Nasty calls

[motlah5]

What is the name of your state?IL

Hi, I have an auto lease thru fifth third bank that due to job situation gets paid a couple weeks late these past few months. It never goes beyond 30 days but sometimes we do get close. They have a nasty habit of calling me 5-7 times each day. This won't get the payment made any faster but they still keep calling.

Now they are calling on a blocked number (no number appears on caller ID). The calls begin at 7:15 in the morning including Sundays. They never leave a message although when I pick up the call, I will hear a computer voice that says please hold for an important message from fifth third bank. They then leave me holding then disconnect the call.

Just now, I finally had a human. This person demanded that I repeat my social security number which I declined to do. Unknown number on my phone, a stranger asking for my social security number, no thanks.

This apparently enraged her. She began saying some nasty things to which I replied that I considered her calls to be a form of harrasment, I considered her calling at 7:15am on a Sunday to be a violation of Collection law and I considered the fact that she was verbally assaulting me on the phone to be abusive. She then informed me that she would call me as early as she wanted and as often as she wanted and there was nothing I could do about it.

I informed her that she could call all she wanted but that would not get the lease paid any faster. I also informed her that if she continued this level of harrassment, I would file a complaint with my state agency over her clear and obvious violation of credit collection law. Now mind you, this lease is only 5 days past the due date and in those 5 days, they have called no less than 37 times. I have been keeping a call log so this is no exaggeration.

Exactly what can I do if anything? I have no issue with someone calling me to ask when I will be making my payment but this is nuts! At this point, since I now know who is calling with the unknown number, all calls will go to voicemail and the phone will be on silent until I decide I'll listen to it ring.

Oh, and they just called again...10 minutes after the last one. Help!

 

[olgethorpe]

Well..

Since they are the original creditor, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act do not apply to them. Not much you can do about them legally.

However, you might want to fire off a letter to the executive offices of 5/3 explaining your situation and the impolite and unprofessional behavior of there representative. It wouldn't hurt to contact your local TV station to see if there is a "consumer advocate" kind of person that might be interested in the story.

 

[motlah5]

Thanks! I just called them at their collection number. I was told by the branch that this is a service they use. It is not fifth third. I was also told by branch manager that she has received several complaints along these lines recently.

Anyhow when I spoke to collection company They apologized for the excessive calls. They also wanted me to give them a check by phone which they would not submit until the date I told them all for the bargin price processing fee of $10.

I declined and told them that I would make the payment in person as I always do when I actually had the full payment (I have most but not all of it today).

I am uneasy giving these people access to my bank account with the post dated check by phone.

The good thing is they did say they would note the account and that should slow down the calls. We'll see. I have received 4 calls since I posted this originally an hour ago!

 

[olgethorpe]

Okay...

Now that's interesting..."a service they use"...could indeed mean a collection agency. You might want to sneak over to www.creditinfocenter.com 's formun and post your question there. If this is a collector calling, then they are subject to the FDCPA and you can send them a Cease and Desist letter telling them that all communications must be in writing.

And, do not give them access to your checking account....none of those folks can be trusted.