I think most of us, somewhere along the line, have had to deal with debt collection agencies, and it’s never a pleasant experience, to say the least. Some are honest and legitimate ones, but nonetheless almost all use some form of scare tactics to make a person pay an old, outstanding debt. The scare tactics used can be from receiving repeated and constant letters or almost daily phone calls reminding a person of a old, past-due debt, whether it be from a credit card company, a loan, and so forth and can be for a seemingly small amount to larger debts ranging in the thousands. In a few cases, if a person ignores these debt collection agencies, sooner or later, a person might suddenly find themselves getting a summons to appear at court for some kind of legal settlement.
Both my now deceased mother and I have had a number of run-ins with these debt collection agencies. Prior to my mother’s death, she had amassed a total debt over $25,000. Being that she was on a fixed income of only receiving a small monthly pension and Social Security benefit, there was no way my mother could have paid off these debts, neither did she have the funds to declare bankruptcy. She did at one time, consult a financial adviser who took her care of her case and sent out letters to all the debt collection agencies involved in trying to retrieve the old debts. This seemed to help the situation a bit, but not entirely, as my mother was soon hounded again by these debt collector’s, and they were never the same agencies. It seems another tactic of debt collectors is to bounce the old debt around, first with one agency, then submit it to another, then yet another again. This went on for years, and each time my mother kept getting letters and/or phone calls from these debt collectors. Each time she received another letter, I wrote letters back to them, explaining the situation and referred them to the financial adviser she had contacted for further reference in the matter, however, they still hounded her.
Then my mother passed away leaving those debts unresolved and unpaid for. Fortunately as I had no legal obligation whatsoever to pay those debts back myself, and truth be told, I couldn’t have done so myself anyway as I am a recipient of SSI Disability benefits, I dealt with the matter by simply sending copies of her death certificate to all involved, and with it, a letter telling each debt collection agency that with the passing of my mother, there was no further obligation in the payment of her debts. Most were accommodating and left me alone…but as you can guess some weren’t. I kept getting hounded by one debt collection agency time and time again…they just wouldn’t let up. When I explained the situation to them via a phone call, I was told to send a copy of my mother’s death certificate. Well I had already done that, but sent another one to them anyway. Then a month passed by, and I get another phone call in which I had to explain the whole situation all over again, and mind you to the very same person. I was told they never received the death certificate…could I please send another one. So yes, I sent a third one to them. Another month passes, and I get another phone call, this time from a lawyer representing the agency. Once more I had to explain the whole circumstance all over again, and told the lawyer that I’ve sent a total of three death certificates to the debt collection agency. The lawyer asked me to send a copy to her, which, yes as you can guess, once again I sent a copy of the certificate and I’m hoping that finally settles the matter as so far I haven’t heard from the lawyer again.
Now I wish to relate my own personal run-ins and story of one debt collection agency in particular, that is NCO Financial Systems, and and agency that is relentless and really doesn’t know when to give up. The real interesting thing about this particular collection agency, is that I have since found out is considered one of the biggest scam agencies going. Prior to my mother’s death in 2006, I used to have AT&T; as my phone company. Within a month after she passed away, I decided to switch phone companies, but I did still have an old outstanding bill with AT&T; for only about $100.00. Upon getting notices from AT&T; I did try to resolve the issue, directly with them and explained that I just plain wasn’t able to pay the debt, not even on some kind of installment plan due to my own low monthly SSI benefits…in plain English, I just couldn’t. A few months went by and I heard nothing further from them, but then I started getting letters from NCO Financial Systems, Inc. Yes, a debt collection agency, and for the old AT&T; bill. Don’t ask how many times I did call them and explained the situation to them…I said I just couldn’t pay the bill, and it wasn’t as if I owed thousands to be pestered so much by them…they just wouldn’t give up, but finally they seemingly did. So almost a full year passed without hearing from them again, that is until just a month ago when I got a letter from them. Then I started to get the phone calls of which quite frankly I’ve ignored, though I’ve since written a letter back.
A few evenings ago, with the letter and phone calls in mind, I decided to go to their website at www.ncofinancial.com and perhaps also email them. However, upon going on their website, it asked that I register by submitting the “code” I was given in their letter to me, of which I did. Another page then came up asking me to submit my Social Security number. Little red flags and alarms went off, as I thought this was unusual to be asked one’s Social Security number, in other words it just didn’t seem right somehow. So then started doing searches on the web for any news about NCO Financial Systems, and I was amazed at what I found, particularly with the website known as RipOff Report (http://www.ripoffreport.com). On this website, are a series of complaints against NCO Financial. It seems that this collection agency not only goes after people who might have legitimate over/past-due bills, but hound people with “made-up” over-due bills, most commonly with America On-line, Inc.(1), but actually with many other companies or organizations as well especially credit card companies, but can also be for for bills that one may have already paid long time ago. In one report against them at the RipOff Report website, a person complained that they were being hounded for a bill they had already paid for in full, and the old bill went back to 1988! (2)
According to the reports in the RipOff Reports, they suggest not getting in contact with NCO and particularly not to disclose any information at their website, as a person will be subject to spyware, which will not only infect one’s computer but will validate one’s debt to NCO Financial, whether legitimate or not…and all I can say to that, is that I’m glad that red flag and alarms went off inside me and I didn’t give out my Social Security number. The RipOff Reports website also suggested that if anyone gets letters and/or phone calls from NCO Financial Systems, to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), of which I already have done so. It seems that writing letters or making phone calls back to this collection agency doesn’t solve the problem…as they will keep after a person time and time again, so the best course of action is to complain to the FTC. Also, at another website that gave information about NCO Financial, it clearly states NOT to send NCO one penny to them as it suggests that the money only goes to them, and not to the original place or origin of the debt itself.(3)
So far I haven’t be pestered too much yet by NCO Financial, although I suspect that often when my phone rings and my answering machine goes off, then get “hang-ups” it’s them calling but not bothering to leave any messages from them, as I only started getting this on a daily basis soon after that first phone call where they did leave a message. I do, however happen to know a person who has been repeatedly and seriously harassed by them, getting about three letters a week and up to five separate phone calls a day, yes, a day. In such a case, if one is harassed in such a manner, it is suggested that one be made aware of the Fair Debt Collections Act, of which there are numerous websites one can log onto to know one’s rights, and again, it is urgent to get in touch with the Federal Trade Commission about the unsavory practices of NCO Financial Systems, Inc. Hopefully, once done, that should be the end of any further harassment by not only this debt collection company, but any company that continually harasses a person relentlessly.
RipOff Reports and Other Websites About NCO Financial Systems, Inc
