We are required by the clients, and by federal law, to leave a scripted message with very little detail. We are required not to discuss the debt or give out any information prior to identifying who we are speaking to. To violate either of these rules would put the personal information of hundreds of thousands of people at risk. I know it'd be simpler to tell you why we're calling and who we're looking for right off the bat. Would make my job so much easier if I could just cut to the chase and get right into it. I'm sorry, I can't do that. I'd lose my job and face several thousand dollars in fines for disclosing information.
If they are calling you, then you (or possibly a relative) have a valid debt that they have been authorized to collect. It is also possible that we're calling for someone who used to have the same phone # as you have now, or used to live at the same address. If you believe they are calling you by mistake, answer the phone and calmly explain this. Answering with an attitude isn't going to make you stand out from the thousand calls a day each collector makes to people who scream at him or her. Trust me, if you're calm and polite we will be too. It's a welcome break from the rest of our day to deal with rational and friendly people.
We understand times are tough right now. Each and every one of us working there has debts of our own, just like all of you. We don't enjoy having to do what we do, but it pays the bills...barely. Remember that we're just people trying to do a job to get paid. It's nothing personal. We do what our managers tell us to do so we don't get fired.
I'm sorry the job I do so I can eat is one that causes you grief.
