What is Digg?107 Comments
- Wiini, on 11/09/2007, -1/+49Yeah people don't realize that a collection Agency usually owns the Debt, not the company. By the time (a year later or more) you hear you've been sent to collections, the company you originally owed the money to has been settled up, by the collection company, on your behalf.
Think of it this way: You owing money is like a product, or an item, that someone wants to buy. So CD Company, Wal-Mart, Taco Bell, or wahtever, sells your debt to a Debt collection agency, usually for pennies on the dollar. So if you owed 10$ to Taco Bell, the Debt Collection Company purchases your 10$ debt for 2 or 3 dollars. They pay Taco Bell 2 or 3 bucks, and your 10$ debt now belongs to the Collection Agency.
From this point, The Collection Agency adds on many fees, processing, collection, golden-toilet fees, and so on. Until your collection is now 250$ for your original 10$ debt. You can't go back to Taco Bell and simply pay them the 10$, because they've already been paid for your debt, and you owe the money to someone else.
Keep in mind that since your debt was purchased at a highly discounted rate, you can usually negotiate a lower rate than what they tell you. When speaking to them, never tell a debt collector you have money. In fact, tell them just the opposite. You're poor, you can't make your bills, and even if they Sue you, they'll never, ever, ever get the money because you don't have it. You'd love to pay them, but you'll NEVER be able to. The money simply isn't there, and never will be.
At this point, your debt collector will say "fine, how much can you pay then? " You tell them that if you borrow money from someone and sell some stuff, you can pay them 25$. Usually, they'll take the 25$, forget the original 250$ owed, and everyone will consider your original 10$ debt to be repaid.
This works the same for all kinds of debts, including bad checks.
hope you learned something! - CyberSally, on 11/09/2007, -3/+34Collection agencies are real scum with no morals (nevermind the fact that they aren't even regulated). And seriously, who gives a ***** about a $16.39 debt to Columbia House?
- uploadjoe, on 11/09/2007, -1/+28Sounds like how the guys in my college dorm used to sign up for Columbia House accounts as Jesus Christ and use fake social security numbers. I guess they don't screen new accounts very well.
- phnx0221, on 11/09/2007, -1/+21Those CD companies are *****. I haven't dealt with them in over 10 years, but even as a teenager I knew they were pricks.
That's hilarious though, and will only continue to be as this plays out. How I would love to watch the court proceedings if a lawsuit went to court for this. "Did you, or did you not, send this letter out, addressed to quote '***** face'?" HA! - ltchimpo, on 11/09/2007, -5/+23Whoa. ***** Face is a cousin of mine. Funny his info go onto digg. C'mon though people, we don't need to draw any more attention to his name. He has it hard enough as it is.
Thanks,
Filthy Whore, J.D. - Narcism, on 11/09/2007, -1/+18I've heard both scenarios.. regardless, I can't blame Columbia House. or the collection agency. Pay your ***** bills.
- inactive, on 11/09/2007, -0/+11Actually, most debt collecting agency's will not buy debt. They either get paid a flat rate for each account they collect on, or get a percentage of the $$ collected.
- BassMastr, on 11/08/2007, -4/+14Yes this is inappropriate, but at the same time which is worse. Not paying for something you owe money for (regardless of how much.) or calling someone a name? How is not paying for something no matter how cheap not stealing? In my opinion I would rather someone call me inappropriate names than not pay me the money they owe me.
- oreonblade, on 11/09/2007, -1/+11Most are, but remember it's the dumbasses who sic them onto us who decide that $16.39 is worth chasing over. Some collection agencies can actually be more reasonable - Verizon sent a collection agency after me after I terminated my contract 2 days before the end and refused to pay the full fee. I explained my plight and managed to haggle the fee down to 10%. Still a rip-off but just to show that not all agencies are hoodlums out to force payments.
