phone numbers?

[CherryBomb24]

ok i'm going to explain my prediciment here.
I have had this cell phone number for almost a year now.
Since about a month or so after i got it, i have been getting calls from creditors and even friends / coworkers of the previous user of the number.
After a year, i'm still getting these calls.
One of the places that called finally told me when they recieved the number, and it was about 2 weeks ago.
This place was a collection agency that is trying to collect the money from me and that sure as hell aint happening.
What do i need to do to get these assholes off my back?
2 of the creditors have no sense of time because the last call i recieved was at 3am and the one before was at 430 am.

I got another call this morning, and the chick on the end of the line first asked for my social security number for verify who was on the line, i told her it wasnt his number but she still tried to press for my SSN. So...i proceeded to laugh at her and told her she was an idiot for thinking i was gonna give her my SSN. I told her to take me off the list and all she had to say was "Please calm down ma'am, i cannot take you off the list, its a federal offense for me to take you off the list without an excusable letter with your name, address and SSN" hahahah! YOU'RE KIDDING!
So i then got snotty in return, as she wouldnt shut the fuck up and listen to me. WIth her still saying "ma'am this is what you need to do" and me saying "its not my fucking responsibility so take me off the god damned list or i sue for harrassment."
after about 10 minutes of a round-about conversation with a dimwit, i finally said "ya know what, this is a pathetic waste of time and energy, your a bitch take me off the list good fucking bye" and i hung up.

ugh i hate people sometimes.

what the hell can i do to get this asshole to stop giving out my number to his creditors?
sorry i guess this is more of a rant than a 'how to'

 

[silverwhisper]

it sounds to me like you should do several things, cherrybomb:

1. when one of those idiots calls you, don't let them get through their canned shpiel: interrupt 'em and ask for their manager, or for their manager to call you later in the day. your case is the exception to the norm the person on the other end of the phone deals with all day.

2. once successful: explain that you've had this phone# for over a year now, tell them your carrier, and explain that whoever they're collecting for is barking up the wrong tree. point them at your carrier for confirmation. your carrier can confirm that you are [name], residing at [address], and have been so for over a year. also explain to the collection agency manager that someone is distributing your phone# in error, or maybe someone's made a typo in the phone# they are using. ask for the manager's name, the collection agency's name and either a snail mail address or fax.

3. contact your phone carrier and explain the situation and ask if they can contact the collection agency explaining your account history with them and provide them with the collection agency person's contact details.

caveat: i've never been through this myself, but i bet someone else on lit has. i will cheerfully defer to the voice of experience.

ed

 

[culloden]

I've had a land line for about three years now, and still occasionally get calls for its previous owner. No one has been as persistent as your callers, though. Asking to speak to a supervisor is a good choice.

If the previous owner is still giving this number out though, maybe you can turn the tables on him. Can you find out his name and address? Then get an attorney to draft a letter to him.

 

[bailadora]

I feel your pain. I have someone giving out my LAN line number and I've yet to find out a way to stop him. As annoying as it is, I try to handle the collection calls with a bit of humor. When they ask to speak to the jerk, I usually say something along the lines that I'd like to speak to him as well, so that I can get him to stop giving out my number. I usually wind up with a very sympathetic response and a notation in the file to not call my number. I'm with the others in that you should ask to speak with a supervisor if you can't get any help at the base level. I'll also add that you would do well to keep your language clean and to remain as calm as you can. Yes, I totally acknowledge that it's an annoying situation, but the old saying that you'll draw more flies with honey applies here.

 

[CherryBomb24]

the guys name is the same name i have been given by several creditors along with his coworkers / friends that have called me.
A guy who according to circuit court system has a rep with bad checks and lots of small claims. he does not have my name or anything, just my phone number.
its not just one collection agency - i actually had one from one of those "title for cash loan" places, apparently they wanted their 500 bucks back and were stuck in a rut with a wrong address<which wasnt mine thank god. and a wrong phone number <which is mine which sucks. he's still giving the number out as his own - like i said in my OP, the lady from one of them told me he gave them the number 2 weeks ago.

yeah i can get his name and address - i did a search on Wisconsin circuit court site and found out a little about him.
I should speak with an attorney only issue is i cant really afford one.

 

[SweetErika]

Read this and the section below it on abuse/harassment. Here's the same thing in plainer English.

Each time you get a call, write down the time, date, name of the person and agency. Get the mailing address of the agency so if they keep calling you in spite of your telling them they have the wrong number and John Smith (or whatever his name is) has been putting your number on all his debts, you can write letters telling them to stop (like the article above describes).

You shouldn't need a lawyer to write this guy a letter telling him to cease and desist using your phone number immediately and instructing him to contact his creditors to correct the number discrepancy so they will stop calling your number. Use one of those templates, just customized to your situation. You can also use them for writing to the collection agencies, if that's a step you end up needing to take.

I'd suggest sending your letter to the guy by certified mail so it seems more official and you can prove he gets it in case you ever need to take him to court over misusing your phone number. However, be careful about including your full name and address, because he might be inspired to steal those, too.

The important point here is you have rights. There are laws against debt collectors calling at night, harassing you and continuing to contact you after you tell them (usually in writing) that they have the wrong number and person and need to stop.

 

[frisky-leo]

I had a problem just like this and actually got a woman who was nice to me, and gave me a number for a national Do Not Call Registry. Don't know if this will help you, but thought I would spread the info.
888-382-1222

 

[SweetErika]

I had a problem just like this and actually got a woman who was nice to me, and gave me a number for a national Do Not Call Registry. Don't know if this will help you, but thought I would spread the info.
888-382-1222

I don't think the NDNCR has anything to do with calls from creditors and debt collectors. Unlike telemarketers, they don't call people randomly to try to drum up business. They do call the number(s) they have been given or find by searching in an effort to collect the debts they are owed (in most cases; there's a growing number who try to collect debts that have already been settled or are past the statute of limitations, and there are plenty of scammers/ID thieves who try to get personal info by posing as collectors and officials).

