I meant that in Ontario collection agencies can break the rules governing them without having to worry about getting in trouble with the Debt Regulatory Unit of Consumer Protection. Ditto for the 2 credit bureaus.

The rules are on the books but they are not enforced. They're there mostly for show. It's hard to tell who's working for who. So don't be surprised if your complaints go nowhere. No one else's does either.

Collection agencies have Consumer Protection in one hip pocket and the 2 credit bureaus (Trans Union and Equifax) in the other. You'd have to see it to believe it - and even then you still might not. Maybe instead of the Consumer Protection Act, they should call it the Collection Agency Protection Act.

What do you mean by enforcement, or do you mean lack of?

TCR, Total Credit Recovery. They should be called the Bad News Bears.
Other than changing your phone number there may not be much you can do to stop these vipers from calling in spite of the regulations listed below.

For a summary of what collection agencies are allowed to do in Alberta see Section 12 of the Following Act

http://www.canlii.org/en/ab/laws/regu/alta-reg-194-1999/latest/alta-reg-194-1999.html

Not quite the same as Ontario's but close. If their enforcement is anything like Ontario's you're in for a fun time with TCR.

Whatever you do, NEVER give them any personal bank info. TCR is always asking for just that. You might find your account cleared out at any time.

If you must pay them by check set up a separate account with another bank, not just a different branch of the same bank - and keep just enough money in it to cover the check. And do assume they'll try to cheat you right left and centre with the debt's balance. Good idea to ask for receipts though they will surely stonewall the request too.

So i made the unfortuante descion to co sign for 2 phones for a friend.

The first phone was with solo. During the entire time the phone was online, neither me nor her ever received a bill, nor was any attempt made by Solo to contact us regarding the bill. Then a few months later, BOOM, "Jack" from TCR starts leaving me messages on my phone, saying I owe 508.85 plus Interest (the amount of which i havent the slightest clue). Thus far i havent done anything with this account.

The second phone was with Virgin, the true blue bastards of the mobile phone world. When i called to cancel the account since she was going in for surgery, they said i owed 308. fair enough, i needed about a month to get the money together, in the meantime, i told them, in very clear terms, turn the phone off. On may 1st, the phone gets stolen, and I say to them, if you havent already done so, turn the phone off. They failed to do so, and a bunch of calls were made to thailand, raking the bill up to about 1380, beyond the means of someone like me. I try to dispute it, but never hear back from virgin. Guess who calls me in september? me old boy Jack, looking for money.

So since that time, i set up a payment plan for the virgin account, cause i just want the calls and the stuff to stop. After turning down a request by TCR for my personal banking information (illegal or not?) i send them $100 dollars a cheque, and typically they leave me alone.

Untill this week. Phone calls DAILY at 7am sharp (right when they are allowed to call legally in alberta). The calls are all about the virgin account, asking to set up a payment plan, which of course requires that i turn over my personal banking information. They give me the excuse that untill i secure the account, they can keep calling me. Is there anything i can do to make these people stop calling me??????????