Creditors

[oldrooster]

I have a very unusual last name and I got a phone call for a person with the same last name threatening a law suit over her debts, but I have know clue who she is and told the people as such. Of course they told me I was lying and I did know her, at which point I asked if everyone with the last name of Williams or Johnson where related. The guy told me that those where not his last names. I have an idea that these folks will keep calling me, plus they claim they got the phone number from her for contact info, but they never had the wrong middle of initial and they had my deceased father first name (which I keep paying the bill on since he lived with me at the time of his death and I still use the phone since it's in my house but neither of us had that initial). He claimed he was going to contact such and such county (none by that name here in my home state). What should I do to get these folks to leave me alone since I do not know the person and have no idea of how to contact them or desire to if I did. BTW My father was 1 of only 2 boys to have children by his parents and my first cousins by my Uncle I do know barely but my Uncle is also dead and I have know Idea who my second, third etc. cousins are, and I have know idea who my fathers sisters kids are (my own first cousins) family ties where never important to my father's family.

 

[sourland]

There is a person living in my area with a similar name - Evidently he is bad on paying his bills. Since he has an unlisted phone number, I get calls regarding his bills quite frequently. The doctor wanting payment for services rendered on my teenage son (I requested a DNA check), the collection agency threatening to repossess my two Ford products (told them to come on over but duck the buckshot if they touched my Nissan pick up), unpaid loans - you get the picture. Now when I get these calls I give my full name including middle initial, date of birth, last four digits of my SS # , and then tell them any further calls will be regarded as harassment and passed on to my attorney. I used to yell, swear, and raise my blood pressure when dealing with these people. The rational approach works much better. Good Luck! I know how aggravating this can be.

 

[speckledhen]

Creditors are not very talented investigators, to say the least. I know this first hand. I was a realtor, therefore, had my own name listed in the phone book. A deadbeat woman by my name was obviously missing some phone calls because I was receiving them from her creditors, telling me to pay up or else. I told the idiots to check the SSN, not just the name (there were quite a few with my name, surprisingly, in the metro Atlanta area, but most were a different race) and think about why someone with as bad a credit rating as she had would list her full name in the phone book to be found so easily. Then, I said not to ever call me again. I even got court papers meant for her.

Same with a guy who lived one street over from us (both streets started with "M") in Utah, same first and last name as my DH, but different middle initial. Again, same trouble.

 

[oldrooster]

Funny I just did a white pages look up for my whole state and it listed my number, and both of my brothers for the whole state. This person would have had to have either an unlisted number or not even lived in the same state I live in. and only 3 (valid) listed in the 4 states bordering mine, What I mean valid my uncle is listed and he moved from that state 25 years ago and has been dead for 13 years and 2 cousins moved 5 or so years ago and are still listed....

 

[cassie]

Creditors like to see if they can bluff you. A few weeks ago I got a threatening letter and an even more threatening follow up call from a collection agency. I have an old (very old) outstanding credit card balance for things I never purchased. How do I know? The items were bought in Georgia, and I have never been there. I couldn't get the matter straightened out, but the statute of limitations on the debt, even if I did owe it, has loooong expired. I politely told the collection agency to quit bothering me, that I didn't owe the debt, that I wasn't going to pay it, and due to the statute of limitations I was under no obligation to pay it even if did owe it. I haven't heard anything from them since.

The best way to handle nuisance calls is to get caller ID and to make use of your answering machine.

On an amusing not, for several months I was getting calls from various social agencies about the misdeeds and missed court appointments of my juvenile delinquent son, Guadalupe Gonzales. I found this interesting because I never had any children. I told the social workers that I didn't have a son, but that if I did, and Guadalupe was my son, the court would be the very least of his worries. Apparently Guadalupe had to provide a contact number to the authorities, and he made one up. It just happened to be mine.

 

[thaiturkey]

Old rooster, for all you know there may not be a debt at all. Someone may be fishing for your personal details. I suggest that, if they call again, you ask for the alleged debtor's personal information, including date of birth and address and the name, address and 'phone number of the caller and his or her company. Don't give any personal information about yourself.

If you are then satisfied that the debt is not connected with you in any way, threaten to use the law should you be harassed again. I don't know what relevant laws you have where you are but in the UK, if someone intimidates you three times you can call the police who will arrest them on a criminal charge.

 

[bgelber]

we get phone calls for the previous people that had our number, they still give it out to this day. About every six months we start getting phone calls from debt collectors for them. Most are nice and when you tell them the situation they quit calling, but you get one every now and then that calls you a liar. I just simply tell them I don't know them, never have and if you call me again I'll let my attorney talk to you, works every time.

 

[PaulaSB12]

When I brought my home, the couple I brought it from left debts of £10000 that they used to replace the windows with. Managed to get that stopped but I get phone calls asking for the people they brought the house from. Now as the previous owners lived here for 2 years and I have been here 15 years that makes 17 years ago and they are still looking for them.

 

[bakerjw]

In these situations, you should log all activities such as phone calls, etc...

On the first call, ask them to identify exactly who they are and exactly who they are attempting to contact. Inform them that you are not that person, do not know that person and have no way to contact that person. Then politely ask them to update their records and inform them that any future calls will be considered harassment and that appropriate legal actions will be taken. I do not abide well by harassment.

 

[chickened]

I would just ignore them. Back in 1989 I had a Nissan pickup that I did a voluntary repo on as I was current on all payments but the dealer would not fix some problems with the vehicle so I dropped it off at the dealer and said fix it or don't call me... it was under warranty, brand new. Anyways, I still get calls saying I owe them about 3 times a year and it is from a different company each time. They sell the debts and re-sell the debts to collection companies and as with my case the statute of limitations in Oregon is long gone and there is no way they are getting anything from me. I now tell them if I actually answer (caller ID) that that person no longer is living. The truck was a junker.

As for harassment I can take just about anything short of physical I am pretty laid back about those folks.