Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in Missouri

Collector calls my husbands ex-wife about my mother

I live in Missouri. Yesterday, my husband received a call from his ex-wife. She

tells him that a debt collector has been calling her about my mother. My

mother and my husband's ex-wife do not know each other. I have never

mentioned the ex-wife's name to my mother. The ex told the collector that

she did not know my mother. The ex did not even know that this was my

mother until her son overheard my mother's last name and said that he

remembered it was my maiden name. How in god's name would a collection

agency call my husband's ex about my mother. I've been racking my brain

trying to find this out. I called the number the ex gave trying to find out and

they just said that it is the info they have on file. I gave my mother the info.

But what I want to know is if they can keep calling the ex when she honestly

does not know anything.


Asked on 7/20/05, 11:39 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

Anthony DeWitt Bartimus, Frickleton Robertson & Gorny, PC

Re: Collector calls my husbands ex-wife about my mother

Go to www.ftc.gov and click on the resources there regarding debt collection. What you'll learn is that a collector can contact someone for "location information" but can't do anything more than get that information. Repeated calls are not appropriate.

My guess is that he got the name from a computer database that links names and addresses and he just started calling random numbers on the list trying to find your mother.

If he violates the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act he can be liable to you and can have a civil penalty assessed by the FTC. If you feel he has acted inappropriately, a complaint to the FTC can be filed from their website.

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Answered on 7/20/05, 12:11 pm


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