the_siobhan | all those schoolyards later, they still just want your lunch money

So I have been getting calls from this collection agency lately. As collection calls go, they are actually pretty good - the guy on the phone is professional and courteous, we discuss the issue of my "account" with them and then we go our seperate ways. It's certainly not the first time I've had a collection agency asking me for money, I rather strongly suspect it won't be the last.

They are calling me on behalf of a company called Echelon General Insurance. Nothing unusual about that, right? Except for the minor detail that I've never even heard of Echelon General Insurance, and I have no idea why they think I owe them money.

So every time the guy from the collection agency calls, we go over the same info, (to wit, they claim I owe them money, I claim I have no idea why) he promises to ask them yet again for more details about this supposed debt, and then I don't hear from him for another couple of weeks until my account comes up in rotation again.

Well, today I got a notice in the mail. I have five days to pay.

So I call them up and leave a message, and then just for good measure I find Echelon's number on the web, and call up their billing department and leave them a message. The letter claims I have five days to pay or I'll be getting a summons in big capitalized nouns.

So. Anybody know a good lawyer?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I don't know a good lawyer who knows Canadian law I fear. :/

However, it might be worth talking to whatever the equivalent of the Citizen's Advice Bureau is, because if that happened to me I'd feel fairly confident about defending myself in court.

Time to start going to the top for information. You might want to check with your collection agents supervisor as well as the accounts manager for the Insurance company.

Start documenting everything, and maybe even think about sending registered letters explaining the situation.

I did think of sending letters - since I can't actually proove that I talked to them on the phone all those times. Kind of pissed at myself for not thinking to write everything down at the time.

I just might do that on Monday when I get back.

I don't know Ontario law--I don't even know New York law well on this--but the fact that you never received any kind of bill from them ought to be relevant.

Countersuing for harassment and attempted extortion (obtaining moneys by threat) is tempting but probably unwise.

sadly, proving that you haven't received something is difficult, at best, and most credit card contracts, and probably other financial contracts, have specific waivers built-in to protect the company in just such an event. =(

The reason this seemed possibly worth taking them to court over is that, from what Siobhan has said, she has never had any dealings with this company. There is not only no product or service delivered, there is no contract.

I think they have to provide one if I ask for it. I've asked for copies of long-distance and credit card bills that have gone astry, and they've always ponied up.

Not to be too paranoid, but you might also want to scope out the possibility of identity theft.

Is it possible that this Echelon company acquired your debt from another company, whether through mergers, buyouts, or just plain "buying" the debt? I've heard of this happening in the US.

I'm just a simple person,
but don't they have to tell you what the debt is for?

Interestingly a similar (albeit different set of circumstances) happened to a workmate last week. She pulled out a Vunderbar Buying Card that had sat unused for four years, which had no annual fee and which she had zero-balanced four years ago. And, you know, I recall her doing it.

Well, as it turned out she hadn't zero-balanced it, they'd given her the wrong figure (so they claim), and the interest had accumulated over four years to generate a $132 debt. They'd lost track of her (despite having her work details) and the associated credit rating problems had emerged.

I suspect your problem us a mix of incompetance, debt buy-out and the like. Or, it could be extortion. Most people would freak out if contacted by a debt collector. I know I would.

I suspect your problem us a mix of incompetance, debt buy-out and the like.

Quite possibly. But the only thing I can think of that might have generated such a debt happened recently enough ago that they would have had my current contact info. These guys have been trying to get ahold of me at my old house.

Or, it could be extortion. Most people would freak out if contacted by a debt collector. I know I would.

Heh. Dude, I've been broke all my life. I'm used to it.

"Heh. Dude, I've been broke all my life. I'm used to it."

Ha! I hear that, oh my sister. *high-five*

Echelon General Insurance? sounds pretty fishy to me...

http://www.echelonwatch.org/

^v^

Different company I hope.

http://www.egi.ca/ (http://www.egi.ca/)

just so you know, i learned in a business class yesterday that if a company unfairly ruins your credit you can sue them for a lot of money because they cause you undue stress, time and aggrivation trying to get it off your credit record.

goodness, i hope so..

start taking notes on dates, times, and who you spoke with when you talk to them on the phone. dig, and get to the bottom of the matter.

good luck.

^v^

you could try calling your regular insurance agent/broker (you have one, right?) to see what Echelon's reputation is, or if they are related to any company that does sell you insurance.

Definitely talk to the management of the collection agency. Also make friends with other collection agencies' employees to see if Echelon is a known scammer.

I have a good lawyer - Heather Austin of Mann & Associates. She's in Ottawa but this matter falls under provincial or national law, doesn't require connections at Toronto city hall.

But I hope you can resolve this without legal bills. Sounds like you're doing great at handling these people calmly; the words "collection agency" strike fear or trigger anger in most people.

Semi-random Surfer here. Hi!
Echelon in ontario is a cut rate insurance group used for first time drivers. The group i deal with directly (Co-operators) uses them for their high risk, first insurance drivers.

Any old insurance policies not cleared up in your past?

Hope this helps.

Well hello, useful stranger.

That's interesting info, because I did have an account with the Co-Operators for years. But it was directly with them, I paid all my bills by direct deposit, and the account was cancelled years ago when I scrapped my car.

I wasn't able to get anybody at either company to phone me back, so the letters go out today.

all those schoolyards later, they still just want your lunch money

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject