Greg was always Rose’s favourite grandson. He took her to doctor’s appointments and shopping. He called her on the phone whenever he could and visited often.  Rose grew to depend on Greg and looked forward to his visits. However, he was constantly borrowing money from her, at first, just a few dollars and then larger and larger amounts.

Rose started receiving phone calls from debt collectors. They told Rose she owed them $20,000. She informed them that she didn’t owe them any money and to please stop phoning.   The phone calls continued until Rose was afraid to answer the phone.   When she asked Greg for help, he told her that he had maxed out his credit cards buying electronics and that was why the debt collectors keep calling.  He told Rose to just pay them the money and that it was repayment for being such a helpful grandson.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Although Consumer Protection BC can’t stop Greg from borrowing money or from Rose lending it to him, we can help you to get the collector phone calls stopped.  Under the law in BC, a debt collector must not try to collect money from a person who is not the debtor. As well, a collector must not continue to communicate with a person who is not the debtor once that person has advised them of this fact in writing.

On our debt portal at www.debtrightsbc.ca, we have a debt collection form that can help consumers with this issue. We recommend that the form be completed and sent to the collector by registered mail so that there is a proof of receipt. This simple act often stops the collector phone calls. If it does not, Consumer Protection BC can step in to help.

We also have similar forms on our website for the following debt collector situations:

• Dispute the Amount of the Debt
• Desire Communication in Writing Only
• Desire Communication Through Your Lawyer

TIP: A collector is not allowed to attempt to collect money from a person who does not owe the debt.   Visit www.debtrightsbc.ca or click here to access these resources mentioned above.

If you have questions about your rights and responsibilities as a consumer in British Columbia, please contact Consumer Protection BC toll free at 1-888-564-9963, or visit or corporate website at www.consumerprotectionbc.ca. You can also follow Consumer Protection BC on Twitter @ConsumerProBC, like us on Facebook and read our blog for valuable consumer tips. The “What Would You Do?” columns were written by Consumer Protection BC to raise consumer awareness during Fraud Prevention Month.

Links to all Fraud Prevention Month Case Studies:
The Case of the Sweet Talking Swindler
The Case of the Greedy Grandson
The Case of the Loan Shark Lender
The Case of the Fraudulent Furnace Installer
The Case of the Desperate Debtor
The Case of the Sneaky Serviceman
The Case of the Tempting T-Bird
The Case of the Renovation Rip-Off
The Case of the Swindled Senior