wrong number - collections calls

[ZTAngel]

We got calls like that all the time a few months ago. It was from an automated service that left us a message every single time they called our house which was about 6 to 7 times per day. We went away on our honeymoon for over 2 weeks and came back to almost 100 voicemails. Omg...I was so angry. The calls would start very early on the weekends - usually around 8am. The automated message would say each time, "We are calling in regards to a very important matter. Please call back immediately." Since it was an automated call and the "important matter" was never said, my husband and I knew that it was probably a debt collector calling for someone else. We figured that if we didn't answer the calls or didn't call them back that eventually they'd give up. No such luck. We tried to get Vonage involved (they're our phone provider) but they were no help. My husband finally answered the call one day and the automated message said, "Please hold while we connect you to an agent." Yay! A live person! My husband chewed them out. They were supposedly looking for a Dave. He told them they were calling a government work line (which is technically correct since my husband is a PhD student at GATech and does a lot of his research from home). That seemed to do the trick and they never called again.

It started again last month with a different debt collector. It was a live person calling each time while we were at work and they'd leave a message saying that they needed to speak with Buford about a very important matter. No Buford's here! They called last Friday while I was taking the day off. I answered and I'll admit that I was not so friendly to them. The calls have stopped though.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by ZTAngel

they needed to speak with Buford about a very important matter. No Buford's here!

How on earth can anyone named "Buford" get credit in the first place? LOLLERS.

[Tom Earp]

Get their phone number first off before you tell them off.

Then tell them you will notify the proper authorities about the harassaing calls.

Notify your local phone company about what is going on. They can with your permission put a tap on your line.

[ForeverRoses]

I was getting these from a law firm in Arizona (and I am in Indiana). I finally called them back and they removed my phone number but not before they harrassed me about "Cedric" and if I knew him (they apparently thought I was lying about not knowing him). My husband's company has an attorney that works for them (in-house) so he ended up calling them on our behalf as well and cited some laws regarding telephone harrassment.

[PeppyGPhiB]

I would do a couple things...

First, I'd call the collection company back and talk to a supervisor. Pressing 0 almost always gets you to an operator. Confirm with them that it appears the debtor they're trying to reach has provided them (or their client) with a bogus telephone number, since you do not know the person and have had that telephone number in your name for X number of years.

Second, I'd call the company the collection agency is collecting the debt on behalf of, to make sure they have all of the above information, too.

Third, I'd order a copy of my credit report to make sure that no one has opened any accounts in my name. ESPECIALLY if I was getting a lot of calls like this, and from people looking for more than one person. This is how identity theft works.

[jitterbug13]

Originally Posted by 33girl

How on earth can anyone named "Buford" get credit in the first place? LOLLERS.

Originally Posted by ZTAngel

This is the South. It's amazing what people name their kids here. Nothing surprises me anymore.

One of my best friend's names is Buford (and he's a junior). And since he's lives in LA (near New Orleans), I doubt you would be getting calls for him. I can't speak for the other Bufords in the world.

[epchick]

EVERYDAY, I get calls at around 8:30 am and its always those automated "please stay on the line for a representative to speak to you" calls.

Seriously, if these companies don't even put in the effort to be a live person on the phone, I don't put in the effort to answer.

But I should, because I need to get these people to STOP calling everyday.

[ree-Xi]

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

Get their phone number first off before you tell them off.

Then tell them you will notify the proper authorities about the harassaing calls.

Notify your local phone company about what is going on. They can with your permission put a tap on your line.

Only law enforcement agencies can "tap" your phone, and it has to be for a very good reason.

Most phone companies do not allow blocking for these type of calls. Even if you WERE able to get their number, the calls are generated using auto-dialers that use hundreds, maybe thousands of different numbers.

The do not call list would not help you in this case because the number is presumably in databases thanks to the person(s) they are seeking. Chances are, someone else had your number at one point.

I have had this problem since we moved two years ago. "Sergio" - his real name - lived in the same town but his phone was disconnected. The standard time the phone company waits between reassigning phone numbers is 6-24 months, usually on the later side. Well, they gave us Sergio's number after 2 months. So we have had collectors, relatives, babymamas, kids, stores, and everyone else that Sergio knew, calling us.

We went to get my car tuned up one day, and the auto center had our number associated with Sergio, and you guessed it, he had bounced a check. We had to bring in our phone bill to show them that we had that number.

The best calls are the ones in Spanish. I speak about 3% Spanish, and I try to tell them that Sergio doesn't have this number anymore. I have been called "puta" more than once.

Good luck. The phone company told me our only option was to change our number, but seeing as we had just moved and given everyone our new number, we decided to deal with it.

[ZTAngel]

Originally Posted by 33girl

How on earth can anyone named "Buford" get credit in the first place? LOLLERS.

This is the South. It's amazing what people name their kids here. Nothing surprises me anymore.