- brainScan, on 11/09/2007, -0/+10A lot of collection agencies buy up the debt from companies for pennies on the dollar. So, this company probably paid Columbia House $0.16 for the right to collect this debt. There's a good chance that Mr. Face doesn't even owe the debt anymore, because it was a clerical error or is beyond the legal statute of limitations. So, who's the real ***** face?
- typicalusername, on 11/09/2007, -3/+12Has no one here ever signed someone up for magazine subscriptions for someone else? Or played these kinds of practical jokes on people? It's obviously a practical joke. I once signed up my roomie for magazines under the name Bag, Douche...
- Jeffiner25, on 11/08/2007, -2/+10Not caring about 16.39? what if 100 people do it, or a million? It adds up. Fact is its a debt that needs to be pay and it affects us all for other prices have to be raised.
- hansk, on 11/08/2007, -1/+8pussy! you shouldnt have given one cent. these 'fees' are bogus.
- CoachZed, on 11/09/2007, -1/+8"ยง 806. Harassment or abuse [15 USC 1692d]
A debt collector may not engage in any conduct the natural consequence of which is to harass, oppress, or abuse any person in connection with the collection of a debt. Without limiting the general application of the foregoing, the following conduct is a violation of this section:
(1) The use or threat of use of violence or other criminal means to harm the physical person, reputation, or property of any person.
(2) The use of obscene or profane language or language the natural consequence of which is to abuse the hearer or reader."
Subject to civil liability and enforcement by the FTC. - Soulhuntre, on 11/08/2007, -1/+7Remember this is Digg... they have a very fuzzy idea on what "stealing" is to begin with.
- stevenb, on 11/09/2007, -0/+6There shall be no logic here! How dare you.
- stevenb, on 11/08/2007, -0/+5Yes, ***** THEM. And ***** paying your debt back!!
- TheRemoteViewer, on 11/09/2007, -0/+5I would refuse to pay on the grounds that my name is not ***** face and thus the debt belongs to someone else.
- melonhedd, on 11/08/2007, -2/+7Yeah man ***** VOLUNTARY CONTRACTS
- Chompy, on 11/09/2007, -5/+10Here's an idea: how about people pay their freaking bills. Yeah Columbia House is a scam but if you signed up for it, that's your responsibility. The amount doesn't really matter; if you owe it, pay it.
- mstoneburner, on 11/08/2007, -2/+7I think it's pretty obvious that the debtor signed up using that name, and perjured himself when he signed an affidavit to the contrary.
- RichStevenson, on 11/08/2007, -0/+4It was probably for Radioheads' new CD and the guy decided to take it for free.
- blakeage, on 11/08/2007, -0/+4So what do you do about them out of curiousity?
- norman619, on 11/08/2007, -0/+3Fake SSN? Last I checked NONE of these groups ask for a social. They only ask for the basics. Name and address. Sometimes they ask for a credit card number but NEVER a SSN. Sounds like your buddies were doing something totally different.
- inactive, on 11/08/2007, -3/+6It's just amazing how many Brainiacs here in this thread are missing the obvious fact that the guy probably signed up as "***** Face" when he joined the music club. I swear, it's like some of you were raised in a cellar beneath a mobile home in Memphis or something.
- ghpoobah, on 11/09/2007, -0/+3Sure hope you don't plan on buying a house or a car ( or anything that requires a credit report) any time soon.
- shredswithpiks, on 11/09/2007, -0/+3"I work for a direct mail company, and I do beleive that the data does not represent the collection agency but rather the person who deliberately"
dugg down for incomplete sentence. - BassMastr, on 11/08/2007, -3/+6Did you even bother to read my post or did you just decide to skip over the part where I said this was inappropriate? It was only the very first thing I wrote. (My point is get over it!! Both sides are at fault.)
