Is this harrassment?

[Carole]

I am at present in the process of applying for an IVA, but my IP advisor needs some information going back three years, which has taken some time to collect. In the meantime, I have contacted all my creditors, made them aware of my situation and made all the token payments, both last montha and this, as advised by the Credit Advice Consultancy that I am using. Yet they are still on the phone, non stop! This week, I had a call from Lloyds Bank on my landline, I explained the situation to them and not 10 minutes later, someone else from there rang me on my mobile. This morning, I have had no less than 3 calls from Lloyds and 4 from Barclaycard, but in both cases, I have spokent to them, explained my situation, they say that they have marked my file, with the explanation that I have given, but atill continue to ring. I am fast losing patience. They are making a very difficult situation worse. My question is, can they continue to do this, because it smacks of harrassment to me. Is there anything that I can do to stop it, other than completely losing my temper and bursting into tears of frustration.

[kallis3]

Unfortunately they will contine to harrass you up until your creditor meeting. Some creditors are worse than others.

Once your IVA has been approved, these calls should stop as they are not allowed to contact you to ask for money.

Have you thought about changing your number? That way they can't contact you at all. If you have an ansaphone, let them all go through to that and don't phone back if they leave a message.

You could use Choose to refuse from BT which allows you to block certain numbers. Refuse to confirm your personal information - they cannot continue with the call if you don't.

Get a whistle and blow it down the phone - it hurts like hell!

Do you have any idea of when your creditors meeting is?

I must admit that I've not heard of the firm you are using - where did you get them from?

[Max]

Easy for me to say now because they nearly drove me mad. 29 calls in one day from one creditor - change your number or don't answer the phone. It will cease once your situation is regularized.

[Carole]

Sorry, I should have made it clearer. I am using The Consumer Credit Council, who have been very good and supportive, thus far. I really don't relish changing our number, but if I got 29 calls in one day from them, then I think that I just might! As yet, we still have to send off the IVA statement and all the information they require, so there is, as yet no date set for the creditors meeting. So, it looks as if I am gonna get lots more of these call [:(] Ho hum!

[Max]

Jan's idea of a whistle is a good one - I used my macaw - he screached like the clappers - that did it for the majority. It will stop but it will take a little time.

[Max]

As for Barclaycard I must warn you = they will become rude and aggresive - very rude and offensive. My IP (Melanie Giles) made an official complaint with the people who represent them and that stopped it. Ask your IP to do the same if they generate into bullies.

[Carole]

Thanks for that. Will do. A really major problem that I have is that I am very deaf and really, really have trouble hearing over the telephone. My husband ususally takes and makes all calls, but, of course, if it is me they want, they won't talk to him, even though he knows the full situation and is in it with me.

[kallis3]

All he need say then is that you are not at home, or not available to come to the phone. They can't speak to him so they will just terminate the call. If you have caller display then any number you don't recognise you can ignore.

Changing your number is usually free via BT and although it is a nuisance to have to tell your friends and family, it will stop the calls.

[MRBLUESKY]

hi carole first your not on your own,weve all been through that annoying calling.youve got the weight of support from this forum now.the whistleblower is very good.personally i prefer the air horn i keep a pair of ear plugs near the phone for my protection when i let rip .

[stoneyB]

I told them that I didn't live there anymore and gave them a new contact number that was ficticious. That stopped them

[kallis3]

That's a good one Ronald![:D]

Stoneyb - I like that as well!

[joanna_d]

hiya u had my iva accepted on the 15th of may and i am still getting harrasing calls from barclaycard they are making out that they havent received the paper work from freeman jones even though they received it quite a while ago its a pain as surely they shouldnt be contatcing me think its been 4 times today so far my poor husband feels like my secretary!!

[kallis3]

You shouldn't still be receiving those calls Joanna.

Contact your IP and ask them to sort Barclaycard out for you.

[ivas4us]

If you have online banking you can also go in and update your details and put fictituoes numbers in. You could even put the number in of your local branch so in essence they will be ringing themselves. Once updated it deletes all the old numbers so this should do the trick. If they still manage to ring just answer the security questions wrong they will soon get fed up of calling.

[nursecrippin]

lloyds tsb are the ones really hassling us. they phoned 6 times on friday and i was trying to sleep following my night shift, this time they were after my hubby, i got so annoyed that i told them i had kicked him out because of all their phone calls, and didnt know where he was. she didnt know what to say to that....mind you they have not phoned today lol