Telephone Harassment by a Business

[quincy]

Do you have a link to the information that shows this? The OP is not the debtor...

I posted a link to the Do Not Call Registry. The fine does not apply to debt collectors who are collecting on a legitimate debt.

 

[Zigner]

I posted a link to the Do Not Call Registry. The fine does not apply to debt collectors who are collecting on a legitimate debt.

Right- as they believe they are. Also, these are not telemarketing calls. I do not believe that the Do Not Call Registry rules will provide much relief in this instance.

 

[quincy]

Right- as they believe they are. Also, these are not telemarketing calls. I do not believe that the Do Not Call Registry rules will provide much relief in this instance.

On the FTC site it says: "Companies that illegally call numbers on the Do Not Call Registry or place an illegal robocall can currently be fined up to $42,530 per call."

The question here is if the rental company (or the collection agency representing the rental company) has been given adequate notice to stop the calls.

 

[Zigner]

On the FTC site it says: "Companies that illegally call numbers on the Do Not Call Registry or place an illegal robocall can currently be fined up to $42,530 per call."

The question here is if the rental company (or the collection agency representing the rental company) has been given adequate notice to stop the calls.

I'm not convinced that this case would be handled by the FTC if a complaint were made, but it couldn't hurt. In any case, the OP seems to be getting somewhere with the company.

 

[zddoodah]

Can I sue their company for harassment?

Anyone can sue anyone for anything, but you'd lose if you did this.

All you need do is block the number, change your number, don't answer the calls, or simply hang up. There's no legal issue here.

OK so I won't win, but would it cause enough commoption to get them to stop calling?

No one can intelligently predict the future in this way.

Would they offer me a settlement to avoid the hassle

No.

 

[quincy]

I'm not convinced that this case would be handled by the FTC if a complaint were made, but it couldn't hurt. In any case, the OP seems to be getting somewhere with the company.

I agree. Filing an FTC complaint wouldn't hurt - although it doesn't appear a complaint will be necessary. The president of the company seemingly responsible for the calls appears to be working on it. That could be enough to stop the unwanted calls.

 

[FlyingRon]

The law protects the deadbeat. The innocent bystander is screwed.

 

[quincy]

The law protects the deadbeat. The innocent bystander is screwed.

It is hard to rid yourself of a persistent debt collector, whether you are the debtor or not. At least there are a few ways now to help the victim of unwanted callers. Not perfect ways, of course.

 

[FlyingRon]

It is hard to rid yourself of a persistent debt collector, whether you are the debtor or not. At least there are a few ways now to help the victim of unwanted callers. Not perfect ways, of course.

Not even very good ones. FTC complaints are wholly for statistical purposes until they rise to the levels of massive robocalling and then they might take some action. The police won't help in most cases. Most harassing call statutes require an actual intent to harass not just an aggressive attempt to contact someone.

 

[doucar]

When I worked as counsel to the industry about 15 years ago, they ran into individuals who set up multiple phone lines and recorded multiple robo calls from the same companies and used them to sue the calling companies. After several back and forth and a few successful law suits, they began to "settle" these claims as a cost of business.

 

[quincy]

When I worked as counsel to the industry about 15 years ago, they ran into individuals who set up multiple phone lines and recorded multiple robo calls from the same companies and used them to sue the calling companies. After several back and forth and a few successful law suits, they began to "settle" these claims as a cost of business.

Could you clarify please, doucar? Which industry?

 

[doucar]

A company that used telemarketing for the bulk of its advertising.

 

[quincy]

A company that used telemarketing for the bulk of its advertising.

Thanks for answering my question, doucar. I wasn't sure if you were referring to the FTC or not.

 

[eerelations]

Many many years ago I received such calls on my new phone for a person named Suzanne who apparently owed a lot of people a lot of money. After repeated attempts (like five or so) to tell the callers that I was not Suzanne, I asked one of the callers to put me through to his/her supervisor. He/she did, and I explained that I was not Suzanne. I also told the supervisor my full name and suggested that if she/he called information with my name (which was not Suzanne), she/he would discover that my number was not attached to anyone named Suzanne. I never received a call again from these debt collectors.