Cross Country Bank ripoff victimized many consumers Boca Raton Florida

In January 2002, my employer decreased the hours of each and every employee at my plac eof business. Since I receive good healthcare and various other benefits, I continued to stay at my job. I am also a full-time student, so my employer was very understanding about my school schedule, which is ANOTHER big consideration for me to stay where I am.

Since the time that my employer has decreased my hours, I have had difficulty in making payments to various credit card lenders that I have, including Cross Country Bank. While other lending institutions have been extremely helpful and understanding in my current situation, CCB has been downright hostile.

In October of 2002, I finally decided to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. BY LAW, this allows me the right from harrassing telephone calls from my creditors. Since I had been enduring non-stop collection calls, this was going to be a relief. Now, I am not saying that I felt good about filing for dissolution, but there was just no other solution to my problem.

Cross Country, however, failed to receive that memo that they are restricted BY LAW to contact me, my employer or any other contacts. Nevertheless, they have continued to call my home for the last three months at least two times a day, sometimes on Sunday mornings at 7:50 a.m. (The telephone call that came in so early in the morning occurred on Sunday, January 12, 2003, over three months since I had filed bankruptcy.)

I then received the most disturbing telephone call just one day after their "wake-me" call on Monday, January 13, 2003. A Mr. Gregory (I'm sure an alias) called my employer's direct number rather than my private line, which they have been so courteous to do in the past, and ask for me. I took the call because I am so sick of CCB thinking that they are above the law and that little consumers like me don't know my rights. He was very pleasant in the beginning until I informed him that he may contact my attorney, which by law, he is required to do. I took the call to GET RID OF THEM! He made all sorts of threatening accusations, telling me that "this was the day for me to be humble" and that "it was time for me to grow up" and this wasn't "like I had borrowed $20 from a girlfriend". He also kept saying something which I was confused as to the meaning: "I am the one who makes the final decisions today". I have nevertheless chalked it up to an attempt to sound more authoritative and to try to scare me into paying money to them. Incidentally, when I was in trouble with making my payments, I made a series of "check-By-Phone" payments. He said that he had my account information and would draft a series of payments for $200 each for the month of January, February and March to get this resolved. THAT was the point in the conversation when I referred him to my attorney and also the point in which I apparently "insulted him" as he put it.

This is unacceptable and I have since reported this whole incident to my attorney, who is looking into filing action against them, which will certainly make me happy. Like I said before, I did not like the idea of filing for bankruptcy, but sometimes life just doesn't work in your favor. And these companies have to realize that sometimes bad things happen to good people and that there are specific laws to protect those people. They cannot just bully people and use these playground tactics to scare people into paying them money that they don't have.

I have felt remorse since I have filed for bankruptcy; but I don't feel one ounce of regret for filing on CCB.

AM
Northville, Michigan
U.S.A.