Collection Agency Tactics??

Does anyone know who I should contact, or if I have anything to complain about regarding a collection agency out of Texas. I used to actually work for a collection agency 20+ years ago out of Florida, and we would NEVER have been able to say what these people have said to me via phone, let alone in a letter I just opened. Long story short, yes, I owe HSN $200+ for a computer I bought on a payment plan of $135 a month. Before I was done with payment #2, it broke, and thus began months and months of me sending this junk back and forth with Gateway. It was a lemon model, thus why it was offered for 5 payments on HSN. After I made payment #2 and Gateway had the computer for repairs more than we had it to use, I called HSN. In no uncertain words, the sales rep told me "you bought it, you deal with it". There were lots of reviews at this point on HSN and all buyers were furious, as it was junk. HSN quickly removed the computer and reviews. So, yes, I have been lax in paying it, but it didn't even last 2 months. At any rate, they throw me to a collection agency, who calls at least 15 times a day. I am sending them payments. I get a letter today that actually says they are going to "ASSEMBLE AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORT WHICY WILL OR MAY INCLUDE...INFORMATION AS TO MY CHARACTER AND GENERAL REPUTATION"... the caps and bold are their writing. It then goes on to say that I should send $$ immediately as they have "NO DESIRE TO CAUSE ME EMBARASSMENT"... Can they word things this way? I have never in all my life seen anything worded to this effect, as obviously, even though they use the word "may", it is a direct insinuation to scare me that they are going to ruin my reputation and are questioning my character, and threatening embarassment.  Seriously, has anyone ever seen this before? I don't have a lot of experience with agencies, other than working for one decades ago, and hearing horror stories on TV shows about stuff like this, which I could not believe! Does anyone have any thoughts on who I could contact?  I wonder if HSN knows this agency is saying personal stuff like this? I know companies just farm out their old debts to agencies.  Again, its a tough one for me to swallow, as the computer never lasted even halfway thru their 5 easy payment plan, but I have recognized the debt and am paying, albeit at $50 every 2 weeks. But this insulting letter was just the icing on the cake for me.  Do you think its legal?

• Collection Agency Tactics?? - Say What?
  • Just wanted to thank you all for the great tips and - Say What?
    • Do your homework on debt collection (sm) - Cha-ching
  • Check if you have a computer lemon law in your state.nm - M.A.
  • This comes from Money Magazine e-article. See link inside. - MT and worn out
  • Something that might help! - GotTheTShirt
  • Tons of info here...........sm - Grrrrrrr
  • Collection agencies rub me the wrong way. - Chele
    • I have had my phone number for 6+ years. - see message

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My husband and I have an account which we feel we don't owe.  We cancelled it within the amount of time we thought we had to cancel, but were later told the contract for services was not cancellable (a vacation timeshare).  The original amount was only $1,000.

Since that time, the timeshare company has sold our "debt" to a third party collection agency, Apelles.  They call at all hours and even on weekends.  Since I have caller ID, most of the time I don't even answer.  This morning, however, they called at 8:45 and woke up my kids.  I was a little annoyed, to say the least, and I'm just wondering:  Does anyone have any personal experience with this company.  I'm thinking about sending a Cease and Desist letter, but I'm worried that that will trigger them to take me to court.  Has anyone ever been sued by Apelles?  I would think our amount is too small to be worth their time and that they would just try to sell it to another agency.  Any thoughts?

I have never worked for one, but all I know is that my husband and I have had the same phone number for over 7 years.  Neither him nor I have anything that has ever gone to collection.  However, we have gotten many calls from collection agencies.  Most of the time it is just a recording telling us that they are looking for so-and-so and to call this number immediately and blah blah blah. The person they are looking for is never anyone we know and so I don't know how our number is getting involved here.  Generally, you call the number, tell them you aren't the person they are looking for, and they take you off of the list.

One collection agency, Premiere Credit, is harrassing us with phone calls.  We get an automated message telling us that they are looking for someone at that number who has a contractural relationship with Premiere Credit and owes money.  They never give who they are looking for and they tell us that if we are not that person (which we are not) to just ignore the message and not listen.  Hello?  How can I ignore the message when you are calling my phone and calling me repeatedly, mostly on the weekends.  I have called the number they have given two times and told them that neither my husband or I owe them money and to stop calling.  Yet the phone calls continue.  My question is this....how do I get these harrassing phone calls to stop?  We do not owe them money and yet this automated call keeps coming to our house. 

laws also - you just may have yourself a $1000 piece of paper in your hand. 

Have you requested validation of this debt?  If not, I would do that right away.  Send it certified mail, return receipt requested.  Depending on the age of the debt, I would be very careful about sending the canned "do not contact me letter."  If the debt is not that old, that can sometimes trigger them to sue.  I bet if you send the "please provide me with full validation (not verification that you have my name, address and soc. sec#) of this alleged debt.  Short and sweet.