Ever have a CA park in front of your house?...

[stalwart]

...and just sit there for 20-30 minutes with the engine running?

I live on a quiet street so strange cars doing odd things is very noticeable. In the last 2 or 3 weeks, three cars have parked on my street in front of, or near, my house and the drivers have just sat there, letting the car idle for about half an hour.

Day before yesterday, a man in a car was in front of my house for at least half an hour with his car idling. He finally put it in gear and started to leave...or so I thought. But, instead, me made a u-turn and parked across the street, opposite my house, and sat in his car there for 10 minutes before finally leaving.

I'm in debt up to my keister (all credit card debt) and I'm afraid that it's a CA out there waiting to pounce on me. It's making me nauseous.

Has anyone else had a CA do this?

(When I say "my" house, I mean "where I live". It's actually my mom's house.)

[bigswanging23]

Oh noes!!!

Just when I thought the http://debt-consolidation-credit-repair-service.com/forums/showthread.php?t=288892 thread was dead, here we go again.

What this community has determined is that if they come onto your property you need to call the police. Secondly, if they start breaking into your neighbors house, you CAN and perhaps SHOULD shoot them--but ONLY if they're illegal immigrants.

But seriously, if this is a troll, please stop.

If you're serious, a CA has no right to come onto your property uninvited. If there was a suspicious man outside of my house, I think I'd pick up the phone and report it to the cops.

[LeslieR]

Liann, this question has come up before on the boards. The collective opinion has generally been that no CA is likely to do this. Skip tracing methods available today make the need for "PI" work totally unnecessary. If this person wanted to talk to you, he/she would knock on the door or call you on the phone. It's unlikely that they would spend the time and money to just sit in front of your house.

Could someone on your block be under investigation for criminal activity?

Why don't you just go ask the person what he wants, if you can help him, or what he's doing there? Or call the local police and alert them to this. That's what you'd do if you weren't nervous about your debt situation. They may tell you that law enforcement is running some sort of surveillance in your area unrelated to you.

EDIT: As WTC points out below, it's easy to get paranoid. It's been years since a CA called me, but my SO, who has a separate phone line, started getting calls w/ no messages from one recently (no credit problems there). I got sick to my stomach thinking it was related to me and "oh no, what now...thought all this was solved". Turned out to be a wrong number when we finally were around to answer the call. Relax.

[willingtocope]

Its easy to get paranoid about this stuff (been there, done that), but, unless you owe money to a local bookie, one of those buy here, pay here places, or are way behind on your car payments and they're looking to repo it...its unlikely this is a collector.

Its even possible they're a cop watching another house in your area. Any drug dealers around?

[stalwart]

Not a troll, just new here and scared. I clicked on the link to read the thread, but it's so long it will take me awhile.

None of them have pulled into my driveway or so much as stepped on the grass. They just sit in their cars, letting the engine idle.

So, anyway, no trespassing.

[flacorps]

If it really is CA-related, it's perhaps a private investigator. This kind of thing doesn't happen usually without significant amounts of money being at stake.

I have seen threads on another board where "lockstep surveillance" or what has also been known as "rough shadowing" has been in use. That kind of thing is usually actionable in a court of law, so it isn't done much anymore.

Be careful using any countermeasures suggested in a George Hayduke book ... some of that stuff is outdated and could backfire in the post 9/11 era.

[flacorps]

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=SUNA,SUNA:2005-49,SUNA:en&q=%22rough+shadowing%22

[JustaTexan]

I would make myself known to him. I would not go out and knock on his window or anything....lol, but just open your front door and look at him like you are confused. Then maybe check back 10 minutes later. Then if he's still there, I would go to the front door with a phone in my hand-pretending like I am talking to somebody. Look concerned and stuff.

I know this sounds totally stupid but sometimes when somebody on my street is playing their music too dang loud-I'll walk outside and pretend like I'm on the phone with the cops. I'm a very good actress. It usually works but if they don't turn the music down then I just actually do call the cops.

Or if you are really concerned you could always just call the cops and let them know that you are kind of concerned that a parked car seems to be stalking your house. Say you were just making sure that it wasn't an undercover popo or somebody working for them, etc.

[stalwart]

LeslieR & willingtocope, thanks. Maybe I am just being paranoid? I hope.

It's a nice neighborhood. No drug dealers, that I know of. I was just worried that it was a CA or even a PI coming to check out my supposed "assets". Of which I have none. The house is mom's, the cars in the driveway belong to my sister and my mom.

Maybe they know I'm on my mom's bank account and think that I, personally, have money? It's all her money in that account. I'm only on t because she is disabled. It's difficult for her to get around so I do her banking for her.

I guess I'd better take my name off her account asap so they won't put a lien on it?

[bigswanging23]

Maybe they know I'm on my mom's bank account and think that I, personally, have money? It's all her money in that account. I'm only on t because she is disabled. It's difficult for her to get around so I do her banking for her.

They can't just put a lien on your bank account without a court judgment. And even if they were interested in doing that, there's better ways to go about finding your banking account information than sitting in a car outside your house.

Whoever it was who said you should go talk to them, I think is right. What's the worst that could happen?

[JustaTexan]

They can't just put a lien on your bank account without a court judgment. And even if they were interested in doing that, there's better ways to go about finding your banking account information than sitting in a car outside your house.

Whoever it was who said you should go talk to them, I think is right. What's the worst that could happen?

Sometimes though, they can be sneaky about getting judgements and liens. There are plenty of threads about that very topic floating around here. Scary stuff if you ask me.

OP-so you and your mother have a joint bank account?

[stalwart]

If it really is CA-related, it's perhaps a private investigator. This kind of thing doesn't happen usually without significant amounts of money being at stake.

It's a massive amount. With all the fees, at least $15,000.

