newtime09 Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 I was contact by a CA the other day - first time ever so I though I was doing the right thing and spoke to them. I acknowledged that I knew I owed a debt tp AMEX. Since the initial conversation they have called my family members (who I don't live with) and Place of Employment looking for me. They even told the place of employment they need to speak with me about a breach of contract. After the first call to my family and POE I requested they not as they had the number where I could be reached. I also told them that I could not pay at this time so I request they stop calling me.I sent a certified letter to CA requesting them not to call family, POE, or me. All correspondence must be done via US mail.Here are my two questions:1) Now that I have placed the request in writing can they still call me, my family members, and POE?2) What do I do next? At some point I will have enough money to pay them but it will be a few months still. Any way I can buy more time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nascar Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 Who is the debt collector? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Nashville/Savannah Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 …Here are my two questions:1) Now that I have placed the request in writing can they still call me, my family members, and POE?Maybe yes, maybe no…it depends on exactly what your letter said. Matters of debt and debt collection, etc. are really matters of law and in law, words hold special importance.You DO have the right to restrict them from calling your place of employment (although that is based on the assertion that such calls place your job in jeopardy and it's helpful if you mention that as a basis for your request).They should NEVER call any third party, whether they are a relative or not, except one time and only then in order to “locate” you…once they know how and where to reach you they have NO legal right to ever contact or talk with anyone but you.2)] What do I do next? At some point I will have enough money to pay them but it will be a few months still. Any way I can buy more time?The first thing I would suggest is that you read through the FDCPA as well as spend some time here on the site reading some of the threads…pay particular attention to the threads that deal with debt validation.If you haven’t already, you should soon receive a “dunning letter”…when you do, I would suggest that you “dispute” the debt and request validation (you can also reiterate your requests that they not call you at your place of employment and “remind” them that since they know how and where to reach you that they have no valid reason to ever contact anyone else but you).As long as your dispute and validation is mailed within 30 days of your receipt of the dunning letter they should curtail all contact until they do validate.The reading I’ve suggested you do will help explain some of the above in more detail.As to “buying time”…there really isn’t anything you can do to control their actions…if you truly owe the debt and they can prove it and especially if there is very much money involved and very, very especially if they think that you have income/assets that they can go after then it’s likely that they will pull the trigger and sue you…how soon that happens is impossible to say.I would suggest you do the best you can to scrape up some cash so that you have something you can offer them to get the debt settled but keep in mind that all you can do is all you can do…your best chance of getting through things like this is to stay in control and not let “them” control you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wahoo238 Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 Since its AMEX, you are dealing w/ a CA and not a JDB, this is good for you. I would suggest in addition to what Robert has suggested that you try and work something out with AMEX, they have some programs that are rather unheard of in CC industry. Just a side note, advising them not to call (other than work or someone other than yourself) equates to a limited C&D, and there just is not one. This could leave you in a bad spot if they choose to read as a C&D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newtime09 Posted January 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 Thanks. The CA is GC services and the amount is 7K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recovering Attorney Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 Amex likes to move things around, but they have been teh easiest of the big issuers to deal with. Try to get them on the line, not GS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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