Collection calls

**Nishu** · 05-17-2008, 02:16 PM

Apparently the person who previously had my home number isn't paying his bills. I get (what I assume are) collection calls once or twice a day. Today guy calls up and asks for Michael, and I politely told him he had the wrong number.

"So there's no Michael there?"

"No."

"Ok, can you hold please?"

<derisive chuckle> "No."

"Why not?"

"Why should I? I already told you there's no Michael here."

"I'm trying to help you here. I was going to take you off the list but now I think I'll just leave your number on it."

"Mkay, and I'll keep telling you there's no Michael here."

*click*

It really is annoying. I've already had to sit on the phone for ten minutes with WaMu trying to get off their list. (You know how hard it us to use the automated system they use for collection message when you don't have a card number to enter? I sat and hit zero maybe 5 times before I got to someone.)

I'm getting slightly aggravated. Should I continue to let them call and just be snotty with them? It may not be nice, but I'm not going to pretend I'm a great person... just an okay person.

Is there anything else I can do to keep them from calling aside from talking to each company individually? It really makes me angry to have to jump through hoops to get them to stop calling, it's not as though those calls are meant for me.

**perSue** · 05-17-2008, 02:20 PM

what i've done in the past (when i had the same prob of whoever gave that number wasn't paying their bills)... i ended up asking for the caller's name, the manager's name, the name of the company... and a return phone number... and when i finally got ALL the info i needed... i told the caller "i have all this info (spouted it off), now i'm calling the BBB for harassment, because I've told you countless times that no one by that name lives here."

(had just looked in the phone book they would've seen MY name, not a guy's name who's last name didnt even start with the same letter!!!)

i never got another call again.

**Nishu** · 05-17-2008, 02:25 PM

OOooh... and they actually gave you that information?

I've had people hang up on me before when I asked for that.

Did you start by saying no one by the name lived there, or did you ask for the information first?

**perSue** · 05-17-2008, 02:27 PM

oh i always asked for the info first.

to get the manager or at least the name of the manager, i said "someone called the other day and said they were the manager, but i didnt get their name. i wanted to thank them for calling, can you give me that info?"

or something like that.

and then i'd apologize & state "no one is here by that name"

**janelane** · 05-17-2008, 02:44 PM

The same thing has been happening to us! I've been telling them upfront we just got this number two weeks ago and we've been getting a lot of calls. But yes, unfortunately, I think they'll keep calling until you force them to update their records. I've even had to call back those stupid, "we're a law firm, please call us at this number" auto messages to get them to stop. Pita.

We also are still getting mail here, most of them collections letters (no i haven't openned them, you can just tell it's a notice, I just return to sender) from the people who lived here before us -- two years ago. They booked (didn't even bother to get their security back from the LL) with no forwarding address and apparently lots of things in collection. It's one thing to be in trouble and not able to pay your bills, it's quite another to just up and leave, or just shut your number off to run away instead of taking care of things and complete strangers end up put out because of it. feh, people!

**StaceyS** · 05-17-2008, 02:52 PM

We installed a 3rd phone line at work last October and I'm still getting collection calls for the previous "owner" of the number. It gets really old!
I even had one guy say "come on Liza, it's Andre... Don't be like that..." I'm like , I answered the phone "Good Morning,(Company name here), this is Stacey" Duh!

**Texasgirl** · 05-17-2008, 02:58 PM

When we where getting collection calls the first thing they would ask for is dh's ss#. I asked who they where calling for. They told me they could not discuss it with me. I told them well dh does not talk to anyone until you talk to me about what it is about. I also told them I am not stupid enough to give ss#'s to anyone.

I finally called the # back during the day time hours and asked to talk to a superviser. They have not called back since.

I forgot to add they had the wrong person. They don't seem to realize that there are more then one person with that name in the world.

**janelane** · 05-17-2008, 03:05 PM

I just remembered I watched a YouTube video a few months ago of someone pranking a collection agent that had the wrong number wouldn't stop calling their business. They used a site online that has clips of Judge Judy. I'm not kidding the thing went on for at least 20 minutes, this dumb collection agent talking to -- and taking plenty of insults from -- fake Judge Judy, lol.

**Frugal Nurse** · 05-17-2008, 03:06 PM

That is incredibly aggravating! OMG!!!

I suppose the caller thinks you are not truthful and are trying to evade the responsibility- and in fact Michael really does live there.
This would be my conversation to the caller:

"I'll tell you what I do- because I see that this is a very important issue Michael needs to handle. Therefore, I will give him the message when I see him.... what is your name? How can he reach you?... what is the number? ...what is the name of the company?.... Oh I almost forgot, since I don't know this "Michael" that you speak of, could you tell me what his last name is? Thank you. When I see him, I will give him the message."
Click.

Yep.. they'll keep calling, but you have their information now. Write to them instructing them to stop calling you. Certified, return receipt letter.

**AmyMCGS** · 05-17-2008, 03:21 PM

We get calls every six months or so, sometimes we'll go a year.... but always for the same guy, and they're always banks and collection agencies. We've had this number for almost ten years now, so we assume he gives out the wrong number on purpose. It irritates me the most when it's a live person leaving a nasty message on our machine for Mr XYZ, when our outgoing message clearly states our last name, which is not even close to his. Grrrrr!

I will have to try asking for the manager's name and number next time we get a round of these calls.

**Missy** · 05-17-2008, 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by janelane

I just remembered I watched a YouTube video a few months ago of someone pranking a collection agent that had the wrong number wouldn't stop calling their business. They used a site online that has clips of Judge Judy. I'm not kidding the thing went on for at least 20 minutes, this dumb collection agent talking to -- and taking plenty of insults from -- fake Judge Judy, lol.

HAHAHAHAHA, I gotta go find that. Toooooo funny!!!

**annymoll** · 05-17-2008, 04:35 PM

Could you just say that you are sorry, but Michael is dead?Give them some attorneys number. Kinda pass the buck a little.

**ukbb** · 05-17-2008, 05:01 PM

From the Clark Howard website

Collection agencies are bothering me. What can I do?

We've been receiving a lot of questions about collection agency calls. We recommend you go to FTC.gov and read the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act so you'll know about your rights. One word of advice: Don't ignore the letters you receive. Answer them all, even if it's with Clark's "drop dead" form letter.

http://clarkhoward.com/advice/sample_letters.html

http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fdcpajump.shtm

UKBB

**Marie78** · 05-17-2008, 05:10 PM

This has happened to me the last 2x I moved and was given a new area code/phone number. For the first several months I would get calls like this for various people. It was annoying and the stupid collections people didn't seem to care if that person no longer had "your" phone number.

I called the phone company after each new move and explained what was happening and asked how long it took them to recycle the new phone number I had been issued. In both cases, it hadn't even taken the phone company a year to wait to recycle the old phone number. The phone company claimed they usually wait a set number of months, but that for some reason were not able to and they apologized for the problem I was having.

I like the idea of threatening these collection agencies for harrassment !

**kabin63** · 05-17-2008, 07:46 PM

I have found that the best method to getting rid of the callers is to give them a dose of their own medicine. I will start harassing them and they start getting real defensive. One told me I didn't have to get so nasty with them and I had no right to be that way. I said Bingo! Neither do you, now remove our number from your list! LOL It worked