So, while putting oneself on the NDNCR is a good way to reduce the number of unsolicited phone calls from telemarketers, it shouldn't help one get away from calls from collection agencies.

 

[Reba67]

I've had my number for over *3* years and I still get calls for a Rhonda somebody (and someone else once with teh same last name). I just tell them that "sorry, I've had this number for 3+ years now and I don't know a Rhonda". Takes a day or two, but they stop calling with the auto dialer thing. The worst is when I can't get a reference number or anything for them to delete my number.

The thing with collection agencies is they sell the debt around, so the one who said they just got the number 2 weeks ago likely wasn't lying.

 

[Dream_Operator]

What do i need to do to get these assholes off my back?

You need to get a different number. I had the same problem with both my last land line and my last mobile. I had the land line for over four years and was still getting calls for the deadbeats who had it before.

As Reba mentioned, debt collection agencies sell these debts around. So even if you get one to stop calling, another will be calling in a month or two. Better to get your number changed and be done with it.

 

[mommymaggie]

The time thing is what bothers me the most. As long as you are living within the normal area for the area code there is no excuse for them to call you after like 8 or 9pm or before 8 am. That is a federal law.

And even if you are the person who is suppose to get these horrendous calls (which I realize you said you weren't but in case somebody else is ready this is) you can write them a letter asking them to stop calling you. Then they must - again, this is a federal law. What amazes me is all the dirty tactics these creditors use to confuse people. They cannot send you to jail, they cannot call you all hours of the night, they cannot contact people besides you more than once unless they have some reason to believe you have moved. And when they do call these other people, they cannot tell them why.

I have some pretty crappy siblings that have had terrible debt. That is why I know all about the crapola. I had a credit card company calling me every week looking for my brother... which is illegal.

Though, I need to say this - as a word of caution. The company has every right to take you to court and sue you for the money. They probably won't, but they can. If you send a letter to stop the calls - this makes it more likely they will try to sue you.

Just my $.02

 

[N_B]

It's a scam. I was hit with that, and when they asked for my SSN, and when I refused, they gave asked me if my number was xxx-yy-zzz

That was when I knew it was a phishing scam - a reputable collections agency should not divulge anyone's info like that. They were trying to play our natural disire to correct a wrong. As in "no, that's not my SSN, mine's yada yada yada."

Be carefull of this if you have not got it already. That, and the car warenty one. No one should ever call you offering an extended warenty. No one.

 

[SweetErika]

Though, I need to say this - as a word of caution. The company has every right to take you to court and sue you for the money. They probably won't, but they can. If you send a letter to stop the calls - this makes it more likely they will try to sue you.

They can file a court case and try to prove CB is the one who owes the money, but they can't win it unless she actually is the debtor or she fails to appear in court and the company wins by default.

Why would sending a letter stating the company has the wrong person and phone number, she can prove it in multiple ways, and they must stop contacting her immediately or she will sue for harassment, encourage them to sue her?

Are you sure you're not confusing a debtor sending a letter stating s/he wants to deal with the creditor directly (vs. a collection agency) and one stating the person is not the debtor and the agency must cease and desist from contacting and harassing said person?

 

[mark_j]

You all are making this way too complex...

Change your bloody number

Problem solved.

You call the folks that it is important that they have the new number and go from there.. Unless this is used as a business number and you have 10,000 cards printed with it on there it isn't a big deal. It takes a few minutes with the cell carrier to change.

Change it.

Inform those who need to know of the new number..

Problem solved.

 

[Submission13]

Have you considered turning the calls around? Have fun with them, just talk about your day PMS or what the traffic is like on your dailey commute. Eventually they will realize your not the other guy. If you get a good number for him you could always post his number on gay bulletin boards. Perhpas as a transgender seeking companionship. If they call at 3 or 4:30 am again you could always use a whistle in the phone. The person using your number is probably a scam artist.

 

[toyotomi]

Honestly, the best way to make all of this stop is to simply have the cell company change your number. Tell them you're being harassed by the creditors that are after the previous owner of that number.

I've had the same problem with my current number. Idiots calling for some guy named Gary, who for all I know, is dead. Lately I haven't gotten any for months. When they call I just hang up on them each time until I get fed up with it and finally answer and explain to them, trying my hardest not to utter every profane word I have at my disposal, that they're calling a wrong number.

The latest one that was calling me actually didn't even have a person on the line. They call me with a fucking answering machine. The message said that "they need to give Gary full disclosure before continuing, so please call this other number and listen to that message.... at which point you'll be given yet another number with an option to talk to an operator." So I said fuck that. I simply called back the number that the call came from, got an answer, and told them to take me off the list because it's a wrong number. I haven't gotten a call since.

If they give you a hard time, yeah, threaten to sue them for harassment.... just be willing to follow through with it.

But like I said and has been mentioned in previous posts.... change your number. It's an easy process and it will stop the calls since that one number is the only thing linking them to you.

 

[N_B]

I think the problem with changing your number, though simple, is one of principle.
The new rightfull owner of that number has no connection to debt, never asked to contacted, and has no obligation to deal with collectors. Why should he have to go to the trouble, though small, of changing his number? There are no new numbers out there, so odds are decent that you'll get another number that has someone's sorted past anyway.
And if these are scams, as I suspect, then the point stands doubly important. Why should someone have to change anything about themself to be free of harasment by scam artists?