Not plain and simple, it’s complex and convoluted!
Netflix’s two-season adaptation of Gabriel García Márquez’s groundbreaking Cien Años de Soledad (100 Years of Solitude) is almost impossible to follow, given its plethora of characters and historical trajectory … often overlaid and intertwined.
The story is more palpable — and makes more “sense,” if that can be applied to this bestselling book — only by returning to its original premise: Marrying one’s first cousin or into our immediate family is a recipe for disaster. If not borne with tails, offspring will cause and suffer from craziness throughout the ages.
It’s the best way to understand the mythical town of Macondo.
Consumers frequently report receiving relentless phone calls and text messages regarding old or unrecognized debts, sometimes stretching back over a decade. They complain that Intrum attempts to collect legally expired or prescribed debts, often using intimidating language.
Multiple reviews mention being dunned for amounts that were already paid, settled, or cleared through legal agreements. Customers describe unhelpful or rude support staff when trying to resolve discrepancies, alongside difficulty getting through to the operator.
After parting ways with MEO (another consumer complaint accumulator), I was glad my ordeal with this oversize telecommunications provider was over and done with. I had copies of emails from MEO responding to my earlier complaints through Deco Proteste and the Livro de Reclamações about being unable to cancel my contract following its required “loyalty” period. MEO’s emails confirmed that my contract had been cancelled, all of its equipment returned, and that I owed nothing on my account.
Months later, however, I began to receive daily debtor letters from collection agency Intrum, threatening to make my life miserable if I didn’t respond to their messages sent using WhatsApp.
It should be noted that their messages were marked “No Reply” and that it was impossible to reach Intrum staffers on the phone number provided despite 20-plus rings, let alone to reach anyone who could speak English.
So, again I turned to the Livro de Reclamações and Deco Proteste, where I registered complaints online.
Intrum’s rebuttal to my complaints had been repeated over and again to others in a boilerplate note stating, in essence, “Don’t blame us … we’re just the messengers,” an unethical, inaccurate, irresponsible, and totally inaccurate response.
Neither factual nor forthcoming, Intrum neglected to reveal its role in this matter: Is it really representing MEO, or has it purchased MEO’s debt portfolio? If the latter, Intrum is actually the owner–not the agent.
Intrum acts as a debt buyer, purchasing massive portfolios of non-performing loans, utility bills, and telecom accounts (termed carteiras de malparado) from companies like MEO, NOS, banks, and utilities for a small percentage of the actual debt amount (often 5 to 10 cents on the euro). Once bought, the debt legally belongs to Intrum. MEO has already written it off as a loss and wiped their hands of it. If Intrum buys a €500 debt for €25 and manages to scare or pressure the consumer into paying the full €500 (or even a discounted €200 settlement), they make a massive return on investment.
In other cases, usually involving more recent debts (under 6 months old), Intrum is hired by MEO or other firms to serve as an external collections department. In this scenario, MEO still owns the debt, and Intrum earns a commission fee for successfully recovering the past-due payment.
The point, however, was moot in my case, as I’d already proven that I didn’t owe anyone anything.
Documented by correspondence from MEO which accompanied my complaint, any issues the telecommunications giant had had with me were already resolved—including all bills (faturas) paid.
My complaint wasn’t with MEO; it was with Intrum and its messages. Based on questionable and unsubstantiated data presumably provided by its clients (MEO, in my case), Intrum repeatedly threatened, harassed, and intimidated me using privileged, private information (i.e., my telephone number) to bombard me with objectionable SPAM.
I have appealed again to the competent authorities through Portugal’s official complaints portal, asking that Intrum be sanctioned for its abuses and repeated violations of consumer protection.
