How to stop phone calls....

[dollmaker]

from what I'm guessing must be a collection agency? They have the wrong number and I keep telling these people that. They don't believe me and today got very rude with me. I've always spoken friendly with them until today. I'm fed up with this person.

Also, on a daily basis I get an automated call asking for someone that doesn't live here, but with the same last name as ours...telling me to push 3 if they have the wrong number...I constantly push 3. I can only assume that this is the same "business".

How can I put a stop to both types of call? I'm on the "do not call" list, but this is different I suppose.

[NickieL]

Ask to talk to a superviser...

[beccachow]

Call the phone company, there is a code you can push that will block calls from a given number.

[grandmajo]

The next time that they call, tell them that you them that you are formally requesting that all further communications from them be sent to you in writing via USPS. And that if they continue to call you after that, then let them know that you will be recording their calls from here on out. And you will be filing a small claims case for harrassment in accordance to the Fair Credit Act.

I've dealt with these sort of companies alot, my DH has a son with his same first name. Unfortunately the son doesn't pay his bills, so they call us thinking it's the same person.

[Bluesgal]

Originally Posted by grandmajo

The next time that they call, tell them that you them that you are formally requesting that all further communications from them be sent to you in writing via USPS. And that if they continue to call you after that, then let them know that you will be recording their calls from here on out. And you will be filing a small claims case for harrassment in accordance to the Fair Credit Act.

I've dealt with these sort of companies alot, my DH has a son with his same first name. Unfortunately the son doesn't pay his bills, so they call us thinking it's the same person.

That's what I do, I also tell them I'm on the Do Not Call List as well (even though that technically doesn't apply to collection calls).

I sometimes call them back and tell them to stop calling the house. One guy wanted my name and address first. I told him you called me and must've had the number in the system, look it up that way. He refused to remove me, refused to do anything without my name and address... I told him I wanted a supervisor.. I was told I'd get a call back from one. Fat chance I thought. I was wrong.. within 20 minutes I got a call back and informed the women that they kept calling my house and that I had no relationship with their company nor would I provide my name or address. She apologized and removed my number.. haven't heard from them since.

[CarolT]

also, tell them to use the address on their records, obviously don't give them yours LOL

Had this happen a few years back. Every month, the same calls and harassment. Finally, got a rep to repeat back to me that that was our name, this was our phone number and no, the address where product was delivered <such and such> was not ours. (I'd told him if I knew the address I would try to find out who to send him to). Found out someone with the same name as DH had bought stuff, got divorced and wasn't paying his bills. I gave them his new number and never heard from them again. Know the guy had his own troubles, but over a year of calls was not going to be mine any more!

[JuliaAnn]

We had this happen. It was a recording, said push #1 if we were this, push #2 if we were that, and if we didn't push #3 we were agreeing that we were such-and-such a person and attempting to avoid debt collection, and that the information was being "stored" (which to me means 'recorded'). I pushed #3 repeatedly, the stupid recording kept looping, and I'd finally just hang up. This went on for weeks. Finally hung on the line long enough to get a real live person, and I started the conversation by stating the day, date, time and my name, and stated that the call was being recorded. Something like "Today is Tuesday, June 3, 2011, 11:14 a.m., my name is Julia Ann ____. This call is being recorded. Caller, state your name or employee ID number, company, and business". The person on the other end was a bit flustered, refused to state their name but they did name their company AND that THEY were recording the call as well (important for states where both parties must be aware that a call is being recorded). I had to say "State the nature of this call". He then got really pushy and near yelling stated it was an attempt to collect a debt from so-and-so. I stated that he had the wrong number, that I was not so-and-so, and if I continued to receive further "harassing and threatening phone calls" from them, the recording would be turned over to my attorney Mr. ____ ____ (who I named) for prosecution. And further that I demanded my number be removed from their system and that this was their one and only warning, and reiterated that the call had been recorded. The caller then hung up and I have heard nothing since.

[Harry Chickpea]

Calling the phone company won't help. These scum call from 800 numbers, which cannot be blocked. If my wife didn't need the phone, I would probably have ours disconnected.

The debt collection laws don't protect the innocent. In one case, the calls we got were because my name was similar to someone who had lived a county over. In another, we were neighbors to someone who had debt and they wanted me to go over and ask them to call the debt collection agency.

