Can collections/debt laws from abroad follow someone?

[Thank you very]

This question is about living abroad in the middle east and then returning home to North America before finishing all car payments. The finance company will not let the car be transfered to another buyer eventhough it was made clear this would be an option before agreeing to the terms of the contract. What collection/debt consequences would someone face if they left the middle east and stopped making their car payments to a finance company like this? Is it possible for the finance company to enforce any kind of collection or debt laws from the middle east on someone who is from and returns to the USA or Canada?

 

[LdiJ]

This question is about living abroad in the middle east and then returning home to North America before finishing all car payments. The finance company will not let the car be transfered to another buyer eventhough it was made clear this would be an option before agreeing to the terms of the contract. What collection/debt consequences would someone face if they left the middle east and stopped making their car payments to a finance company like this? Is it possible for the finance company to enforce any kind of collection or debt laws from the middle east on someone who is from and returns to the USA or Canada?

Yes, its possible. The are some collection agencies in the US (I do not know about Canada) who are willing to take on debt from overseas. So, its really going to depend on how badly the foreign finance company wishes to pursue the debt. What happened to the car, did they repo it or did you bring it back to the US? I suspect that would make at least some difference in how hard they choose to pursue.

 

[FlyingRon]

Could they? Probably. It's going to be involved to the point where it's probably not cost effective for them (especially if they've recovered the vehicle).
How they'd get a judgment against you in the unnamed middle eastern country is not in the scope of this forum. If they did, they could bring a court action (most of the middle eastern countries are signatories of the treaties that would allow this) in the US to impose that judgment on you here, but it's not some summary thing that they can do as if it were a judgment from another US state.

 

[Thank you very]

Yes, its possible. The are some collection agencies in the US (I do not know about Canada) who are willing to take on debt from overseas. So, its really going to depend on how badly the foreign finance company wishes to pursue the debt. What happened to the car, did they repo it or did you bring it back to the US? I suspect that would make at least some difference in how hard they choose to pursue.

Nothing has happened yet. The remaining balance of the car is less than $10 000 US. Payments are being made each month, but the agreement was that someone else could take over the payments at any time. This was attempted and the finance company refused to do it as they said they thought I wanted to buy another car which shouldn't matter anyways, but I don't. I have to leave and they're unwilling to keep up their end of the agreement. When I leave, I'd leave the car in the same condition I received it with the keys at the finance company. I have no intentions of taking the car with me or causing any problems. I'm following the rules of the agreement, but it's getting me nowhere. All I want to do at this point is leave and this is the only thing keeping me here.

 

[LdiJ]

Nothing has happened yet. The remaining balance of the car is less than $10 000 US. Payments are being made each month, but the agreement was that someone else could take over the payments at any time. This was attempted and the finance company refused to do it as they said they thought I wanted to buy another car which shouldn't matter anyways, but I don't. I have to leave and they're unwilling to keep up their end of the agreement. When I leave, I'd leave the car in the same condition I received it with the keys at the finance company. I have no intentions of taking the car with me or causing any problems. I'm following the rules of the agreement, but it's getting me nowhere. All I want to do at this point is leave and this is the only thing keeping me here.

In that case just leave...worry about debt collections if and when it happens.