Handling a debt collection agency like Intrum Portugal requires a calm, documented, and cautious approach. Here are the most effective tips to manage their contacts and protect your rights:
Shift Everything to Writing
Avoid discussing details over the phone. Verbal agreements are difficult to prove, and debt collectors may use high-pressure tactics. Instruct the agency to send all communications, payment proposals, and debt breakdowns via email or registered letter (Carta Registada com Aviso de Receção). State your stance clearly. Use a simple phrase like: “I will only communicate regarding this matter in writing. Please send the complete breakdown of this alleged debt to my email/address.”
Demand Formal Proof of the Debt
Never make a partial or full payment just to get them to stop them from contacting you. In Portugal, making a payment can be legally interpreted as an acknowledgement of the debt, which resets the legal clock.
Under Portuguese law, you have the right to know exactly where the debt originates. Demand copies of the original contract, the last outstanding invoice, and the formal document showing that the original creditor assigned (sold) the debt to Intrum.
Check for “Prescription” (Legal Expiry)
In Portugal, many common consumer debts have very short expiration periods (prescription). So, verify the age: If the creditor does not legally demand payment within this window, they lose the right to collect it.
Know the timelines
> 6 months: Water, electricity, gas, and telecommunications (internet/phone) bills.
> 2 years: Services provided by commercial entities or educational institutions.
> 5 years: Alimony, rent, or interest on loans.
If the debt is past these limits, Intrum cannot legally force you to pay. However, prescription does not happen automatically—you must formally invoke it. Send them a registered letter or email stating that the alleged debt is prescribed under Portuguese law.
Know Your Privacy Rights (RGPD)
Debt collectors cannot call you at unreasonable hours, contact your workplace, or disclose your situation to family members or neighbors. Harassment is illegal here.
If they are calling a number you never gave to the original creditor, or if the calls are excessive, you can explicitly state that they are violating your data privacy rights under GDPR (RGPD) and demand they cease phone contact. In other words, revoke consent.
Create a Log
Document every interaction. Keep a record of the dates, times, emails and phone numbers Intrum uses to call you. Save all messages. Don’t delete any SMS, WhatsApp messages, or emails they send, as these can serve as evidence if you need to file a formal complaint.
Contact Them Directly
Send the debt collection agency a letter from your personal email so you have a digital time-stamp. If possible, ask for a read receipt. Contac t Intrum at this email: info.pt@intrum.com
If they do not reply to the email or continue harassing you, send your complaint via Carta Registada com Aviso de Receção (Registered Letter with Acknowledgement of Receipt) to their official Lisbon address: Alameda dos Oceanos, 59 – Edifício Espace, Piso 1, Bloco 2 A/B – Parque das Nações 1990-207 Lisboa, Portugal. Keep the postal receipt.
Businesses are expected to operate in good faith. Through its actions, Intrum has proven its culpability.
If I weren’t a foreigner with legal and fiscal residency in Portugal, I would take Intrum to court and invite all others who have been inflicted by its indignities to join me in what’s known as a “class action suit.”
That MAGA “Midterm Convention” was nothing more than another circus side show gimmick created to attract media attention and distract us from issues that really matter:
> The Epstein files. Still not released, despite unanimous legislation passed by the GOP and Democrats alike.
> Affordability, inflation, and the ever-increasing cost of living. From fuel to food on the table, the upward price spiral shows no signs of slowing. Americans shouldn’t have to choose between health care insurance, putting food on their family tables, and gassing up their vehicles to keep working.
> The war in Iran. Will it ever end? Most informed diplomats and international politicians believe that Iran is winning. And to the victor go the spoils.
> American colonization. Have we already forgotten Trump’s invasion of Venezuela, naming Marco to govern it and appropriating its oil? Or back home, treating the nation’s capital as his own personal Lego-land while ignoring basic living needs — like water — of people in Puerto Rico?
> Blatant corruption at levels never, ever, seen before in the USA. Trump, his family, cohorts, and comrades are stealing taxpayer money hand-over-fist, making no efforts whatsoever to hide their greed and pay-to-play politics.
> Not in my backyard. Perhaps nothing has galvanized voters on the state and local levels as plans to build enormous data centers for AI financed by tech billionaires. That hasn’t stopped Trump from championing them.
