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Stop harassing bill collectors from calling the wrong number?

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J. Edwards

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Pennsylvania

There are one or two obnoxious, persistent bill collectors who call our family phone number looking for someone with the same name as the father of the house. But he is not the debtor in question and they will not take 'wrong number' for an answer, ceasing their calls only for a few weeks and then starting right back up again with daily messages left on our machine.

How can a consumer stop these harassing phone calls?
 


FlyingRon

Senior Member
Unfortunately not. I had a deadbeat give my cell phone number out as his work number and it's been five years and I still get calls from time to time from creditors. Your best bet is to get the calling information from the collector and then call them and try to work your way up to someone with a clue.

Unfortunately the FDCPA (the stuff that regulates bill collectors) only applies to the deadbeats themselves, not for the rights of all the innocent people that the bottom feeding scum bill collectors roll over on their shotgun approach to trying to scrape a few dollars up.
 

TinkerBelleLuvr

Senior Member
My neighbor has the same problem. They get calls for someone with a similar sounding name of their son - different spelling - different birth date.

They get all the info from the caller (or use caller ID to help if caller is difficult) and write a "cease and desist" letter to the creditor for the name they are looking. They include the phone number they are calling in their attempt to reach the deadbeat.

It's been working so far for them.
 

Bosco

Member
How can a consumer stop these harassing phone calls?
It's a shame that you live in PA where you can't record phone calls without the consent of all parties. You can have a lot of fun toying with the idiot debt collectors in those situations.

With that said, the next time they call get their address and mail them off a letter (Certified, return receipt) stating that they are calling the wrong number and to stop immediately. Give them 5 days after they receive your letter to comply. If they keep calling, fire off an "Intent to Sue" letter and give them a chance to settle with you before you drag their butts into court.

Unfortunately not. I had a deadbeat give my cell phone number out as his work number and it's been five years and I still get calls from time to time from creditors. Your best bet is to get the calling information from the collector and then call them and try to work your way up to someone with a clue.

Unfortunately the FDCPA (the stuff that regulates bill collectors) only applies to the deadbeats themselves, not for the rights of all the innocent people that the bottom feeding scum bill collectors roll over on their shotgun approach to trying to scrape a few dollars up.
Actually that's not true.
Fair Debt Collection Practice Act said:
§ 806. Harassment or abuse [15 USC 1692d]
A debt collector may not engage in any conduct the natural consequence of which is to harass, oppress, or abuse any person in
connection with the collection of a debt.
Without limiting the general application of the foregoing, the following conduct is a violation of
this section:
Also if they are calling your cell phone, you can go after them for TCPA violations as well as the FDCPA. TCPA I believe is $500 per violation (phone call) and can add up very quickly. I know a guy who sued using the TCPA and FDCPA and received a rather sizeable chunk of change.
 

StephenH

Member
First get a copy of your credit report. Make sure that you are not a victim of identity theft. This can be one reason a debt collector is calling the wrong person.

Assuming that it is not ID Theft, you should call the collection agency and ask for a supervisor. Explain to them that the person they are looking for does not live at that address and to cease contacting you. If the calls continue, you might try changing your phone number. You could also have an attorney contact the collection agency and threaten them with a harassment suit.
 

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