I just got harassed by a debt collector looking to collect from my neighbor!

[Binnie]

OMG! It's 8:15 PM, and I get a call on my landline from a guy asking if I know some guy. He tells me the guy's address, and says, "he lives down the street from you, doesn't he?"

I tell him that I'm not going to give him any information about where I live, and I ask him where he got my number, he tells me that he got it from the phone book. I told him again that I don't know who the guy is and that I'm not going to give him any information about where I live. At this point, I'm upset. I told him that I knew he was calling from a debt collection agency, but that I couldn't help him. He would not get off my line.

So I hung up on him. But the guy didn't release my line for over a minute. So then I called the number on my caller ID and asked for the complaints department. So then I get sent to a voicemail!

So I'm upset--I can't believe that a debt collector called me about someone else's debt--and they were RUDE about it. A female, at night, and you're asking about her address? REALLY?!

OK. Vent over.

 

[castmemberb4]

OMG! It's 8:15 PM, and I get a call on my landline from a guy asking if I know some guy. He tells me the guy's address, and says, "he lives down the street from you, doesn't he?"

I tell him that I'm not going to give him any information about where I live, and I ask him where he got my number, he tells me that he got it from the phone book. I told him again that I don't know who the guy is and that I'm not going to give him any information about where I live. At this point, I'm upset. I told him that I knew he was calling from a debt collection agency, but that I couldn't help him. He would not get off my line.

So I hung up on him. But the guy didn't release my line for over a minute. So then I called the number on my caller ID and asked for the complaints department. So then I get sent to a voicemail!

So I'm upset--I can't believe that a debt collector called me about someone else's debt--and they were RUDE about it. A female, at night, and you're asking about her address? REALLY?!

OK. Vent over.

OhMyGod! That's crazy !!!!!
Caller ID! I don't answer any calls from people I don't know.
I'm sorry that happened to you, hope you've calmed down.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

There's a couple of things I can think of that you can do.

1.Go online to the BBB and file a complaint. Follow up with a phone call if you were really skeeved out.

2. Send yourself an e-mail documenting time, date, and all valid details. If they call back do this again. If they start harrassing, call the cops and print out the e-mails you sent yourself.

 

[T1130]

That was happening to me too! For months they were calling about a neighbor. I said I don`t know them. They were so persistant. I told them if they did not stop calling me I was going to charge them with harassement. That got them to stop. I have my own debt to worry about. I don`t need anybody elses.

 

[Just Jan]

Sometimes I Think they will stop at nothing to get the info they want. About 3 years ago a debt collector called my land line about an over due phone bill. i called back the number the next day stating my bills are up to date thank you very much.
IT TURNS OUT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR MY EX-HUSBAND. We hadn't been together for 6 years at that point AND I had a new phone # since he moved ou. I happily gave them his new wife's phone # to reach him at. She is a witch so it made me giggle as his outrageous debt was a sticking point on that marriage.

 

[denisenh]

freaky...i hope that we live in different parts of the country. you were smart about not giving info to a stranger.

 

[DebbieB]

OhMyGod! That's crazy !!!!!
Caller ID! I don't answer any calls from people I don't know.
I'm sorry that happened to you, hope you've calmed down.

Neither do I. I figure if it's someone really trying to reach me they will leave a message on my machine. Most of the time it's hangups.

 

[mickaholic4077]

Another one who doesn't answer calls from someone I don't know. I pick up the phone and then I hang up. God Bless caller-id!!

 

[Disney Doll]

I generally don't pick up calls from numbers or people or institutions that I don't recognize. On the off chance that I do pick up a call, if it's something like that I just say a pleasant "I'm not interested" and hang up.

 

[Jillpie]

Yes, this happened to me twice last year. They are desperate to collect the debt, so they'll do anything. They're also doing it to completely humiliate and embarrass the neighbor. I wouldn't even think of calling our next door neighbor and let them in on this call, I would never let them know that WE know they are having debt problems. I told them to "take us off this list", it is their legal obligation to do so.

 

[MushyMushy]

The last house we lived in, we had a debt collector coming to our house for our next door neighbor. (bank? mortgage company? I know it was for the house) The one guy who came the most would knock on my front door, the side door, and would look in my windows. The first time he came, I told him honestly that I didn't know my neighbor's name and that I hadn't seen him in a while. He didn't believe that I didn't know the guy's name and got nasty with me! The last time he came, I threatened to call the police.

The house had a foreclosure notice on it not long after that.

 

[N.Bailey]

I watched a documentary on this some time ago at Netflix. They think they'll try to embarrass the neighbor into paying the debt. The documentary was called, Maxed Out and is worth the watch (it's instant watch) for anyone who belongs to Netflix.

http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/Maxed_Out/70058892?trkid=438403

I also received a call about a neighbor one time, except the guy pretended to be the neighbor's attorney. Hey, maybe he was, but if he was the attorney, I think he'd be able to contact my neighbor himself. I can't imagine too many people would blow off their own lawyer (unless it's financial reasons). If you're desperate enough to call a neighbor, I'd imagine you'd find the time to knock on your client's door. I just told the man that there was no way in hell that I was approaching my neighbor about anything.

 

[AllyandJack]

I got a call for my "neighbor", too.