> Greenland and Cuba. No, he hasn’t forgotten about them. He’s just otherwise engaged at the moment.
> Alienating allies. No nation around the globe trusts the USA anymore to honor its commitments and be trustworthy. Canada? America’s best friend and closest trading partner has made a mockery of Trump and his tweets.
> Toxic environment. As of the latest update by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, the Doomsday Clock (often referred to as the Midnight Clock) is set at 85 seconds to midnight. This is the closest the clock has ever been to midnight in its history, reflecting an unprecedented level of global risk. The time was advanced to 85 seconds in January 2026, moving forward from its previous position. Yet Trump & Company have rescinded restrictions on oil drilling and coal mining, moving the clock even closer to our extinction.
> The economy. For the first time in its history, America owes more than it makes. Debt is crushing the USA as international investors seek safer havens for their money.
Of course, I could go on … especially since Trump’s “convention” is competing directly against the NFL.
But my point is this: The only media attention Trump & Company’s nefarious activities merit is an obituary.
Given my posts, that’s a question I’m often asked.
Yes, I still do love the “idea” of the USA and its revolutionary promise: a nation founded on freedom, equality, justice, and unalienable rights for all.
The true beauty of the United States lies in the enduring brilliance of its foundational idea: a visionary pledge of a nation built not on shared bloodlines, but on the radical concepts of universal liberty, justice, and human dignity. This ideal represents a beacon of hope that actively welcomed refugees fleeing oppression and embraced immigrants from every corner of the earth, acknowledging that their hard work and diverse heritage formed the very backbone upon which this great country was built. It is the idea of a vibrant melting pot continually striving to guarantee civil and domestic rights to all people, proving that a society can find its ultimate strength in its diversity.
In foreign affairs, this ideal translates into a commitment to global leadership that champions democratic values, defends human rights, and fosters collaborative alliances built on mutual trust, shared security, and international cooperation.
While the historical reality has often struggled to live up to these lofty principles, loving the idea of America means deeply cherishing this unfinished blueprint and the relentless, ongoing pursuit of a more perfect union.
THAT’S the United States I love.
What we have today isn’t a United States that exemplifies these values … nor is it a country that, because of its actions, I can love.
Passing a shop window, my attention was captured by an old man looking back at me from the inside out.
He looked vaguely familiar; but, my, how he’d aged.
Much like me!
Hunched over a beaten cane clenched hand over hand, his shoulders sagged and his back slouched, the weight on his weary feet barely holding him erect. Wispy white hair fell to his forehead like bangs shading his eyebrows which, curiously, had remained dark and fulsome.
Though clouded by age, his hazel eyes appeared to clearly see the series of snapshots shattering the glass separating us, moments which had shaped our years and brought us to this place:
Take-shelter drills during the Cuban missile crisis, civil rights marches, violent Vietnam war protests, Stonewall, the plagues of AIDS and COVID … each marched by, stopping to rest at a farm in Woodstock, New York. The Berlin Wall coming down, and men stepping onto the moon flickered as if hallucinations. Court cases like Reynolds v. Sims, Loving v. Virginia, Roe v. Wade, Obergefell v. Hodges, Lawrence v. Texas, Reynolds v. Sims, appeared in his vision and then slipped away quickly.
Still holding my gaze, the mirage in the mirror recounted a history of presidents and precedents:
• A president assassinated, the murder of his assassin, and the death of his assassin’s assassin … all reported “live” on our black and white TVs;
• That same president’s brother assassinated as he, too, campaigned to become the country’s number one man;
• A Democrat – from Texas yet! – inherit the presidency, but decide not to seek another term of his own;
• A president and his vice-president, both disgraced by scandals, resign from the two highest offices in the land;
• Our first “unelected” president, when the Speaker of the House succeeded his shunned predecessors;
• A Christian peanut farmer from Georgia elected president, but relegated to the back burners because of high interest rates and hostages in Iran;
• A beloved, second-rate actor become president and be shot;
• A father and son each elected president—the father for one term, his son for two;
• A president selected by a partisan Supreme Court when the votes were so close and election errors so many;
• A likable Boomer impeached while in office because of alleged real estate improprieties and his penchant for women;
• The first black man elected president of the United States;
• The first woman nominated to be our country’s commander-in-chief, only to be trumped by a lying, cheating, hateful, tax-evading, con man;
• A convicted felon and sex offender elected president twice after being indicted for instigating an insurrection and stealing classified documents.
