Anyone familiar with Bay Area Credit Collection?

[KiminChicago]

We've been getting calls that show up as "800 Service" for weeks now. Most of the time when we answer there's no one there and after repeating "Hello" 5 or 6 times we finally hang up. Finally the last couple of times we've gotten really rude gentlemen who claim to be from "Bay Area Credit Collecting." They've given us a dollar amount that they claim we owe on a Mastercard from 2007. First of all, DH and I have never used a Mastercard, the second strike is that they claim it is from a bank we have never had an account with.

Finally today they called again and I told them that they had to provide me with written proof of this debt since I am disputing it. Then the gentleman wanted me to give him the last two digits of my Social Security number. I refused since I have no idea whether or not he actually has any part of my Social Security number and I'm not giving him any additional information. I again asked for written confirmation of the debt and told him that if he continued to call I was going to contact my attorney and file a report with my Attorney General.

Is there anything else I can do? DH and I requested a copy of my credit report and I have a really great score and there is absolutely nothing outstanding on it that we can see. Is this guy just fishing for information? Right now I'm so angry I can't see straight!

 

[merryweather20]

I expect he has the wrong person. These credit agencies don't seem to0 bright. Even if he has the right name there are probably more than one of you.

I got a credit agency call last week, the agency knew the person they were looking for didn't live at my phone number, they were just hoping I knew some guy that apparently lives in my building, and would give them some sort of information When I told him no, he started pleading with me to give him the landlord's phone number... Apparently I sounded like his secretary(readily available from the property manager with a quick google). Anyway, I don't get the impression they bother too much with reasonable facts when they are trying to reach someone.

 

[remyandhollandsmommy]

Arghhh...I hate these people!! I get calls from a collection agency EVERYDAY OF THE WEEK for some lady named Inez..we do not know her, she has never lived here, I am NOT HIDING HER DARN IT!!! This witch from the agency actually accused me of sheltering this Inez lol...wth?! I would love to find and turn Inez over to you lady, you have no idea lol!

I REALLY hate this company, they call from 8am until 10pm even on Sundays. DF works until 230 am so poor man is constantly being woken up. I finally just had my home phone turned off and went to our cells so that I can get away from them....how else can I make them stop lol? It is beyond ridiculous!

 

[dawson5]

Arghhh...I hate these people!! I get calls from a collection agency EVERYDAY OF THE WEEK for some lady named Inez..we do not know her, she has never lived here, I am NOT HIDING HER DARN IT!!! This witch from the agency actually accused me of sheltering this Inez lol...wth?! I would love to find and turn Inez over to you lady, you have no idea lol!

I REALLY hate this company, they call from 8am until 10pm even on Sundays. DF works until 230 am so poor man is constantly being woken up. I finally just had my home phone turned off and went to our cells so that I can get away from them....how else can I make them stop lol? It is beyond ridiculous!

Did you ask them to stop calling? Supposedly if you do that and they persist you can file a complaint with the Attorney General. There are clear cut rules, even if you owe the debt, that they have to follow.

We've gotten calls for my father in law, who has been gone for about 12 years. We tell them he is gone and they stop. We've had them call for someone who does not live here, I found her number in the book and gave it to them, calls stopped.

 

[ctinct]

Arghhh...I hate these people!! I get calls from a collection agency EVERYDAY OF THE WEEK for some lady named Inez..we do not know her, she has never lived here, I am NOT HIDING HER DARN IT!!! This witch from the agency actually accused me of sheltering this Inez lol...wth?! I would love to find and turn Inez over to you lady, you have no idea lol!

I REALLY hate this company, they call from 8am until 10pm even on Sundays. DF works until 230 am so poor man is constantly being woken up. I finally just had my home phone turned off and went to our cells so that I can get away from them....how else can I make them stop lol? It is beyond ridiculous!

A collection agency is breaking the law if it is calling at 10pm. I forget offhand what the earliest time is-it may be 9, but don't quote me. But, if you follow the right steps, you can collect a thousand dollars for their transgression. I don't have any collection agency calling me nor do I have any overdue debts, but the way I found about this is a collection agency called here for my son (who doesn't live with me) about his girlfriend's debt. If we had been a little more knowledgeable and a little braver, she could have gotten some money from them. The pinhead from the collection agency left a voicemail on my phone saying he was going to have my son fired and arrested. I was so angry I did a lot of research. Now it angers me that so many collection agencies break the law, so I like to try to spread the news. I'm NOT saying people shouldn't pay their debts; only that there are laws to regulate these collection agencies, and many agencies use illegal tactics and intimidation to try to collect. I think people who DO owe money are often too embarrassed to fight.

Anyhow, this collection agency is practically handing you a gift of a thousand bucks with their 10 pm calls.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

For years I have been getting "bottom feeder" calls for some people who had my phone number before I did. I have found a very good way to get rid of them.

I do give them my name and that I have had this phone number since February 2005. There were three people with the same last name (very different than mine) and I told them that I understood that one of them was killed in a drug deal gone bad and recommend that they contact the local Sheriff's Office for more detail. They thank me and I never hear from them again.