Complaint Review: NCO FINANCIAL SYSTEMS INC. - RELIANT ENERGY RETAIL SERVICE

...that the road to hell is paved with good intentions?

The fact that Janell may mean well is completely irrelevant to Steve's point. The purpose of this website is to HELP people who are in distress thanks to bottom-feeders like NCO. Steve has mounds of experience dealing with bottom-feeders like NCO - and I have worked for companies who refer accounts to them in the past. This gives us first-hand knowledge regarding how to handle them, and we are perfectly happy to pass our knowledge on to consumers.

What makes people like Janell dangerous in forums like this is the complete and utter failure on her part to comprehend the proper procedure to deal with scumbags like NCO. That lack of knowledge is then translated into incorrect 'advice' for others, such as sending a 'cease and desist' (NO SUCH THING where the provisions of the FDCPA is concerned...contact from NCO will NOT stop subsequent to receiving such a 'letter') and calling the collection company in person (ALWAYS a HUGE mistake, as it NEVER results in anything good for the consumer). Saying the wrong thing on the phone and/or giving personal information can and does lead to escalation on the part of companies like NCO, including restarting the statute of limitations if they talk you into a 'payment arrangement'. That leads to lawsuits, where your willingness to discuss payment will lead to a judgement for the bottom-feeder Dealing with them in WRITING by sending a CEASE COMMUNICATIONS letter neuters them and renders them useless as a harassing agent.

Regarding the rules of rebuttal, there is no need to be redundant, Linda. We use CAPS to illustrate differences in terminology and important points. We are all here to help others, not appease someone's sensitivities. That is why we will correct someone giving incorrect 'advice' on ROR...every time.

I have also received a letter from NCO, similarly dated, stating that I owe Reliant Energy $800. This claim is completely erroneous as I just ran my credit reports from all 3 reporting companies and there is no information regarding this amount ever being due.

There are several self-help websites that will give you advise, however, I would rely on the information found at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre27.pdf because it is directly from the Federal Trade Commission.

MSN Money also has a good article regarding "Zombie Debt" at this address:

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/ManageDebt/ZombieDebtIsHardToKill.aspx

Steve.....before I posted this rebuttal I noticed that the site had posted Rebuttal Guidelines, one of which is - Trivial comments (i.e., Nice report!) which do not add anything useful to the discussion. And right next to the box where the comments are typed is - Don't use all CAPITAL LETTERS, it's hard to read.

I am sure that Jannelle is just trying to be helpful and the information she gave is the same advise that is given in most situations- it is just that the usual plan of action doesn't seem to work with NCO, it only makes them more aggressive. Do you have any suggestions on how to what to do to effectively deal with NCO in addition to what "not to do?"

Main prob I have with sending a nutty company like NCO a letter to stop some action - they'd have my current address. + since they're chasing after a stale debt that's so old they can't collect on it anyway, what's to stop them from wanting to contact me.

Well, in my case, I got the Attorney General in PA (state NCO is located in) to contact them on my behalf and that's when they stopped bothering me. NCO had sold my debt and/or hired a funky collections attorney here in my state to chase after me, Henry & Enriques. Gosh what legit law firm chases after a debt thats approaching 20+ years old.

You can file a complaint on line with that office, just google attorney general in PA. And you will hear back from their office.

Janell,

NO ONE should ever call, or speak to any third party debt collector!
Stay off the phone! [That is common sense rule #1].
Get it in writing.
Start a paper trail.

NEVER contact an original creditor.
[That is common sense rule#2].
The debt collector is usually collecting for a JUNK DEBT BUYER, so the original creditor is totally out of the picture, legally.

There is NO SUCH THING as a "CEASE and DESIST" in debt collections or the FDCPA. The EXACT VERBAGE from the FDCPA is CEASE COMMUNICATIONS. proper terminology when making a LEGAL REQUEST is absolutely essential.

You have absoloutely no idea of what you are talking about.
Stop giving "advice".

Ask them who they are specifically looking for. Chances are, you are the wrong person. If you really want to get technical, ask them for the first three digits or last four digits of the social security number that they have on file. Then, ask them to send you written proof that you owe that money. At this point, they will be ready to start insulting you or hang up on you but stand your ground. If that doesn't work, call that power company and see if they can immediately send you written proof by fax that you were never a customer. They may be able to pull you up by social security number. Check to make sure the company they claim they are representing is legitimate though before giving your social; you never know with these collection agencies. If they send you a letter, make a copy and send it to the collections agency along with a cease and desist letter; make it a certified letter too.

At this point the calls should stop. If they don't, you may have a nice little lawsuit on your hands. Not to mention, they can be fined by the proper authorities. If it pops up on your credit, notify the credit bureaus that you had sent the collection agency proof by certified mail from the original creditor that you never owed the debt and the credit agency should wipe it off.

Ask them who they are specifically looking for. Chances are, you are the wrong person. If you really want to get technical, ask them for the first three digits or last four digits of the social security number that they have on file. Then, ask them to send you written proof that you owe that money. At this point, they will be ready to start insulting you or hang up on you but stand your ground. If that doesn't work, call that power company and see if they can immediately send you written proof by fax that you were never a customer. They may be able to pull you up by social security number. Check to make sure the company they claim they are representing is legitimate though before giving your social; you never know with these collection agencies. If they send you a letter, make a copy and send it to the collections agency along with a cease and desist letter; make it a certified letter too.

At this point the calls should stop. If they don't, you may have a nice little lawsuit on your hands. Not to mention, they can be fined by the proper authorities. If it pops up on your credit, notify the credit bureaus that you had sent the collection agency proof by certified mail from the original creditor that you never owed the debt and the credit agency should wipe it off.

Ask them who they are specifically looking for. Chances are, you are the wrong person. If you really want to get technical, ask them for the first three digits or last four digits of the social security number that they have on file. Then, ask them to send you written proof that you owe that money. At this point, they will be ready to start insulting you or hang up on you but stand your ground. If that doesn't work, call that power company and see if they can immediately send you written proof by fax that you were never a customer. They may be able to pull you up by social security number. Check to make sure the company they claim they are representing is legitimate though before giving your social; you never know with these collection agencies. If they send you a letter, make a copy and send it to the collections agency along with a cease and desist letter; make it a certified letter too.

At this point the calls should stop. If they don't, you may have a nice little lawsuit on your hands. Not to mention, they can be fined by the proper authorities. If it pops up on your credit, notify the credit bureaus that you had sent the collection agency proof by certified mail from the original creditor that you never owed the debt and the credit agency should wipe it off.

Ask them who they are specifically looking for. Chances are, you are the wrong person. If you really want to get technical, ask them for the first three digits or last four digits of the social security number that they have on file. Then, ask them to send you written proof that you owe that money. At this point, they will be ready to start insulting you or hang up on you but stand your ground. If that doesn't work, call that power company and see if they can immediately send you written proof by fax that you were never a customer. They may be able to pull you up by social security number. Check to make sure the company they claim they are representing is legitimate though before giving your social; you never know with these collection agencies. If they send you a letter, make a copy and send it to the collections agency along with a cease and desist letter; make it a certified letter too.

At this point the calls should stop. If they don't, you may have a nice little lawsuit on your hands. Not to mention, they can be fined by the proper authorities. If it pops up on your credit, notify the credit bureaus that you had sent the collection agency proof by certified mail from the original creditor that you never owed the debt and the credit agency should wipe it off.