collection agency called neighbor

[niece612]

collection agency called my neighbor

a collection agency attempted to contact me. i live in pennsylvania, and the agency is located in the same state. this is a new matter, and have only been contacted once prior(by phone) by this agency regarding this matter. on the same date, they left a message on the answering machine at my home, the machine at my father's home(he co-signed for the loan in collections), and they left a message at my neighbor's home. i don't know my neighbor well, i have never used them as any type of reference, am not comfortable with receiving personal messages from them, and do not want them to be inconvenienced by my private matters.
when asked, the supervisor at the collection agency assured me that she was within her legal rights to contact my neighbor to get a message to me, because she was legally able to contact whomever she could to be able to speak with me. i wanted to know if the collection agency is legally able to contact my neighbor, especially after attempting to contact me only 1-2 times by phone and never by mail or any other source.

[Edited by niece612 on 05-10-2001 at 08:13 AM]

 

[ARTFUL CODGER]

Section 805 of the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices
Act - subsection (b) says under COMMUNICATION WITH THIRD
PARTIES: "Without the prior consent of the consumer given
directly to the debt collector...... a debt collector may not communicate, in the connection with the collection of
any debt, with any person other than the consumer, his attorney, a consumer reporting agency, if otherwise permitted by law, the creditor, his attorney, or the attorney for the debt collector."

The next time that lying collection agent calls you, read
her the law. Better yet, get on line at http://www.ftc.gov and
fill out a complaint, because she has violated federal law.
We have to be very tough with these people, because they will say or do anything to get the money.

DISCLAIMER: I am not an attorney, or legal professional;
just a concerned and angry consumer. The preceding was
a quoted statement of law, plus an expression of my opinion
and should not be construed as legal advice.

[Edited by ARTFUL CODGER on 05-10-2001 at 06:19 PM]