Trying to collect on services already delivered and returning something aren't even the same thing. If a store manager told me to ***** off I would probably just tell his boss and take my business else where. Yes there are times when people have a justifiable reasons to not pay their debts I hope collection agencies take that in to consideration when trying to collect (some do...some don't) And just b/c a loan is unsecured or has a high interest rate doesn't mean they have no right to try and collect.
Try reading my entire post next time instead of just picking cherry picking the things you don't like... Since you are fine with people not paying their debts...Can I borrow some money? - Narcism, on 11/08/2007, -0/+3Your near attempt at god-winning (spelling?) the thread have failed.
Mafia tactics != (or depending on the programming language) swearing.
I would have accepted your reply had it have been
"You know who else swore? HITLER!" - natedouglas, on 11/08/2007, -0/+3"you mean "You mean "Radiohead's"?""
Do you mean "do you mean 'Radiohead's?'" - Navicerts, on 11/09/2007, -0/+3Dugg for the use of "Mr.Face"
- ckokotay, on 11/11/2007, -1/+4There are two kinds of collections 'agencies' - those that collect on behalf of a client (common in medical debt), and those that purchase debt for pennies on the dollar (usually from defaulted credit cards) - these are called 'junk debt buyers' and they are not the same (although there are some hybrid companies - most do one of the other).
Under the law, both entities are 'debt collectors' - as far as credit reporting and contacting you, but there is one important difference - a collection agency - acting on behalf of a client CANNOT initiate a lawsuit against you. A junk debt buyer can. In most cases a junk debt buyer cannot even prove they own the debt, if they had to in court. Also, no one is going to sue over 16 bucks. No one. Both can wreck your credit, but usually violate some portion of the FCRA when doing so. They also cannot charge more than the original debt - this is a violation of the FDCPA, but most people don't know, and end up getting screwed.
This is a very complex topic, scan the web for credit reporting help. - NippleNutz, on 11/08/2007, -0/+3That clears everything up thanks.
- SmokeMeAKipper, on 11/08/2007, -0/+3Being called ***** Face is better than being a Peter File.
- shredswithpiks, on 11/08/2007, -0/+2sounds reasonable to me. not sure why you're being dugg down...
- arjie, on 11/08/2007, -0/+2I remember someone narrating a story about how the programmer at their company used the name Rich ***** to test the program, and when they finally sent out the emails, they all went out to Mr. Rich *****. (or it was a charity, and requests for donations went out in that name, I forget.)
- geodescent, on 11/08/2007, -0/+2Don't forget court costs for both sides
- Narcism, on 11/08/2007, -0/+2Do you mean "Do you mean "Do you mean 'Radiohead's'?"?"?
- simonpainter, on 11/08/2007, -0/+2You don't offer the collections agency $25 for a $10 debt, you offer them $5. In the UK they will write off as much as 70% of the debt because they didn't pay much for the debt and it's easier to take $5 for a debt that cost them $3 than waste time and money trying to go to court with y'all.
- davewashere, on 11/09/2007, -1/+3The thing that sucks about the junk debt collectors is that they don't always get complete information for who owes the money. I had a friend who got a letter from a debt collector claiming that he, "J. Smith", owed them $300 for an unpaid phone bill. The phone number in question was listed on the letter. My friend never had that phone number, nor had he ever used that phone carrier. He just happened to be the only J. Smith still listed in the phone book (because he always paid HIS phone bill on time). It's safe to assume the other J. Smith had moved away, and now the debt collector was harassing whoever else it could find with that first initial and last name.
- Armitage2k, on 11/09/2007, -0/+2I sign up for this many times... get my 10 free cds.. order the extra 6 I must buy over the year, then cancel.. I pay my bill, and wait a little while, and they send me another one... rinse, repeat!
- diggzoid, on 11/08/2007, -0/+2I once had a tracking verification from UPS addressed to "*****" at my office. They had missread the name "Clint" that had been written by hand. We had it pinned on our wall of shame for a while but it's gone now. Good thing they didn't write ***** *****!
