Former Employer's debt

[HLR2007]

What is the name of your state? Louisiana.

As an employee at my last job, I was responsible for advertising (I was an executive assistant). In May 2007 I signed a contract as a representative of the company with a magazine for ads for July & August. I quit that job in late June.

Today I received a call from the magazine seeking payment for the $5k August ad, as the company has not paid and continues to refuse to pay. The magazine knows I no longer work there and said that they are calling me because my name is on the contract. Everything else about the contract (the contact info, the credit card number, the ad itself) is directly connected to my former employer. They had to look me up in the phone book to know how to contact me at home.

Do I have any liability for my former employer's unpaid debt? Should I tell this magazine that they are violating the FDCPA by sharing this info with me?

[Debt Guy]

In my opinion, they are hoping you will pressure the company into paying the bill.

As to your personal liability, well -- you would need to read the document you signed. It is not uncommon it would have language making the signer personally liable. Ask for a copy of what you signed.

As to the question of FDCPA liability -- no for either of two reasons. This is a commercial debt and thus is not subject to FDCPA. Also, the call came from the Original Creditor. OCs are not subject to the FDCPA.

[Godshinto]

Funny thing is this happens alot not so typically with Advertising but more often with cars, typicaly it's an officer of the company that has to sign for it. Unfourtanetly the person that signs for the contract we can go after that person but luckily if you were to do a bankruptcy it negates any responsitbility on your behalf. But till then they can and will try to collect the money from you, one other thing you can do probably the harder thing to do is take the company to court.