Can Debt Collectors Call Your Cell Phone?
Posted on May 11th, 2007 by Marc Chase Posted in Debt Collectors | 3 CommentsIf you’ve ever been late on a bill and own a cell phone, there’s a good chance you’re rights have been violated by debt collectors looking to settle the debts.
This is one of those laws we use all the time to help people fix their credit that most of these articles you may have read don’t tell you about.
Here’s the deal…
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) was written in 1991 to protect consumers from unsolicited calls from the growing use of automated dialing systems.
I’m sure you’ve received one. Your phone rings and its an automated system saying …
“To find out how you can qualify for a 1% mortgage, push one”
In 2003, the FCC adopted a new rule that says no one can initiate a call using an automated dialing system to a cell phone, paging system, mobile service or any other service where the receiver of the call is charged.
Here is where this applies to collection agents. I’ve yet to see a collection agent not use an auto dial system. Now in a way that’s a good thing. You don’t really want one of these monkeys actually seeing your phone number.
Especially if that monkey is a Butt Muncher named Brian Shaw from Cash Call.
Anyway back to my story; A debt collector cannot call your cell phone for a any reason of they are using an auto dialer and here’s how you catch them.
If they call you, ask him what number they just called. Chances are he will say he doesn’t have that information. If so, then you know its an auto dialer and are in violation.
Or, rather than trying to be clever, you could just pay the money you owe and stop trying to wriggle out of your responsibilities.
Now see, this is the type of person that keeps us in business. Obviously a collector because like most collectors; they’re too afraid to voice their opinion and leave a real email.
They’re under the impression that because they were assigned an account of somebody who “may” owe money, that’s a license to do anything they want to collect.
Whether that means call people names, lie, harass and break the law by re-aging accounts so they can never recover from hard times they faced at one point in their lives.
Had you had a true understanding of what our company does, you’d realize our job isn’t to get people out of paying bills; it’s to protect them from illegal practices.
But hey I can’t complain. Your above the law attitude, condescending tone and disregard for rules is what’s made us successful, restored our cients credit and we all thank you.
Keep up the good work; our success depends on your mistakes and we all appreciate it.
Have a wonderful day
What can you do about the people who do call you all the time? I have tons of numbers in my phone and messages on my voicemail that are automated.