- breadbin, on 11/09/2007, -1/+3My wife had an old store account with Canadian Tire years ago before we met. She'd gotten into trouble paying it and was paying small sums to keep the finance company happy. In the end they told her the bad debt of a few hundred dollars had been written off and that she was off the hook.
About 6 years later we got a letter out of the blue on the letterhead of someone who claimed to be a lawyer. It appeared he was one of these junk debt collectors and he was very aggressive, calling several times a week, insisting that we had no choice but to pay the debt immediately and claiming that my wife had deliberately avoided their attempts to locate her during the previous 6 years, which was a complete fabrication. And best of all the debt had risen mysteriously to several THOUSAND dollars which we simply didn't have at the time.
We ended up getting our own lawyer to write him a letter asking for an explanation for why we was now seeking to reclaim the debt and a breakdown of how the "interest" had been calculated. We never heard from them again.
What was most upsetting about this was that an elderly person or anyone who is easily frightened by legal sounding letters might have been pressured into paying this debt collector just to stop the harassment. Perhaps we should have attempted to bring attention to his practices, but frankly we were just glad to see the end of the whole mess. - rondeth, on 11/08/2007, -0/+2My 2nd day on a programming gig for a shipping company, I ask one of the locals how to test the web application (bill of lading system); person sends me URL. I dive in, figuring out how to fill out a full shipment. I enter an order for the local terminal to prep out 1000 crates of cats and 1000 barrels of beer (just coming up with random stuff, obviously). Next day our boss gathers the group around to ask who had caused a truck to be re-routed (or some such thing) to get a load of 'beer and cats'. I then find out they didn't actually HAVE a 'test' system and they (the ones 'in the know', anyway) just 'tested' REAL carefully. I did have a good laugh, though.
- natedouglas, on 11/08/2007, -0/+2By which you mean the case number?
- Digga4Life, on 11/09/2007, -2/+4Do any of you realize that these companies address the letter to whatever name the person signed up with? So if I sign up under the name "Sh*t Face" then that's who the letter comes to. You think someone is manually writing this letter for a measley $16? This is autmation people. C'mon...get real. I don't like the CD companies anymore than you do but exercise some common sense...
- diggzoid, on 11/08/2007, -0/+2you mean it will stain his permanent record.
- elsagacious, on 11/08/2007, -0/+2That image looks 'shopped.
- arobar, on 11/09/2007, -1/+3The collections agency sent a collections slip to "***** face" as a practical joke? That's what I've always heard about debt collectors - They're all about the jokes.
- bulkhater, on 11/08/2007, -0/+2Eight months after buying a house, I was still getting debt collection calls directed at the kids of the previous owner. They kept calling up demanding to speak to such-and-such person. I'd tell them that the family no longer lived here and that I'd purchased the house. They then demanded to know where they were. I told them I didn't know (Which is the truth) but they kept calling. My guess is they'd just looked for phone numbers associated with the address and decided the folks they were hunting had just changed the number.
At first it was amusing when they tried to trip me up by. They'd do things like refer to me by the name of one of the people they were looking for, claim they'd been called by that person from my number and a whole slew of other tactics.
At one point I ended up uttering the phrase, "My name isn't Bob, and if he was calling you from this number, then _I_ want to know where he is so I can have him arrested for breaking and entering. If he REALLY called you from this number, then you have evidence of someone breaking into my home. Now, were you lying to me, or do I need to call the police about this apparent break-in?"
"If you call the police then we'll know who really lives there," the jackass replied, apparently thinking he was calling a bluff.
I cheered and said "Thank GOD, then I can get you morons off my phone. What's your number so I can give it to the cops?"
He hung up.
Surprisingly, that wasn't their last call.
I never ended up calling the cops though, as they stopped claiming to have gotten calls from my phone number. -
Show 51 - 100 of 107 discussions
© Digg Inc. 2009
— Content created and posted by Digg users is