Passing the debt onto the family

[LexiaFira]

specifically for a family member. And I have mixed feelings about this.
Its eldest sis in law and this happened before I even knew my now husband existed.

Short history. Sis in law now refered to as SIL was dating her now ex who did her wrong many ways and apparently - its unclear - either caused her to be in debt or took her card maxed it out and took off.
The family agrees this ex is bad news do not talk to him or associate with him or anything and there is a long line of people waiting for him should he be dumb enough to come back to town.

Now several years later now that SIL has two kids and a bf (they aren't getting married and apparently which no one objects to)
but now her debt via cred card has caught up with her.
It started out with american express calling out house via automated voicemail yet their machine was messed up or our phone is old and the message was either garbled or when they transmitted the code it came out in beeps instead of numbers so even if we called back to tell them she doesn't live here anymore, without that special code no luck.

Well last week an actual person from Investigative Solutions called looking for SIL and we said she not live here don't know where she is etc lie.
But I turned around and called her to let her know look, enough, call them and deal with them please.
Well this same company not only called this house but her sister, the cell phone, her mother and their numbers. So now EVERYONE knows SIL needs to talk to them.
What does SIL do? pass it off with some BS about she needs to call legal aid first etc. She may be right but i know her, she thinks if she ignores this it will go away. NOPE. I know they want the money but if she at least communicates maybe they might let up or at least stop calling us.

Nah lets just continue to ignore it cause we all know THAT worked so well.
I get another call from anyone looking for her I will give them her number. I've had it. Her debt is not ours to deal with. I am sorry for what happened in the past but stop making us deal with it!

[Andara Bledin]

If someone calls for a debt, whether someone else's or even your own, you can tell the caller to never call back or you will charge them with harassment. Everybody but the really scummy collection rackets and those out of country scam calls will comply.

^-.-^

[KellyHabersham]

We've been dealing with that sort of thing recently from my sister and her husband - when they applied for loans a few years back (mostly for college, once for a car), they listed relatives as references. And I'm not sure what happened on their end, but the loan companies couldn't figure out how to contact them directly, and started calling my mom's house and my cell phone instead.

And where it got especially sucky is that these companies apparently couldn't remove us from their database, so my mom finally had to talk to them and give out brother-in-law's cell phone number. (as far as I know, that's stopped the phone calls)

[Andara Bledin]

If you're in the US, you can tell them that they'd better find a way, because the next call is being reported. Trust me, they'll find a way.

^-.-^

[LexiaFira]

Told sis in law today either deal with it or I will give them your number AND your baby dady's number. Why? Because we get at least two calls a day either from the automated service or from the investigative people.
I can't tell a messed up answering machine to stop calling since every time it tries to tell me the code it comes out as beeps/keypad tones instead of actual numbers and it takes forever to reach a person. I tried, repeatedly they can't find her without that speshul code.

And these people called father in law, your MOM, your sister, and your brother's cell phone. ENOUGH. She got upset with me.
I explained how I understand its tough but seriously, enough. Deal with them please!?
This was of course after FIL had his talk with her.
I feel horribly guilty about it because they have two kids and one income and I know she works hard to keep the house clean. Enough is enough, everyone in the family knows now.

[Racket_Man]

And these people called father in law, your MOM, your sister, and your brother's cell phone. ENOUGH. She got upset with me.

I explained how I understand its tough but seriously, enough. Deal with them please!?

This was of course after FIL had his talk with her.
I feel horribly guilty about it because they have two kids and one income and I know she works hard to keep the house clean. Enough is enough, everyone in the family knows now.

did she list ALL of these persons phone numbers on her CC app???? cause if she DID NOT then ALL of you need to take action against this compoany as it is VERY illegal for them to bager or harress or talk trash about a debtor to a relative or friend or neighbor or employer.

[LexiaFira]

Thats the thing, I don't know. She did look horrified that they called those people. At first I thought her reaction was an "oh crud everyone knows now" but I believe this company dug for info elsewhere as youngest sis in law changed her cell phone number twice through the years so I bet they did badger.

The family is more upset that they were called more than this is harassment.

So far no calls, just people calling here with the number unavailable.
I changed the voicemail to hi, this is house number, if you don't leave a message we won't call you back. In a happy cheery smarmy tone.