Got a Credit Collections call today

[Jaaaacki]

We used to live in a duplex where the house number was 345 1/2. Both sides shared the same number. The house next door was 345. We have since moved into our own home but get collection calls for the old neighbors and their adult children at both the above addresses.

If I bother to answer the 'unavailable or 800 #" calls, I do tell them that I do not know those people. We are in a different town now, our last names are not similar at all. One time they tried to convince my husband that it was his debt.

I figure that if it was a valid debt of mine I would have received something in writing. But it does still make you feel bad to even get these types of calls.

 

[Heidict]

For the past 2 months we have been getting calls from a bank. They are looking for some guy I have never heard of before (and we had our number for 4 years now). Apparently he is behind on his mortgage and they wanna talk to him about it.

I also keep getting calls (all automated) up to 3 times a day from Cool Smiles. Some dental place I do not go to and have never heard of. I have told them they have the wrong number, but still they persist in calling.

 

[hffmnheidi]

I have been getting calls from a collections agency lately that claims I rented movies from Blockbuster and never returned them and they want the retail price of the movies. I worked at Blockbuster in 1997-1998 and haven't had an account with them since I quit. What's even funnier is that I was supposed to have rented these movies last fall/winter when I was in the hospital in ICU. When I told the collections person that I can prove I was in the hospital and was not renting movies, he told me I was lying and I asked him if he wanted me to fax him a copy of my over a million dollar hospital bill. That certainly shut him up but they continue to call and refuse to quit calling even after we've told them we could fax them a copy of the bill/get a doctor's statement to prove it wasn't me.

When I asked about the security video from the particular store in question and the form that my signature is on to rent the movies, they can't find any of that. Fine, the security video is probably already taped over, but they should at least be able to find the receipt with my signature if it's a valid debt(which it isn't).

 

[GoofyBaseballMom26]

I had a message on my answering machine when I got home from work today. It said it was a debt collector and they would keep all information confidential. I know for an absolute, positive fact that I am not behind on any bills.... has to be a scam. I deleted it.

 

[Swimalie]

One thing I do when I get a call from a number I don't know is to google the number. You can find out a lot about a number by what others have written. Most of the numbers that call me have been reported as phishing debt collectors. For those of you getting calls, see if that helps you all.

 

[NYCDiane]

Easiest/most common sense way to handle this:

1. ANSWER THE PHONE. If the call is not for you, tell them to remove your number because you are not that person and you don't know them.

2. ANSWER THE PHONE. If they are asking for you and you believe you don't owe the debt, tell them to mail you proof you owe the debt.

3. ANSWER THE PHONE. If they are asking for you and you DO owe the debt, pay it or make payment arrangements.

4. ANSWER THE PHONE. If they are asking for you and you DO owe the debt and can't pay it, tell them you can't pay it and you want no more phone calls on the matter and any further communication is to be put in writing.

5. ANSWER THE PHONE.


Another thing to remember, the "Do Not Call" list has nothing whatsoever to do with debt collection. If you owe a debt, they have every right to call you until you tell them not to. They (legally) can call you until you put in writing that you want no more calls.

I just don't get why people are so afraid to answer their phones??? They see a number they don't recognize and they get frozen in fear. WHY??? Is someone going to jump through the phone and bite you???? LOL!!

I used to get a ton of collection calls for the person who previously had my number. Simple: I answered the phone and followed step #1 above. The calls stopped. I also used to get calls for a neighbor of mine.... I told them I don't know the person and, no, I will not go to their apartment to give them a message and stop callilng my number looking for them. The calls stopped.

 

[Swimalie]

I used to get a ton of collection calls for the person who previously had my number. Simple: I answered the phone and followed step #1 above. The calls stopped. I also used to get calls for a neighbor of mine.... I told them I don't know the person and, no, I will not go to their apartment to give them a message and stop callilng my number looking for them. The calls stopped.

Thing is, we get calls for someone with my husband's name but it's not my husband. We have asked them to stop calling, that we know it is not him. They don't stop calling. In fact, once you answer, then you get on a "ding" list as being a valid number to "phish" from. Several years ago, I once made the mistake of answering and it was for my neighbor who had some debt. After that 1 call, I told the next caller to not call me again. Now I get calls all the time. If they aren't calling for my husband's name (which we know he has zero bad debt so it can't be for him) then they are calling for my neighbor (who just had a car repossessed so it's likely). So the simple answer is don't answer the phone unless you know who is calling! Once you do, you will keep getting calls.

 

[crisi]

Easiest/most common sense way to handle this:

1. ANSWER THE PHONE. If the call is not for you, tell them to remove your number because you are not that person and you don't know them.

2. ANSWER THE PHONE. If they are asking for you and you believe you don't owe the debt, tell them to mail you proof you owe the debt.

3. ANSWER THE PHONE. If they are asking for you and you DO owe the debt, pay it or make payment arrangements.

4. ANSWER THE PHONE. If they are asking for you and you DO owe the debt and can't pay it, tell them you can't pay it and you want no more phone calls on the matter and any further communication is to be put in writing.

5. ANSWER THE PHONE.


Another thing to remember, the "Do Not Call" list has nothing whatsoever to do with debt collection. If you owe a debt, they have every right to call you until you tell them not to. They (legally) can call you until you put in writing that you want no more calls.

