By Dan Samaria
Publisher/GCC
Oct. 10, 2009

Editor’s Note: There are many sites that can help you with dealing with debt. This site we use weekly with advice it called The Ask Doctor Debt.

They have answers to many frequently asked questions regarding debt and credit problems.

This week we will be giving you some FAQ that have been sent to their site. We hope that this will help you, in dealing with debt.

If you have any questions, you can reach us dan@goldcoastchronicle.com

 

By Ask Doctor Debt

(Q) How do I get debt collectors to stop calling, when I’m not the one they want; they’ve looking for my former roommate?

(A) It can be frustrating when debt collectors call looking for a roommate, neighbor, relative or someone you don’t even know. Here’s what may be happening: Debt collectors are generally not allowed to discuss a consumer debt with the consumer’s employer, coworkers, friends, neighbors or relatives (excluding the consumer’s spouse) but they may contact those same employers, coworkers, friends and neighbors for the purpose of acquiring location information on the consumer.

This practice, called “skiptracing, ” is legal but is the only reason debt collectors can contact third parties.In attempting to obtain location information, a debt collector may not communicate with a third party more than once unless the third party requests the debt collector contact them again, or if the debt collector reasonably believes the third party’s response was erroneous or incomplete and the third party now has correct or complete information.

Therefore, if the debt collector believes that the third party’s response was incomplete, but has no reason to believe they now have updated information, the debt collector may not contact the third party again.)You should tell the collector you don’t know where the consumer they are looking for is located or how to reach them, if that is the case, and ask the collector to stop contacting you.

Source: As Doctor Debt