out our issues here.

[renegotiation]

zazen.warriorI think this would be a good idea, I''m now paying BT extra for anonymous call reject and chose to refuse, but why should I be driven to this extra expense? Okay with this combination the calls have now dried up but no notice was taken of my verbal requests to stop calling or the recorded delivery telephone harrasment letters. V. unhappy about this aspect out our issues here.

 

 

For anyone really stressed I would advise a number change and an instant switch to ex-directory. It worked for us a treat! For those that have the stomach for it I would suggest recording calls as evidence and sending TWO letters recorded delivery. The second letter should state that a first was already sent recorded delivery. Copies of the recorded delivery receipt and the letter sent should be kept. This would eliminate the possibility of them making feeble we didn't receive it or lost it excuses. If the calls didn't stop all the evidence should be presented to the relevant bodies and court action should be taken by the individual on top of this. Most of the feedback I have seen seems to suggest that they are ignoring stop harassing me by telephone letters sent recorded delivery. They need to be forced into submission. There are a couple of tricky issues here. Could they countersue? If they have already presented an unenforcable C.C.A. or haven't prodiuced any C.C.A. then I don't think so. Could the phone bill payer sue them if they weren't the debtor? Opinions please. Could someone else in the household sue them if they weren't the debtor or the bill payer for 'suffering' caused by the calls? Opinions please. Telephone harassment is industrial torture. With all the people expected to get into debt problems next year it can't be allowed to continue unchecked. The letters are bad enough!

[pecky1]

My Husband has had Harassment from the Bank of Scotland as work ringing him up sometimes Twice a day. The trouble is his boss takes the calls first. Have sent the Telephone Harrasment letter and now going through the complaints department,

They sent a letter back telling me they would not ring for 3 weeks wouldnt mind but we are still paying them monthly just not the amount they expect. Perhaps I should telephone them regarding the CCA request which is now 5 weeks and waiting, but then I wont go down to thier level. I think this is becoming a huge problem and having a Sub forum would really highlight this problem.

[renegotiation]

This is definately going to be on the increase in the new year, hence my thread on setting up a spreadsheet as to who deals with who, and counting how many people from this site lodge a complaint against the companies involved. A telphone abuse log would be very helpful. I suffered deeply a few years back from Capital One and they are still trying to screw me despite going to court (and them not turning up) and the case being discontinued - if it was discontinued why are they still reporting on me to Experian?

 

A No of Complaints section should be included in each sub-forum so we know who are the worst abusers

 

 

 

 

 

 

itsamomentintimethere should be sub forums for each DCA, as well as a telephone harrassment one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would have to agree with both these points. Can some site helpers and mods post some views please?

 

Pecky, so you send them the letter and then 'they' dictate that will ring you after 3 weeks! It's supposed to be a legal request. I hope you follow up your complaint to a successful conclusion. It's high time they got court forms landing on their doorsteps. I think this is an issue that we can all unite on. It transcends all the other moral arguments. Anyone think different?

[Having_A_Knightmare]

The only problem I can see with a Sub forum is it might not get the attention needed.

 

How many times do you go on this section of the site but not on the Cabot forum attached to this site.

 

HAK

[renegotiation]

Maybe have it alongside the General Debt, Bailiffs and D.C.A.'s forums as a separate entity?

[bottomburp]

deleted

[sillygirl1]

If its Yes Loans report them to Trading Standards, they are not supposed to be doing the 'hard sell' approach which this sounds very much like.

 

I still find answering in Japanese good fun, except yesterday I got somebody who spoke back to me in Japanese, we had a very good chat!

[Having_A_Knightmare]

I still find answering in Japanese good fun, except yesterday I got somebody who spoke back to me in Japanese, we had a very good chat!

 

Nice one. Ive always wanted to speak spanish so good new year challenge

[Guest vortex]

Guys from speaking to the FSA re telephone harrassment, the first thing you need to do is to put it in writing that all correspondence must go via that route(ie IN WRITING). You should keep a log of telephone numbers and who it is from the point you would expect them to have received the letter. If they continue then report them to the FOS and you will have evidence from the log you will have kept. I know CAG used to advise about keeping logs and I am not sure if they still do. A telephone harrassment forum may seem a good idea but the FOS route if they continue to harrass is the right way to go.

