Harrassing Phone Calls

[Texas Star]

I've been getting harrassing calls from a bill collector looking for someone who does not live here, nor has he ever. He may be an in-law of my daughter who has that name, but I never see him and don't even know his address or phone, nor do I wish to be a message center for these collectors.

I told them that he isn't here and to leave me alone but they persist, often with recordings. I called AT&T and got a major runaround. Then, some woman there told me that she can't help, and wouldn't connect me to their security division, or whoever should handle this. AT&T leaves a very unfavorable impression, but all phone companies probably do.

They wouldn't even trace the call and tell them to desist. Told me that I'd have to hire a lawyer and get a subpoena to even find out who the offending company is!

The collectors are revealing information that I think they aren't allowed to under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and are abrasive.

Is this a criminal matter, and how should I get these people to leave me alone? I've told them not to call again, and they've ignored that. I work nights several days a week, and they're disturbing my sleep.

I'm sure this is illegal, but lacking AT&T's willingness to do anything, I'm not sure who to call.

Has anyone here dealt with this sort of thing?

Thanks,

T-Star

 

[glenncal1]

I had this problem many years ago. Someone with my same name. I called the collection agency back as "Mr. XXX's attorney" and told them to leave me alone.

 

[feralmerril]

I had the same problem when we moved to this house 6 years ago. I think they finaly quit about 6 months ago. It seems someone lived at this adress who stiffed a student loan. The calls and the promises to quit them were endless. I normaly am a respectfull person, but finaly it got to the point I hated myself starting to insulting the callers like I was a guard over them in prision! Nothing worked! Maybe it was the last call where I really blew it about 6 months ago, knock on wood!
Hey, I still get mail for my ex wife, and we been divoriced since 1986!

 

[Texas Star]

I had this problem many years ago. Someone with my same name. I called the collection agency back as "Mr. XXX's attorney" and told them to leave me alone.

Glen-

I'm glad that worked for you. But I don't want to pose as an attorney. Besides, if they were alert, they'd see that I was calling from my number.

 

[Will Carry]

I had that happen to me a couple of years ago. Look the number up on Google. They don't have the wrong number, they are just fishing. My wife finally got them to stop. They would call asking for different people, that's how I got on to them. Nobody gave them your phone number by mistake or on purpose. They just call thousands of numbers hoping to get a bite.

 

[venomballistics]

I've been getting harrassing calls from a bill collector looking for someone who does not live here, nor has he ever. He may be an in-law of my daughter who has that name, but I never see him and don't even know his address or phone, nor do I wish to be a message center for these collectors.

I told them that he isn't here and to leave me alone but they persist, often with recordings. I called AT&T and got a major runaround. Then, some woman there told me that she can't help, and wouldn't connect me to their security division, or whoever should handle this. AT&T leaves a very unfavorable impression, but all phone companies probably do.

They wouldn't even trace the call and tell them to desist. Told me that I'd have to hire a lawyer and get a subpoena to even find out who the offending company is!

The collectors are revealing information that I think they aren't allowed to under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and are abrasive.

Is this a criminal matter, and how should I get these people to leave me alone? I've told them not to call again, and they've ignored that. I work nights several days a week, and they're disturbing my sleep.

I'm sure this is illegal, but lacking AT&T's willingness to do anything, I'm not sure who to call.

Has anyone here dealt with this sort of thing?

Thanks,

T-Star

get a lawyer and sue the collection company right out of their illegitimate job

 

[jag312]

Several years ago I started getting calls for someone with the same last name. After the first few calls, I told them that the person they were looking for was in Pelican Bay, a very high security state prison. No more calls.

 

[G.T. Smith]

I kept getting calls from someone trying to collect money for a debt that surely wasn't mine, or any one else in my home. I told them that several times but they didn't listen. Finally i asked to talk to their supervisor and they asked why. I told them (using several expletives), that if it didn't stop, that i would find them and make it stop. I would have, but it stopped. I had already run down the address and names of the individuals involved in the calls. Even their home addresses, but luckily for them and me, it stopped. If you can work the internet well enough you can find their home address, and when you ask them if that is where they live, it will stop, and fast. Do not make any threats.
Peace,
gordon

 

[Steve in Vermont]

While every state has different laws, I'd first try calling the Attorney Generals Office and explaining the problem. If they can't help, ask who can. In most states what these people are doing is illegal and they can be held accountable. And if they are doing this to you, I'd bet they are doing this to many others. The AG's office may be aware of this. Give them a call, you don't have to put up with this ****.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

A good buddy had this happen to him and we had a grand old time with the bill collector.

We explained to him that he had the wrong guy and wrong number many times but he would never listen. He did the same tactics you describe.

So one day when he called one of us answered the phone and said, yes you got me. Where should I send the check since I just got paid. This gives you a name and an address. Now let some time go by and when he calls because he did not get his check, you tell him you have it right on your desk and it came back return to sender. Read back the address and change something. He will correct you and so you send it again. Do this at least twice. On the third time just ask him to meet you somewhere like the mall. Obviously don't show up. Then you go for the key and ask for a phone number because you could not find him at the location you agreed to. Obviously you need his number so you can meet him next time. There is no point i trying to meet him if you cannot figure out who he is.

Now the shoe is on the other foot. You can have a lot of fun with the phone now.

Finally we wore him down and after a while he realized we were not the folks he was looking for and we were just playing with him. He gave up at that point and accepted that we were not the guy he was looking for.

