A story posted on the subreddit r/pettyrevenge has been making rounds recently.
Debt Collector Vs. Attorney
The post is allegedly written by someone who was being harassed by an aggressive debt collector for their ex-wife’s debts. Unfortunately for the collector, he turns out to be a full-fledged attorney-at-law in the United States.
RELATED STORIES
The Reddit post, which was first posted in June 2022 and has amassed over 21,000 upvotes and a dozen awards since, details how it all went down.
“Yesterday, I got an urgent voice mail on my personal cell phone from a lady at ARS services insisting that I call back no later than 4:30 PM. This was at 3 PM,” the story begins.
Nothing New Here
The OP (Original Poster) states that they’re an attorney and that they do occasionally get “time-sensitive calls and voicemail messages” on their personal phone.
What’s ARS?
However, they clarified that they had “no clue what ARS means, who they are, or what case they were calling about.”
Debt Collection
“So, I call back, and it’s a debt collector,” the post continues. “They try to bully me about some credit card debt my ex-wife of 8 years has incurred with them demanding [that I get the message to her].”
The OP then asks the debt collector why they’re calling and leaving messages when they’re no longer–presumably–with their ex-wife, but the debt collector only gives them a rude response before hanging up.
Revenge of the Attorney
After trying to get in touch again, the OP finally got fed up and decided to use “an Android phone re-dialer app” to call the debt collector’s number through the night.
Up All Night In Voicemails
All in all, he apparently left over 600 voicemails sent over the span of the entire night.
The Reddit Reactions
Readers were surprised by the OP’s ingenuity and found it amusing that he would go to such lengths.
How It Happened
Some readers were confused about how it happened in the first place.
“Isn’t it illegal for them to call you about her debt?” one commenter asks.
Debt Collector Stories
Others shared their own similar stories of debt collectors.
Roommate Collections
“I used to get calls from a collection agency for a roommate who had abruptly left the USA for overseas. Some idiot had leased him a car, and when he left, he hid it in someone’s garage. How the hell was I supposed to know where to find their car? I found out later that he’d died, so I doubt they ever found the car.”
Scamming for Properties
“I just had a property spammer text me asking if I wanted to sell my dad’s home. I sent over 100 1-letter texts back, pretty much telling them to f off, then sent every scam GIF I could find. Pretty sure they blocked me, but every half hour or so, I send some more gifs. I guess because I have the same last name, they think I own the property.”
Giving Advice
Some Redditors gave their own advice on how to handle the situation.
According To Google
One Redditor shared what they learned through Google.
Don’t Ignore The Laws
Regardless of how you feel about the situation, it’s important to remember that debt collectors are legally obligated to follow certain rules and guidelines set by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Introducing The FDCPA
This is called the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which outlines these guidelines and prohibits debt collectors from using abusive, unfair, or deceptive practices.
FTC Guidelines For Debt Collectors
Some of the key guidelines that debt collectors must follow include the following:
– They can’t contact you before 8 PM or after 9 PM unless you agree to it.
– They can’t harass or abuse you, such as by using threats of violence or profanity.
– They can’t lie to you, such as by falsely claiming that you owe more than you actually do.
– They must provide certain information in writing within five days of their initial contact with you, including the amount of the debt and your rights as a consumer.
If a debt collector violates any of these guidelines, you can file a complaint with the FTC and may be able to take legal action against them.
Learning How To Stand Up
Though it may seem like an extreme solution, the OP in this story was able to defend themself from what they perceived as harassment by a debt collector. As Redditor u/cheturo said, “Sweet revenge!”
It’s a reminder for us all to know our rights and always stand up for ourselves if the need arises.