JMHO

[renegotiation]

Well I think contacting the F.O. is 'one' of the bits of advice that could be given out in a more focussed forum. I just think that the matter needs more C.A.G. attention. Whether it's my idea or something else I think more needs to be done.

[bottomburp]

deleted

[sillygirl1]

Write to Yes Loans telling them you no longer require their services and you withdraw any consent (implied or otherwise) to pass your details on.

 

Take all correspondence - including the letter from Welcome - to Trading Standards and lodge a complaint. You will probably get letters from Provident, Bright Finance and another company before the mail stops, then it will start up again in 6 months time.

[renegotiation]

zazen.warriorI think this would be a good idea, I''m now paying BT extra for anonymous call reject and chose to refuse, but why should I be driven to this extra expense? Okay with this combination the calls have now dried up but no notice was taken of my verbal requests to stop calling or the recorded delivery telephone harrasment letters. V. unhappy about this aspect out our issues here.

 

 

For anyone really stressed I would advise a number change and an instant switch to ex-directory. It worked for us a treat! For those that have the stomach for it I would suggest recording calls as evidence and sending TWO letters recorded delivery. The second letter should state that a first was already sent recorded delivery. Copies of the recorded delivery receipt and the letter sent should be kept. This would eliminate the possibility of them making feeble we didn't receive it or lost it excuses. If the calls didn't stop all the evidence should be presented to the relevant bodies and court action should be taken by the individual on top of this. Most of the feedback I have seen seems to suggest that they are ignoring stop harassing me by telephone letters sent recorded delivery. They need to be forced into submission. There are a couple of tricky issues here. Could they countersue? If they have already presented an unenforcable C.C.A. or haven't prodiuced any C.C.A. then I don't think so. Could the phone bill payer sue them if they weren't the debtor? Opinions please. Could someone else in the household sue them if they weren't the debtor or the bill payer for 'suffering' caused by the calls? Opinions please. Telephone harassment is industrial torture. With all the people expected to get into debt problems next year it can't be allowed to continue unchecked. The letters are bad enough!

 

Can someone give some opinions on some of the issues I raised here?

[2Grumpy]

I see telephone harassment as an unfortunate side issue that should / could be deal with seperately.

 

It might add to a claim / defense later, but it needs to be stopped as soon as possible, independently of any other action.

 

It can only be harrassment and to attempt to get the maximum money.

 

If you don't have much / any money at 8:00 you wont have more at 9:00.

 

The call centre operators are very persuasive. They manipulate you into making agreements that you wouldn't otherwise have made with cajoling, threats etc.

 

I think that it's time to make this seperate somehow.

 

Perhaps we could have clear, separate advice in stickies, threads per dca & voting buttons to get an idea of how much this is happening per DCA.

 

That would cover a lot of cases, with the forum to ask for help where they don't stop or there is something different.

 

I think a seperate forum between general debt & DCAs would be a good idea. It might encourage people to look here earlier as well.

 

Another forum might be managing your debts and creditors.

Steps to do your own DMP, sort out your problems and find a positive way forward

Step 1: CCAs

Step 2: write to them all with disclosure / transparency / offers

Step 3: what to do if things get better / worse / one wants more

etc

 

Grumpy

[renegotiation]

Not to mention the farce of giving out your personal details down the phone to 'anyone' that asks for them! There may be the odd occasion where you are contacted by a financial institution about a specific issue, but as a general rule you should only verify your data when 'you' are the one doing the phoning and you know 'who' you are phoning. 'We'll just talk you through security quickly Joe Bloggs.' More like big holes in security... It's ridiculous!

[ammani]

This is a great idea Renegotiation, more needs to be done about this issue. Cap One totally ignored my harrassment letter, and i am now thinking of taking them to court.