I just don't get why people are so afraid to answer their phones??? They see a number they don't recognize and they get frozen in fear. WHY??? Is someone going to jump through the phone and bite you???? LOL!!

I used to get a ton of collection calls for the person who previously had my number. Simple: I answered the phone and followed step #1 above. The calls stopped. I also used to get calls for a neighbor of mine.... I told them I don't know the person and, no, I will not go to their apartment to give them a message and stop callilng my number looking for them. The calls stopped.

#1 often doesn't work - sometimes it does - but there are people here who are saying they've been saying "that isn't my debt" for four years. They sell the debt with your number attached and a NEW collections agency calls you. Debt companies get a lot of revenue from people who don't owe the debt, but pay $40 to stop getting the phone calls. And IF you do not have a former business relationship with them, because it isn't your debt, the do not call list does apply.

 

[nunzia]

I got a call not so long ago asking me to go to my NEIGHBOR's house and let them know that the debt collector was looking for them! Horrible to expect that and to tell someone not that person that they have a debt issue. I called them back and pretty well yelled at them for that tactic, then I filed a complaint on them at the FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection.

 

[janey99]

Last summer DH bought a car that had a free trial of a "car phone" associated with Onstar - something like 90 minutes of free use, then you could subscribe and get a certain amount of minutes monthly.

Well, the number they assigned him was previously had by a woman who must have had balances in collections for about 20 credit cards. By the end of the first week, ALL OF THE FREE MINUTES had been used up by DH answering the phone when it rang and saying "No, I'm not Sally Smith. She used to have this number but it's mine now."

We decided the car phone really wasn't a need for us . . .

Jane

 

[memphismovin]

Easiest/most common sense way to handle this:

1. ANSWER THE PHONE. If the call is not for you, tell them to remove your number because you are not that person and you don't know them.

2. ANSWER THE PHONE. If they are asking for you and you believe you don't owe the debt, tell them to mail you proof you owe the debt.

3. ANSWER THE PHONE. If they are asking for you and you DO owe the debt, pay it or make payment arrangements.

4. ANSWER THE PHONE. If they are asking for you and you DO owe the debt and can't pay it, tell them you can't pay it and you want no more phone calls on the matter and any further communication is to be put in writing.

5. ANSWER THE PHONE.


Another thing to remember, the "Do Not Call" list has nothing whatsoever to do with debt collection. If you owe a debt, they have every right to call you until you tell them not to. They (legally) can call you until you put in writing that you want no more calls.

I just don't get why people are so afraid to answer their phones??? They see a number they don't recognize and they get frozen in fear. WHY??? Is someone going to jump through the phone and bite you???? LOL!!

I used to get a ton of collection calls for the person who previously had my number. Simple: I answered the phone and followed step #1 above. The calls stopped. I also used to get calls for a neighbor of mine.... I told them I don't know the person and, no, I will not go to their apartment to give them a message and stop callilng my number looking for them. The calls stopped.

This is 100% correct (especially about the do not call list) Collectors do not WANT to be calling the wrong number and until you advise them of the error then you have nothing to be frustrated or angry about. No empty threats needed just a few simple words. Answer the phone and be straight up honest with them that it is not the right number AND that you do not know the person. They would have no reason to leave it in unless you have played games making it seem like maybe you know the person. Be short and to the point so that they can fix it for you. Better yet; call the number yourself and advise that its incorrect. There is little to be thought suspicious on your end if you call the company yourself. Also keep in mind that if "john doe" has one bad debt its possile they have more so it could be more than one company calling.

 

[nunzia]

...we have also had some calls dealing with an ex son in law who never even lived here..anyway..what REALLY bugs me is when you ANSWER and they just hang up and don't say anything..I guess that way they can log the call or something. So..you don't even have a chance to tell them it's the wrong number..Even answering doesn't always work.

 

[jandel]

I totally agree with pp - it is not as simple as answering your phone and giving them the "I don't know this person" speech. A year or so ago we started getting calls for this lady. They called every single day and left a message. Finally, I got tired of it and answered...told them this wasn't her number and to please stop calling, etc. I was extremely polite to the person. I was called a liar and cussed. I called the number back and asked to speak to supervisor. Before the nasty person that answered would transfer me she wanted to "verify" who I was and demanded my name, address, date of birth and social security number! Yeah, I'm going to give you all that She finally transferred me and upon hearing my story the "supervisor" cussed at and hung up on me.

I began a phone log (every call, every curse word they hurled at me, etc) and after a week took all info to the local DA's office. They forwarded it to the state attorney general and within a week those calls were stopped!

I cannot believe the way these companies are allowed to do business! It's shameful and disgusting!

 

[Them!]

.

 

[mischief32]

I also got a call from a collection agency looking for my neighbor and could I go over and tell them to call. The moved out a few mnths after I got the call(I did not go over and give them the message) and lost the house. Husband was having an affair which my nudsband discovered when he was at 7-11 and saw him and another women in a compromising position.... We never really got a long with them anyway. There dog attacked our dog and we had called the warden on them.... Vicious german sherpard which was funny since we also had a german sherpard mix. If you could have seen my husband holding a 65lb dog in his arm in our yard to keep the other dog away....