No longer robust or capable of reacting physically, the observer wondered what this man in the window could do to offset the increasing travesties of justice.
Then he remembered the books he had written. The newspaper by-liners, magazine features, journal articles, and social media posts he had published.
Closing his bloodshot eyes, he bit his cracked lips, ground his implanted teeth, and wavered before moving towards an end within sight.
Across the Atlantic, in Portugal and Spain, his mind was still nimble.
I am experiencing a number a problems with my Facebook account, which I’ve diligently reported to Facebook using its “Report Problem” form (with screenshots).
Last week in “Trusted House Sitters,” a group I belong to, someone posted a request for recommendations. Several comments followed. I added mine, saying, “We highly recommend Norma Schramm, who’s taken TLC of our dogs both in Wisconsin (USA) and now in Portugal:
Bruce Joffe
Aug 27, 2026
Highly recommended: Norma Schramm!
Shared on TrustedHousesitters
Immediately, my comment was deleted and replaced with this notice from Facebook:
Aug 27, 2026
We removed your comment
Why this happened
We don’t allow people to take actions at high volume that might bother others.
This goes against our Community Standards on spam.
HUH? High Volume?
It’s been over two months since — no reason was given — Facebook has allowed me to post or comment other than on my own profile feed or the two groups I created and administer.
I was given the option to appeal Facebook’s decision.
I did.
Today — 4 days later — I heard back from Facebook:
Aug 31, 2026
We did not restore your comment
Hi Bruce
We reviewed your comment again.
We confirmed that it does not follow our Community Standards on spam.
We know this is disappointing, but we want to keep Facebook safe and welcoming for everyone.
To keep people safe, we ask everyone using our technology to follow rules, such as our Community Standards or Terms of Service and relevant local laws.
By following the rules, you can help prevent your content being removed, activity restricted, or your account being suspended.
A button at the bottom of the notice allowed me to check my profile status. Here’s what it said:
Bruce Joffe
Profile has some issues
Account status
Be careful! Going against the rules too many times can cause restrictions on your account.
Actions we’ve taken
Information for people in the EU
In addition to the option to ask us for a review, you also have other rights.
Other options you have
You may be able to challenge our decision in court.
You may be able to refer our decision to a certified dispute settlement body.
I’m seriously considering challenging Facebook’s decision–whether in court or through a certified dispute settlement body.
Someone has to hold Facebook accountable.
There’s no way to contact responsible parties at this social media platform that’s making billions upon billions of dollars, despite its recent admission of culpability and enormous financial settlement.
The problems are never resolved and the only replies I receive are AI-generated from Facebook bots.
Unacceptable! So, I asked AI (Google):
“What email(s) can I use to contact humans working at Facebook directly?”
AI’s response?
“To be completely direct: Facebook (Meta) does not provide active, publicly monitored customer service email addresses that guarantee a human reply.
“If you want a guaranteed way to bypass the bots and speak directly with a human representative, you must subscribe to Meta Verified. Your monthly subscription grants you direct access to live chat and email support with actual human agents.”
Oh, yeah? Like I’m going to pay Facebook €15/month (€180/year!) to fix its systemic problems? So I get to correspond with a human to to correct Facebook’s glitches?
No way, José! That’s highway robbery.
IMO, if a business cannot provide free, active human support — whatever the issue — it shouldn’t be allowed to operate online.
I wonder if this is something that might interest EU authorities?
"Exactly!" 