I put neighbor in quotes because I live in the country. My neighbor is nowhere near me.

I knew it was a collection agency because it came up on caller ID and I used ot be a creditor's rights attorney and recognized the name as one of our clients. The guy was nice.

I had to tell him I didn't know them and we all have 3 or more acres and no sidewalks, so, no, I couldn't go knock on their door. This guy was in PA, so no way he was coming knocking. I assumed it would be referred to my office anyway, but I didn't tell him that (hey, I'm your lawyer!)

A few months later, the house went up in a blaze of glory. Now, it's bank-owned and sitting on the market.

It seems they tried to torch the place during foreclosure actions.

I was no longer working for the firm when the rest of the stuff went down, so I have no idea what actually happened....just that it went up in flames, became bank-owned, and has been sitting on the market for a while now.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

I'm getting incessant phone calls lately from NCO Financial. I started off ignoring them, but after a few calls, I googled and found out that they're a collection agency. My last credit report check showed nothing negative, no strange new accounts, everything paid and current, so my rational mind says they're not looking for me. They must be looking for my ex-husband; his stepfather (we're still in touch) says that he's up to his ears in credit card debt again and his car most likely will be repossessed. I finally started answering the phone, to tell them I have no idea where he is - which I don't; just because I still talk to his stepfather doesn't mean I have any contact with him! - but every time I pick up, nobody speaks.

I'd send them a letter, but it's bad enough that they have my phone number. I don't want them knowing my name and address...

 

[Rora]

Ugh, I'm so sorry this happend to you OP. It is so annoying and upsetting.

A debt collector called me about my future MIL! Talk about awkward...

 

[MissFitt]

To the OP -- give any information you have to your state's attorney general.

 

[edandcolleen1995]

Well depending on who is collecting the debt, they can sure call and nose around.

They can't discuss the other person;s debt. Remember the OP said she knew it was a debt collector from the phone number. But as long as the caller did not reveal why he was calling, he is legally fine.

See as long as it is the company that is owed the debt, they can call, visit etc and interview. They can knock on the door and ask when you see the person, coming and going etc. They can't disclouse why though.

Now many folks won't rat out their neighbors, but enough do to make it worth while for them to keep it up.

In my past life, I ran a rent to own agency and we had to chase down many people (some just late in paying, some flat out stealing stuff from us) and we did everything we legally could to collect our money and/or get our product back.

Yes, we called your job. Yes we spoke to your mother in law. Yes we would come at 8am on a Saturday morning.. etc etc

 

[golfgal]

To the OP -- give any information you have to your state's attorney general.

I agree. As soon as you tell them not to call they are supposed to hang up and not call again. We used to get calls from the person that had our old phone number. We had the number for 7 years and STILL got calls. I figured that they were giving out that number as their phone number. I would politely explain that we were not them, I knew they were just doing their jobs but please take our number off their list. They were generally very polite and didn't bother us.

 

[brerrabbit]

Well depending on who is collecting the debt, they can sure call and nose around.

They can't discuss the other person;s debt. Remember the OP said she knew it was a debt collector from the phone number. But as long as the caller did not reveal why he was calling, he is legally fine.

See as long as it is the company that is owed the debt, they can call, visit etc and interview. They can knock on the door and ask when you see the person, coming and going etc. They can't disclouse why though.

Now many folks won't rat out their neighbors, but enough do to make it worth while for them to keep it up.

In my past life, I ran a rent to own agency and we had to chase down many people (some just late in paying, some flat out stealing stuff from us) and we did everything we legally could to collect our money and/or get our product back.

Yes, we called your job. Yes we spoke to your mother in law. Yes we would come at 8am on a Saturday morning.. etc etc

While certainly within the rights of the the company trying to collect the debt I can assure you that they do not have the right to harass people just because a dead beat chose to live in the same neighborhood. If such an occurance were to happen in my neighborhood I would tell the collector the same thing I tell every solicitor that knocks at my front door. I am not interested and don't know anything, but my next door neighbor has all the information they need and he is always willing to buy things. When they get there they discover he's a Sheirffs Deputy for Harris County and has absolutely no tolerance for them and strongly suggests they leave the area before he finds a reason to arrest them. Works every time.

 

[merryweather20]

Well depending on who is collecting the debt, they can sure call and nose around.

They can't discuss the other person;s debt. Remember the OP said she knew it was a debt collector from the phone number. But as long as the caller did not reveal why he was calling, he is legally fine.

See as long as it is the company that is owed the debt, they can call, visit etc and interview. They can knock on the door and ask when you see the person, coming and going etc. They can't disclouse why though.

Now many folks won't rat out their neighbors, but enough do to make it worth while for them to keep it up.

In my past life, I ran a rent to own agency and we had to chase down many people (some just late in paying, some flat out stealing stuff from us) and we did everything we legally could to collect our money and/or get our product back.

Yes, we called your job. Yes we spoke to your mother in law. Yes we would come at 8am on a Saturday morning.. etc etc

I doubt this works. This is the third one of these I have seen on the boards and someone calling, asking about neighbours, just sounds shady. It wouldn't embarass the neighbour at all either. I would assume someone was stalking them, or they had problems with identity theft. These certainly aren't things to be embarassed about, sp it wouldn't work for my neighbours.