Monday, December 24, 2007

News Article: Nationwide Debt Collector Will Pay $1.3 Million to Settle FTC Charges

Good Evening one and all and (if you celebrate it) Merry Christmas.

I ran across this article while googling 'Fair Debt Collection Act' and thought that I'd post a link to it here just to further spread the news that collection agencies can and will be held responsible for their actions.

Nationwide Debt Collector Will Pay $1.3 Million to Settle FTC Charges

A Texas-based debt collection company will pay more than $1.3 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it misled, threatened, and harassed consumers in violation of federal law.

“Debt collectors who get complaints from consumers should not only take notice, but also take action,” said Lydia B. Parnes, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “The message from this case is clear: Either comply with the law or face stiff penalties.” (more...)

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

NEWSFLASH!

Florida State Statute 559.72...
"Prohibited practices generally.--In collecting consumer debts, no person shall:

(15) Refuse to provide adequate identification of herself or himself or her or his employer or other entity whom she or he represents when requested to do so by a debtor from whom she or he is collecting or attempting to collect a consumer debt;"

I can only speak for those of us in Florida! Hopefully, I should be able to find information for the other states shortly. If you find it yourself, feel free to post it as a comment to this post and I'll add it. Please be certain that the information is from an official state website if at all possible.

When you google, try variations on these keywords including your state name in the search:

collection agency, rules, debt, collection, laws, enforcement, illegal, statutes, harassment

Also, you can narrow the search results down to a specific site by adding the site name. For example, if you enter RPM site:800notes.com google will search 800notes.com for all instances of 'RPM'. Try it.

Known RPM Telephone Numbers

Note: It was BITCH to cross link all of the numbers and then update the posts on 800notes.com to let future victims...pardon me consumers know about this blog.

Based on information at 800notes.com, the following numbers (at least) appear to be in use by them. I'll be posting more as I find them....or Receivables Performance Management (RPM) changes them or adds new lines. (Nah! They'd never do that.) If you receive a call from RPM, PLEASE logon to 800notes.com and document it. Hopefully, any potential clients will google around the internet and realize that the various tactics that RPM uses may not be consistent with how they themselves chose to act. If you're interested in reading some of the comments, this link will google google. (Hmmm....If I'm not the only with a RPM headache, maybe I should seek out a sponsorship deal with Tylenol, Advil or Excedrin.)

(425)984-6248
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-425-984-6248

(425)984-6247
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-425-984-6247

(443)345-1564
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-443-345-1564

(425)686-1416
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-425-686-1416

(800)618-6705
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-800-618-6705

(410)774-8215
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-410-774-8215

(425)625-3016
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-425-625-3016

(425)354-1563
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-425-354-1563

(Damn do these people have telephone numbers or what? What does a company with a single office and address NEED with nearly 30! telephone numbers? Maybe they should invest in a really good PBX...or buy some cell phones since it seems as if a lot of the comments are pertaining to cell phone collections.)

(888)745-9332
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-745-9332

(800)618-6418
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-800-618-6418
(Maybe the reason why they're so aggressive in their collection efforts is that they can't pay their own phone bill.)

(866)367-1873
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-866-367-1873

(866)212-7408
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-866-212-7408

(877)233-8527
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-233-8527

(425)354-1555
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-425-354-1555

(877)233-8521
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-233-8521

Welcome All

I owe Sprint/Nextel approximately $200 give or take. I'd pay it off in a heartbeat, but I've got other bigger things going on. Sprint/Nextel has evidently turned the debt over to a collection agency named Receivables Performance Management (RPM)*. I have no problem with Sprint/Nextel seeking payment for the debt. I have been actively sending them $15-$25 checks for most of the past year as I've been able to. The issue at hand is that I feel that Receivables Performance Management (RPM) has gone beyond the point of reasonable collection action and moved into the realm of harassment. They seemingly call me several times a day on a very regular basis - as opposed to one call a month or a single call a week. Sometimes its a live person leaving a message. Sometime an automated message. Sometime a call that disconnects if not answered. I didn't fully document my first attempt to get them to stop or my contact with Sprint/Nextel. I wish I had. However, as they say 'there's no time like the present'. Hence this blog.

It is my hope that this blog will succeed in the following...


1) Communicate to other consumers their rights under federal statutes and their own state's laws when dealing with collection agencies
2) Facilitate tougher legislation so that collection agencies are held accountable for their actions including regulations that hold an agency's clients responsible for the agency's actions. (As they say, 'they knew or should have known')
3) Communicate to current and potential clients of
Performance Management (RPM) issues that consumers have experienced with them
4) Expose
any unfair, illegal and unreasonable practices that Performance Management (RPM) may have committed or encouraged

Isn't the First Amendment and the internet a great things? (Oh and I guess that my degree in Communication Arts and all those hours spent with journalism students may actually pay of.)

*
Address
Performance Management (RPM)
1930 220th St. SE
Suite 101
Bothell, WA 98021
http://www.receivablesperformance.com/