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Educators Credit Union, TX Credit Union League (TCUL), the National Credit Union
Administration (NCUA), and the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) will never
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Identity Theft/Fraud Alert: Sleazy Debt-Collector Tactics
It may not be your debt, but it could be your problem. Collection agencies are
bullying blameless consumers into paying debts they never owed.
Lisa Burk isn't Lisa Sterns, but Allied Interstate refused to believe her.
The Minneapolis collection agency repeatedly called Lisa and her husband according to a lawsuit filed by the Minnesota attorney general, and demand that the couple pay a debt owed by Lisa Sterns. The couple, just as repeatedly told the collector they didn't know any Lisa Sterns and asked the company to stop calling.
Allied ignored the couple's requests. At one point, the collector insisted that the Burks were lying or, if Lisa Burk were not Lisa Sterns, that she knew Sterns and could tell Allied Interstate where to find her. It took intervention by the attorney general's office for the calls to finally stop. The Burk's experience with the abusive collection agency tactics was annoying. Some encounters with a collector can be expensive.
One consumer was called two or three times by a NY collection agency about a credit card debt. After explaining that he never had a credit card with that company, he asked them to stop calling him.
While applying for a home-equity loan some time later, the collection showed up on his credit report. His lender told him if the $354.68 debt were not resolved, the loan couldn't be made. Since he was in a hurry, he paid the full amount, including interest.
These individuals are not in this by themselves. Regulators report collection agencies are increasingly harassing innocent people and badgering consumers into paying money they do not owe. Some consumers pay because their finances are so disorganized they don't realize the debt isn't theirs. Others are coerced into paying by the use of threats of a lawsuit or ruined credit. Some would rather pay than risk having their credit compromised.
If you are contacted about debt you don't owe:
- Know your rights. The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/index.htm) has prepared a fact sheet for consumers with third-party debt collectors.
- Get the name of the collector, its address and a telephone number. You can tell the collector on the phone to stop calling, but that won't preserve your rights under federal law.
- Send a certified letter, return receipt requested. Make it clear the collector has contacted the wrong party, that you don't owe the debt and that you don't want to be called again.
- Contact regulators. If the collector continues to call, seek help. Typically, your state's attorney general's office handles complaints against collectors. You can also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, which typically doesn't intervene in individual cases but may act if it sees a pattern of abuses
- Monitor your credit reports. If a collection agency posts a bogus debt on your credit report, dispute the item immediately with the credit bureaus. Include copies of the letter you sent the collector and any complaints you filed with regulators. Don't wait until you're about to apply for a loan to check your credit report; you'll want a few months' head start to dispute any errors. For information about getting your free credit report click here.
- Consider a lawsuit. Consumers can bring lawsuits against collectors that violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, either on their own behalf or as part of a class action. Contact the National Association of Consumer Advocates for referrals to attorneys who handle such cases.
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Credit Bureau Contact Information
To report ID Theft or Fraud on your ECU account, you must do the following:
1. File a police report;
2. Supply the credit union with a copy of the police report and the case number;
3. Fill out and sign a Sworn Statement of Identity theft, you can access the form here.
The report may be filled out before going to the credit union, but must be signed and notarized at the ECU office.
By law you are entitled to one free credit report yearly; you can receive this report at www.annualcreditreport.com or by calling (toll free) 877-322-8228.
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ID Theft/Fraud Alerts 