Todays rant!!!!!!!!!

Today my dh got a call on his cell phone from a bill collector.  It said that we had 2 uncollected bills that he was trying to collect.  One was for $17 dollars from the hospital where my dh went when he broke his leg. ( 13 years ago) another was from the hospital for a surgical procedure at a cost of $468.40.  After doing some checking on this one come to find out it was the day after my son was born.  (It is the cost of having him circ.) I actually laughed out loud.  That was in Oct 19991, my ds will be 18 y/o on Saturday.  He graduates in May of next year and they are just now finding this mistake. 

I don't know how far back they can go, but they must be hungry for this one to be that big of a deal.  I would not be surprised to see this happening more often.  

I set up a payment schedule, I hope to have him paid for before he leaves home.

I didn't actually get a call from bill collectors but had bought some stuff on an in store account.  I went in one day to make a payment and the lady that takes up the money for accounts told me you need to make another payment because I didn't get last months payment I told her I don't know why because I paid it so went home the document where I paid the account and drove back up there to prove to the lady I had paid so I told her she should keep better records.  I know people make mistakes but she was adiment I hadn't paid so just for safety's sake we should always keep our recipts if not for that I probably would have had to pay twice.

Mary call them back and tell them that according to the FTC Fair Debt Collection Practes Act (FDCPA) the statute of limitations is 7 years from the last date of activity on the debt, they are breaking the law, your are calling both the cops and an attorney!!!

There is a scam that is so active it's been shown on both Nightline & 20/20 where cons get ahold of some old court records then try to collect the debt with the money not going to the debt owner but to the cons. Some of these companies have been known to break every law in the FDCPA including calling people and threatening them with arrest. There is no debtor's prisons any more if a service is given in a credit situation and not paid for it is for the most part considered a civil not a criminal matter but people believe that they will be arrested if they don't pay these cons the money which they quickly do.

Call the companies that are orginally owed the debt and ask them if they are attempting to collect a debt that has passed the statue of limitations chances are they will have no idea what you're talking about.

ETA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNycHZK9YRE is the 20/20 episode I was refurring to you might want to check it out.

This one is about the scam http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX2ODr6Kfs8&feature=related

That bill collector is a bit over the top timewise. These are sure to slide.

This also could be a scam from a former employee of a collection agency or biller, or from someone who has lived somewhere you once lived, and who has received your mail.

Tuesday evening, around 6:30, someone called Cuz, claiming that our check to Ga Power had bounced, and claiming that our power would be cut off at the commercial establishment on Wed.  The bank balance was more than enough to have covered the power check (I'd paid the bill at the drive-in window and made the deposit).   Cuz said that Ga Power closed at 6 and the caller claimed that the closing hour was 7.  They had a few hot words, and Cuz hung up, called Ga Power and sure 'nuff, they closed at 6.  The caller was trying to get Cuz to pay cash for the business power bill, and odds are, it was an office cleaner working after hours at the power company. 

Crooks are everywhere.  Note, also, that a provision of the Federal Fair Credit Act states that you are allowed to write a letter to the offending agency, called a Request to Cease Communications, telling the collector not to contact you by mail or by phone.  They are required to honor this.

Collecting bills is no fun, and the supervisors are screaming sociopaths.  Have a little pity on the poor job-scared soul on the other end of that phone. BTDT.

Dear ALl, THe NY Times on Sunday had an article on bill collectors' agencies being one of the few growth industries in today's economy, with severral large agencies DOUBLILNG their staffs.  It said that banks & other major creditors prefer large,, established collection agencies, & that it's onllly start-ups that are employing these lawless collection agencies.  Yours in Him, Deb

True--collection agencies are almost always hiring.  It's one of the ten most stressful jobs, and you probably will be required to take a psychological test before hire.  Other qualifications are a clean credit record and telephone experience.  Good agencies used to pay $1.50 over minimum with bonuses for exceeding quotas; smaller agencies paid .50 over minimum.  That's 25 years ago, don't know how things are now. 

They can attempt to collect on an old debt, the onus is on the debtor to exercise their legal right to "ignore" a bill past the statute, which varies by state, and by type of debt, note, etc.

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/savings/when-does-your-debt-expire.aspx deals with this issue. Of course they can try to collect, they just cant threaten to sue for one past the statute.

Mary didnt say any illegal tactics were used, just an attempt to get paid for the service they provided.  However, once there is new activity on the account, a payment made, etc.. the statute of limitations is wiped out. It starts all over again.  So if a person isn't going to pay a debt just because it is old, it is best to just throw them away without calling. 

It is an honorable thing Mary and her husband are doing, by taking care of it, regardless of how long ago it happened.  In some states, Arizona in particular, some hospitals are going bankrupt and closing their doors in part due to all the unpaid bills, particularly from illegals.  People having to drive for miles to get to a hospital, especially if they live in a suburb or more rural area. Being in Texas, I see this often on the news.

On a humorous note.. I was telling my husband about this post, and the bill from a boy being circumsized, and he's a young adult now..and he laughed and said what will they do if the parents don't pay.. re-attach? (grin)

Cheryl:

On a humorous note.. I was telling my husband about this post, and the bill from a boy being circumsized, and he's a young adult now..and he laughed and said what will they do if the parents don't pay.. re-attach? (grin)

Dear Cheryl,

Thanks for your post.  Your dh's question was the same one my dh asked.  We agreed to pay this bill even if it is old.  It was our bill and it should have been paid years ago.  My dh says we should at least send our 18 yo son off into the world with all his (parts) paid for.  We also thought it was the best way to practice what we preach.   LOL   You know how our kids always call us on it if we don't do it. 

I know that song and dance from collections years later they still are after us so I kinda know how you feel on that but with hopital get with a person to have alittle help on that threw I tnk a charity and maybe you can make a down payment to the chairity something like that, by law even if you pay 1.00 they have to at least honer that it show them you are trying and its against the law not to give you treatment  if its an emgerancy but be honest about things I don't know about the policy just get with them even if its the 1.00 on schedule type payment...