 

[old bear]

You got caller ID, don’t you? Get a cheap pre-pay cell phone and start calling them, use the same tactics they are using on you; get creative and have some fun with it. I did this, years ago, to a collection guy who would not listen to reason; he gave up in less than a week.

Check with your state A.G. and see if they can’t help you.

Once you have a phone number use the backwards directory, get a street address for the phone, and then pay them a call and nicely explain that you are not the person they are looking for and you have no idea who this person is. If you are going to do this it’s also a good idea to have a video record function on your phone, or a micro- cassette recorder.

told them that if they didn't stop I was going to start posting their names and phone numbers on every men's room wall that I go to for a good time. Surprisingly, the calls have now stopped.

See this was the kinda of creative thinking I was talking about.

 

[hiredhand]

Get in touch with the Texas Attorney General's office. You can actually file a complaint via the internet. Give as much information as you can about the company. The next time the collector calls, tell him that his calls are harrasment and you have turned him in to the TAG. Also file a complaint with the United States Consumer Protection Agency and let the collector know about this. If this does not stop the ignorant idiot from calling, get a recording of the calls, and take the company to small claims court. And if you have the address of the company, write them a letter to stop bothering you and show a carbon copy to your lawyer, the TAG, and the USCPA.
Good luck with stopping them.

 

[Ogandydancer]

I was getting calls for awhile for a person that used to live next door to me and I didn't even know she had given me for a reference or given my phone No. I finally talked to the people after about the tenth call and told them she had never lived here and I never heard of her and when they verifired it they finally quit calling me. Guess I must have gotten lucky.

 

[David LaPell]

Been getting this same issue with my cell phone. I get calls for someone who I don't know, or never knew. For a while I would tell them to stop, then they would start up again. The two worst was a collections agency some sort of government education agency. Luckily I started getting voicemails so I called them back and politely told them that if they didn't stop I was going to start posting their names and phone numbers on every men's room wall that I go to for a good time. Surprisingly, the calls have now stopped.

 

[m1gunner]

Ask for the Guy's full name (it is never a woman). Ask for his supervisor's name and the name of their company on their state issued business license.

When he refuses, tell him Federal Law requires him to provide you with that information (IIRC, it does). When he refuses again, hang up and program his caller id number into your phone. Do some research, and find his physical location, send him some rotten fruit or dead flowers. Next time you hear from him, ask how he liked the daises, then get personal.

edit to ad: A guy I worked with years ago had this kind of problem. He had a dump truck load of manure left in the phone guy's driveway (a BIG dump truck load) while the guy was at work .

 

[jlrhiner]

Ask them for an address to send the payment. Then send a certified, return reciept requested, letter telling them to stop. Also copy your state attorney general's fraud division and tell them that you are doing so. Then if it persists, sue their asses. I've also had luck telling them I record the conversations.

 

[Kanewpadle]

Make sure you got the right number and try contacting the FTC.
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/

Also register with the National Do Not Call Registry.
https://www.donotcall.gov/

When they call tell that you owe noone money or your payments are current, so they must be a solicitor ot telemarketer.

Then tell then you have registered with the Do Not Call Registry and that you will file a complaint against them.

This worked for me once.

 

[Texas Star]

I am registered with the Do Not Call people, and that did stop most marketing calls.

Yes, the voices are lower class-sounding males, with rough, abrasive voices. But one is a recording that sounds like an Indian or Pakistani woman trying to sound British. If I call, someone else will probably answer and put me on hold to "put me in my place" while they look up a file.

I'm pretty sure that a lot of this is illegal, and will try to get a phone number and address to give to the Texas AG and the FTC, who I think enforce the collection laws.

Can I hit *67 when they call and learn the number of the last caller? I've heard that. If I can get a number instead of them just blustering and hanging up, I may be able to hunt them. I doubt they're local.

T-Star

 

[Texas Star]

Ask them for an address to send the payment. Then send a certified, return reciept requested, letter telling them to stop. Also copy your state attorney general's fraud division and tell them that you are doing so. Then if it persists, sue their asses. I've also had luck telling them I record the conversations.

I did that a few years ago, and it costs money to send those registered letters and is a hassle to go to the post office to mail them. I'd rather have officials handle this, unless I call a lawyer and he tells me that I can sue on a contingency basis and that enough money is involved to bother.

T-Star

 

[billdeserthills]

I've been getting harrassing calls from a bill collector looking for someone who does not live here, nor has he ever. He may be an in-law of my daughter who has that name, but I never see him and don't even know his address or phone, nor do I wish to be a message center for these collectors.

I told them that he isn't here and to leave me alone but they persist, often with recordings. I called AT&T and got a major runaround. Then, some woman there told me that she can't help, and wouldn't connect me to their security division, or whoever should handle this. AT&T leaves a very unfavorable impression, but all phone companies probably do.

They wouldn't even trace the call and tell them to desist. Told me that I'd have to hire a lawyer and get a subpoena to even find out who the offending company is!

The collectors are revealing information that I think they aren't allowed to under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and are abrasive.

Is this a criminal matter, and how should I get these people to leave me alone? I've told them not to call again, and they've ignored that. I work nights several days a week, and they're disturbing my sleep.

I'm sure this is illegal, but lacking AT&T's willingness to do anything, I'm not sure who to call.

Has anyone here dealt with this sort of thing?

Thanks,

T-Star

Here in Arizona I would hit *57 right after hanging up on the bill collectors call. That will initiate "Call Trace" two traces are required for action to be taken from the same phone #. My phone company charges a few dollars each time I dial *57.