I wasn't exactly sure of the amount or the last time I paid, so I just checked my account on the Chase website. I can access my website account, but there are no cc accounts listed.

I think the last time I made a payment was in March. With no job and no assets, I guess I'll be filing for Chapter 7.

[JustaTexan]

It's a massive amount. With all the fees, at least $15,000.

I wasn't exactly sure of the amount or the last time I paid, so I just checked my account on the Chase website. I can access my website account, but there are no cc accounts listed.

I think the last time I made a payment was in March. With no job and no assets, I guess I'll be filing for Chapter 7.

Well this is only my personal opinion, but I don't think that's massive. If you live at home with mom and could even just get a part time job, I bet you could get it all under control with some sort of payment plan.

I don't think the parked car is related to your debt but I understand how you are feeling. I don't like random people parking in front of my home either.

[Robert Nashville/Savannah]

Whether this is a CA or an original creditor (or a bookie) or whether this is even related to you at all; based on your post, it seems that all this guy is accomplishing, apart from what you are allowing your own imagination do to you, is wasting his time and his fuel.

I second the advice to call the police if you are “worried” about this – they will at least check him out and may even tell him to “move on” (even if he isn’t breaking any laws).

If he actually threatens you or assaults you or trespasses; then you have an entirely different situation on your hands.

[stalwart]

OP-so you and your mother have a joint bank account?

My mom added me to her account so I could bank for her. But I guess it's considered joint because I can withdraw money from it?

My own account is at another bank. I have exactly $4 in it.

[Jackie2]

I would call the cops and report a suspicious vehicle. Why have a PI stake our house...they can't any financial info that way.

It possible it may be a crook staking out the neighborhood to see which house to rob.

Get a license plate number, color and make of the car and alert police immediately.

Do not approach him...he could be armed. A set a binoculars will work well for spying back on him from a distance. Also, get a description of the man behind the wheel and anyone else in the car.

Be careful, you're just assuming it's collection related. My money is it's a crook.

[stalwart]

Whether this is a CA or an original creditor (or a bookie) or whether this is even related to you at all; based on your post, it seems that all this guy is accomplishing, apart from what you are allowing your own imagination do to you, is wasting his time and his fuel.

I second the advice to call the police if you are “worried” about this – they will at least check him out and may even tell him to “move on” (even if he isn’t breaking any laws).

If he actually threatens you or assaults you or trespasses; then you have an entirely different situation on your hands.

Okay, I'll try not to worry about it anymore. I'll just worry about the massive debt I owe and how I'm supposed to file for Chapter 7 when I have no money to pay the lawyer's fees.

[JustaTexan]

I would call the cops and report a suspicious vehicle. Why have a PI stake our house...they can't any financial info that way.

It possible it may be a crook staking out the neighborhood to see which house to rob.

Get a license plate number, color and make of the car and alert police immediately.

Do not approach him...he could be armed. A set a binoculars will work well for spying back on him from a distance. Also, get a description of the man behind the wheel and anyone else in the car.

Be careful, you're just assuming it's collection related. My money is it's a crook.

The binoculars comment cracked me up but I think you're right Jackie. If you live in a halfway decent neighborhood I also would bet it is a crook.

[flacorps]

What's the worst that could happen?

They could be surveilling you for some really violent crime in a case of mistaken identity. And they could be trigger happy and/or brutal.

People get hurt or killed by police in cases of mistaken identity all the time. Cops divide the non-cops they come in contact with into two categories: citizens and perps. If they think you're a perp, anything can happen.

[Jackie2]

The binoculars comment cracked me up but I think you're right Jackie. If you live in a halfway decent neighborhood I also would bet it is a crook.

I'm an starving mystery writer...guess my spider sense is kicking in...lol. In order to write mysteries I did take PI courses, (a small basic intro one) and no PI would gain finical info from watching you enter and leave the house. Just what times you are home.

Unless he's having an affair and his wife hired them...it's not a PI for either collections or otherwise.

[JustaTexan]

My mom added me to her account so I could bank for her. But I guess it's considered joint because I can withdraw money from it?

My own account is at another bank. I have exactly $4 in it.

Do you know how to check court records online or if your county/town has a website for that purpose? If not, call your local courts and ask if there have been any civil cases filed against you. I would be calling quite frequently until you get this resolved. Better safe than sorry.

Also-you didn't put your mother's name on any of these CC's right? Like using her as a co-applicant or anything like that?

[bigswanging23]

They could be surveilling you for some really violent crime in a case of mistaken identity. And they could be trigger happy and/or brutal.

People get hurt or killed by police in cases of mistaken identity all the time. Cops divide the non-cops they come in contact with into two categories: citizens and perps. If they think you're a perp, anything can happen.

In the immortal words of Buffalo Springfield:

"Paranoia strikes deep. Into your life it will creep."

Let's walk through this scenario, shall we?

"Hello there. Excuse me, sir. I noticed you've been sitting in your car for a little while. Is there something I can help you with?"

"Hands up, perp! Hands up! RATTA TAT TAT TAT TAT TAT."

I don't think so.

[stalwart]

The binoculars comment cracked me up but I think you're right Jackie. If you live in a halfway decent neighborhood I also would bet it is a crook.

3 different cars, 3 different men.

[Denita]

Are you temporially unemployeed?

Chase actually will work with you on a hardship basis to repay the account. They will drop the interest rate to a very nominal amount and make the payments reasonable (you have to negotiate this reasonable payment based on your particular hardship). You need to speak to their hardship department (not the customer service representatives - they can't do anything).

IMHO, filing BK over $15k is like swatting a fly with a sledgehammer - you do more damage to yourself for a longer term.

[jrbauto1]

There's nothing wrong with calling the cops to come check it out. Who knows what is going on. Stay safe.