Stop New Debt Collection Calls

[matthewcgraham]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Oregon

My wife was given a new cell phone number 3 years ago and ever since she has been inundated with collection calls for someone else. We have explained to the debt collector that there is no one at this number by that name, we've sent certified letters to stop the calls and it works. Until a new collector calls. Every 3 months or so we receive a new onslaught of harassing phone calls (including this morning at 6:20am which we did report to the state Attorney General's office). We explain over the phone that we were not the party they are looking for, and I will send yet another certified letter. I predict, this collector will stop. And in a few weeks the next one will start. I know the simplest course of action is to change phone numbers, but is there any other action we can take to preempt the next solicitation? Can we add a demand in the letter that they no longer contact us and erase our phone number? Or not sell it? An thoughts or suggestions would be really helpful.
Thank you, all.
Regards,
Matt Graham

 

[Zigner]

Change the number.

 

[FlyingRon]

Yes, unfortunately the sad fact is that the fair debt collection laws are designed to protect the deadbeat not the innocent bystander. Call up the cellular company and be persistent, most will change the number. I got to learn just how reprehensible the debt collection industry is when some deadbeat listed the number of my cell phone as his work number.

 

[HomeGuru]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Oregon

My wife was given a new cell phone number 3 years ago and ever since she has been inundated with collection calls for someone else. We have explained to the debt collector that there is no one at this number by that name, we've sent certified letters to stop the calls and it works. Until a new collector calls. Every 3 months or so we receive a new onslaught of harassing phone calls (including this morning at 6:20am which we did report to the state Attorney General's office). We explain over the phone that we were not the party they are looking for, and I will send yet another certified letter. I predict, this collector will stop. And in a few weeks the next one will start. I know the simplest course of action is to change phone numbers, but is there any other action we can take to preempt the next solicitation? Can we add a demand in the letter that they no longer contact us and erase our phone number? Or not sell it? An thoughts or suggestions would be really helpful.
Thank you, all.
Regards,
Matt Graham

**A: this happened to a client of mine and I send a letter requesting the cell phone provider give a new number, not a used one. It worked and it was at no charge.

 

[matthewcgraham]

Thanks everyone for the prompt and helpful replies. It wasn't the answer I was hoping for but the right answer seldom is. We'll be contacting the cell phone company and, as HomeGuru suggested, be asking for a new-not recycled-number. Thanks again,
Matt

 

[HomeGuru]

Thanks everyone for the prompt and helpful replies. It wasn't the answer I was hoping for but the right answer seldom is. We'll be contacting the cell phone company and, as HomeGuru suggested, be asking for a new-not recycled-number. Thanks again,
Matt

**A: and what answer WERE you looking for? It appears that you wanted to put up a fight with these collectors.

 

[matthewcgraham]

HomeGuru-
I was hoping for some solution that would stop collectors from contacting the wrong phone (my wife's) that would preclude the hassle of changing the number. I wasn't overly hopeful that there was a way to do this, but wanted to get a second opinion. Thanks again for your advise-
Matt

 

[davew128]

**A: and what answer WERE you looking for? It appears that you wanted to put up a fight with these collectors.

A reasonable person would hope there is a remedy that doesn't require the hassle involved with changing the number.

 

[justalayman]

A reasonable person would hope there is a remedy that doesn't require the hassle involved with changing the number.

so, which is less hassle:

changing the phone number


innumerable letters, phone calls, and eventually maybe a civil suit?

 

[davew128]

Are you playing devil's advocate or trying to make a point? Someone not knowledgeable in this would could reasonably HOPE there is some legal remedy that is easily done to stop this crap. That there isn't one is the problem, not thinking there might be.

 

[LdiJ]

Are you playing devil's advocate or trying to make a point? Someone not knowledgeable in this would could reasonably HOPE there is some legal remedy that is easily done to stop this crap. That there isn't one is the problem, not thinking there might be.

I agree. It is perfectly reasonable to hope that a solution exists to a problem that is easier than the alternatives that the person knows about. We cannot expect all persons to be educated in all aspects of life. I think we sometimes forget that when we answer posters.

 

[justalayman]

I agree. It is perfectly reasonable to hope that a solution exists to a problem that is easier than the alternatives that the person knows about. We cannot expect all persons to be educated in all aspects of life. I think we sometimes forget that when we answer posters.

I was speaking more to dave than the OP, especially since dave was addressing HG but along with that, hopefully the OP realizes that changing the phone number IS the least troublesome of their options.

 

[StephenH]

I think that in a future FDCPA re-authorization they should add a provision for new owners of phone numbers that previously belonged to debtors to officially get their numbers purged from debt collectors databases for debts that aren't theirs. I would add a provision that requires collectors that with each sale of the debt to forward all purged, do-not-call numbers to the new owner of the debt. I think faxing a copy of a current phone bill should be sufficient to prove a change of ownership took place.