Usually the debt is old, has been bought up by these agencies that make a living demanding money on debts that either aren't real, are past the statute of limitations, or otherwise collectible.

Keep a record of the date, exact time, phone number, and name of the representative, along with what was said. If, after two attempts to have them stop calling, you may have to resort to lies. Remember that if they haven't figured out to take you off the list, each call is a cold call to them.

You can at that point lie to them with complete ethical comfort. Some things you can do:


1. Tell them that you ARE the person they are looking for. Say you want to send a check, that you have no other way of paying them. Then tell them never to call again. Once you get the address, send a certified letter quoting chapter and verse of the debtor protection law, stating that they may NOT contact you by phone or any other method and that you may collect from THEM if they violate the law.

2. Tell them the debtor has moved, and the new number is ... give them the number to the county jail or police, or your favorite telemarketer.

3. Tell them the person has died.

4. Tell them the person won the lottery and moved to Argentina (have the number for an Argentine police station to give them).

5. Try to keep them on the line as long as possible in an annoying way as possible.

6. Hand the phone to your two year old.

7. Ask them what color panties they are wearing.

8. If you have caller I.D., make believe that you are a radio station disk jockey and they have called in to a contest line, where they can win $1,000 by answering five questions. Start by stating the name of the station and continuing with "What is you favorite station?" Let them work through three more questions over a period of time and then let 'em win and get all excited. When you say that you have to get the personal information to send the check, "Aww, I'm sorry, you are disqualified, this contest was only open to..."

9. Breathe heavily into the phone and make grunting noises.

10. Use your imagination.

I once got so many calls looking for a guy with my name that lived in Nebraska. I eventually told them I'd send them something and got the company name and address. I then sent them a very official looking letter with the pertinent text from the fair debt collection practices act of 1996, and a brief outline of their behavior and a direct quote from the FDCPA for each infraction. Also noted on the letter that there was a with a CC being sent to the state attorney's office in both their state and mine. Not only did they never call back, but nobody ever called mt house and mentioned Nebraska again.

[ninny]

Just bought a new phone that has it's own call block feature. I put in the number I want blocked and that's the end of it. works like a charm. The Do Not Call list doesn't work worth a hoot.

.

[emdeengee]

If you have done everything possible to stop the calls and they still keep phoning you even though you are not the person they are trying to collect from - blow a whistle in the phone. When you answer and they identify themselves just say I told you a million times that I am not who you are looking for and then blow your whistle until they hang up. This worked very well for us when we had a collection agency that had our phone number instead of the debtors number and when in the middle of the night we kept getting a drunken obscene caller looking for Phoebe. No Phoebe here.

[Ann-NWIowa]

I do bankruptcies and after clients pay their retainer they can refer collection calls to us. Needless to say I get a LOT of them. I'm unfailingly polite until they get rude, make threats, etc. Then things tend to go downhill fast. I told one guy he should contact an attorney and he asked if I was threatening him. I said no, but if he continued in the same manner he was going to need an attorney because he'd just broken most every FTC rule on collection calls.

My all time favorite was a call for a former client. I explained that the man was deceased. She demanded an address and phone number. I again said the man is DEAD (thinking she didn't understand deceased). Once more she demanded an address and phone number. I asked her to hold a minute and looked up the address and phone number for the cemetery and gave them to her. I also told her that I doubted they would dig him up and bring him to the phone.

When you get a call, start the conversation with gathering information -- what is the name of your company? what is your name? what is your phone number? who are you calling? -- note it all down and then ask to speak to a supervisor. If you don't get the information upfront they are unlikely to provide it, so don't answer anything until they provide you anwers. The FTC web site has a "bill of rights for debtors" which lays out what collection companies are and are not allowed to do.

[dollmaker]

Great ideas....thank you all so much.

[farmerj]

*57.

After 3 phone calls. The phone company is required to take action against them.

[Pink_Carnation]

When we had a problem I told them they needed to send us proof of the debt...then they asked for my address I refused to give it to them but they still legally had to stop calling. If they continue after that I file a complaint with the FCC online each and every time they call.

[barnyardgal]

What do you do if the calling is a recording & you can't talk to anyone?? I have been getting this for about 2 weeks now,makes me mad.....

One is for lowering a credit card interest that i don't have a card!

Other one is for some one i do not know!

