December 23, 2005
How to Deal with the Collection Agency
So I was on one of my favorite bullentin board haunts...Collectionindustry.com...and I was reading a thread about how the collection agancy actually handles your objections to your situations.
Some guy is actually writing a book on this. They are putting together a list of the "most common objections" and thier handlings.
Some of these objections are "I don't have a job" or "I can only pay you 'x' amount of doallars a month" or here is one that they all laughed about "I just had both my legs amputated due to a spider bite". Oh, they got a big chuckle off that one. But the sick thing was that it was true. The collection agent called up the hospital (see they do check up on what you say) and they had verified that the guys legs were indeed amputated.
You see, to them, they cannot distinguish between an inability to pay versus a refusal to pay. To them we are all "deadbeats" trying to beat the system. And the unfortunate circumstances that we have run into in life that prevents us from making the payments are just "excuses" to them.
What really did gall me though (as I thought everything else was just funny) was that the world famous sales trainer, the best in the world, Zig Ziglar actually wrote a couple of articles for them. Giving them a sales training to help them "sell" you on paying your debts. The training basically consisted on the collection agent exhausting all your "excuses" and "exposing the flaws" in your excuses.
The Debtors' Handlings
So what can you do to handle the collection agent from handling your "excuses"?
The answer should be obvious. DON'T TALK TO THEM.
You see the longer you are on the phone with you, the more time they have to expose your fears and exploit them. They call it "exhausting your excuses."
So if you are behind in making your debts take these immediate steps prevent from being harassed by a collection agency:
1) Get a privacy maanger program on your phone. this halts computer generated calls dead which the greatest portion of the collection calls. And if it is a live person they have to indentify themselves to you before you even accept the call.
2) If they do reach you on the phone say this line exactly: "Thank you for calling. I am looking into my options to handle this situation. I may be in touch with you soon." Then hamg up. Do not be on the phone any longer than it takes you to say that statement. You'll notice that never once did you ever say that you will pay the bill; you never stated that you agree that the bill is in fact yours; you never stated that you would call them back.
3) Immediately send them a letter by ceritified mail that they are not to call you at work per the FDCPA (Fair Debt Collection Practices Act).
4) Dispute the debt. Send them a sepreate letter disputing the debt. Make them prove in everyway that you actually owe them the money, and they can back up what they claim that you owe them. Make sure you send copies of this dispute letter to each of the credit bureaus by certified letter. If you do owe the money this will send them off and give you enough time to collect your thoughts and get professional help, or to establish enough money to settle the debt.
In Summary
So the moral of the story is that if a collection is "being nice" it is only an attempt to figure out your weakness and "exhaust your excuses" so that they can wear you down so that you pay, or use your fears (usually credit damage or law suits) to make you pay. Even at the expense of you buying food or paying rent/mortgage.
You are under no obligation to talk with these people. There is no law that says you have to speak to them. Unless it is a junk debt buyer, you don't even owe them money. Deal only with the OC (original creditor).
I hope this helps a little bit. Let me know what you think of this article by leaving a comment. Also let me know what else you would like to know so that I can provide this to you.
Jae Burnham,
Dedicated to teaching you how to deal with the bill collector.
Some guy is actually writing a book on this. They are putting together a list of the "most common objections" and thier handlings.
Some of these objections are "I don't have a job" or "I can only pay you 'x' amount of doallars a month" or here is one that they all laughed about "I just had both my legs amputated due to a spider bite". Oh, they got a big chuckle off that one. But the sick thing was that it was true. The collection agent called up the hospital (see they do check up on what you say) and they had verified that the guys legs were indeed amputated.
You see, to them, they cannot distinguish between an inability to pay versus a refusal to pay. To them we are all "deadbeats" trying to beat the system. And the unfortunate circumstances that we have run into in life that prevents us from making the payments are just "excuses" to them.
What really did gall me though (as I thought everything else was just funny) was that the world famous sales trainer, the best in the world, Zig Ziglar actually wrote a couple of articles for them. Giving them a sales training to help them "sell" you on paying your debts. The training basically consisted on the collection agent exhausting all your "excuses" and "exposing the flaws" in your excuses.
The Debtors' Handlings
So what can you do to handle the collection agent from handling your "excuses"?
The answer should be obvious. DON'T TALK TO THEM.
You see the longer you are on the phone with you, the more time they have to expose your fears and exploit them. They call it "exhausting your excuses."
So if you are behind in making your debts take these immediate steps prevent from being harassed by a collection agency:
1) Get a privacy maanger program on your phone. this halts computer generated calls dead which the greatest portion of the collection calls. And if it is a live person they have to indentify themselves to you before you even accept the call.
2) If they do reach you on the phone say this line exactly: "Thank you for calling. I am looking into my options to handle this situation. I may be in touch with you soon." Then hamg up. Do not be on the phone any longer than it takes you to say that statement. You'll notice that never once did you ever say that you will pay the bill; you never stated that you agree that the bill is in fact yours; you never stated that you would call them back.
3) Immediately send them a letter by ceritified mail that they are not to call you at work per the FDCPA (Fair Debt Collection Practices Act).
4) Dispute the debt. Send them a sepreate letter disputing the debt. Make them prove in everyway that you actually owe them the money, and they can back up what they claim that you owe them. Make sure you send copies of this dispute letter to each of the credit bureaus by certified letter. If you do owe the money this will send them off and give you enough time to collect your thoughts and get professional help, or to establish enough money to settle the debt.
In Summary
So the moral of the story is that if a collection is "being nice" it is only an attempt to figure out your weakness and "exhaust your excuses" so that they can wear you down so that you pay, or use your fears (usually credit damage or law suits) to make you pay. Even at the expense of you buying food or paying rent/mortgage.
You are under no obligation to talk with these people. There is no law that says you have to speak to them. Unless it is a junk debt buyer, you don't even owe them money. Deal only with the OC (original creditor).
I hope this helps a little bit. Let me know what you think of this article by leaving a comment. Also let me know what else you would like to know so that I can provide this to you.
Jae Burnham,
Dedicated to teaching you how to deal with the bill collector.
# posted by Sponduliqs @ 11:04 AM 
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