Sometimes they leaves messages & sometimes not...and i am on the no call list~~

[blynn]

Originally Posted by dollmaker

from what I'm guessing must be a collection agency? They have the wrong number and I keep telling these people that. They don't believe me and today got very rude with me. I've always spoken friendly with them until today. I'm fed up with this person.

Also, on a daily basis I get an automated call asking for someone that doesn't live here, but with the same last name as ours...telling me to push 3 if they have the wrong number...I constantly push 3. I can only assume that this is the same "business".

How can I put a stop to both types of call? I'm on the "do not call" list, but this is different I suppose.

I would stop pushing three. Sometimes they are scams, and pushing three or whichever number could really be authorizing long distance charges.

A couple months ago I was getting phone calls about extending the warranty of my car. They knew which make and model vehicle I had. I had no warranty on the car, bought it used. I told them I sold the car (lie) but they just kept calling. I got rather nasty because the caller who had called me was being quite rude. I think that might've been a scam, too.

[LariatLady]

Originally Posted by Harry Chickpea

Calling the phone company won't help. These scum call from 800 numbers, which cannot be blocked. If my wife didn't need the phone, I would probably have ours disconnected.

The debt collection laws don't protect the innocent. In one case, the calls we got were because my name was similar to someone who had lived a county over. In another, we were neighbors to someone who had debt and they wanted me to go over and ask them to call the debt collection agency.

Usually the debt is old, has been bought up by these agencies that make a living demanding money on debts that either aren't real, are past the statute of limitations, or otherwise collectible.

Keep a record of the date, exact time, phone number, and name of the representative, along with what was said. If, after two attempts to have them stop calling, you may have to resort to lies. Remember that if they haven't figured out to take you off the list, each call is a cold call to them.

You can at that point lie to them with complete ethical comfort. Some things you can do:


1. Tell them that you ARE the person they are looking for. Say you want to send a check, that you have no other way of paying them. Then tell them never to call again. Once you get the address, send a certified letter quoting chapter and verse of the debtor protection law, stating that they may NOT contact you by phone or any other method and that you may collect from THEM if they violate the law.

2. Tell them the debtor has moved, and the new number is ... give them the number to the county jail or police, or your favorite telemarketer.

3. Tell them the person has died.

4. Tell them the person won the lottery and moved to Argentina (have the number for an Argentine police station to give them).

5. Try to keep them on the line as long as possible in an annoying way as possible.

6. Hand the phone to your two year old.

7. Ask them what color panties they are wearing.

8. If you have caller I.D., make believe that you are a radio station disk jockey and they have called in to a contest line, where they can win $1,000 by answering five questions. Start by stating the name of the station and continuing with "What is you favorite station?" Let them work through three more questions over a period of time and then let 'em win and get all excited. When you say that you have to get the personal information to send the check, "Aww, I'm sorry, you are disqualified, this contest was only open to..."

9. Breathe heavily into the phone and make grunting noises.

10. Use your imagination.

[LariatLady]

Originally Posted by emdeengee

If you have done everything possible to stop the calls and they still keep phoning you even though you are not the person they are trying to collect from - blow a whistle in the phone. When you answer and they identify themselves just say I told you a million times that I am not who you are looking for and then blow your whistle until they hang up. This worked very well for us when we had a collection agency that had our phone number instead of the debtors number and when in the middle of the night we kept getting a drunken obscene caller looking for Phoebe. No Phoebe here.

I think I'd go with the canned air horns!!

[LariatLady]

Originally Posted by blynn

I would stop pushing three. Sometimes they are scams, and pushing three or whichever number could really be authorizing long distance charges.

A couple months ago I was getting phone calls about extending the warranty of my car. They knew which make and model vehicle I had. I had no warranty on the car, bought it used. I told them I sold the car (lie) but they just kept calling. I got rather nasty because the caller who had called me was being quite rude. I think that might've been a scam, too.

I GOT THAT same call AT WORK a couple of years ago!! They wanted to sell me a warranty so I figured I'd humor them. I told them that I had a 97 Ford Explorer with 265k miles on it (which I did at the time) and they said my warranty would cost $5800. I went hysterical laughing and when I could finally catch my breath, I told the caller that my truck wasn't even worth that much, why would I ever spend that much money on a warranty? She replied with, "So you don't want it?" So I said, "WHAT DO YOU THINK?!!" She said, "Do you want me to remove your number from our list?!" LOL!! YES PLEASE!!! lol.

A week later I got another call, but I just hung up on them.