New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

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burt
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New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by burt »

Recently retired and moved back to home state.
Our old mobile provider had poor reception so we signed up with a new mobile provider.
We wanted our phone numbers to reflect our new location so both of us got new mobile phone numbers.
My new mobile number is good, however my wife is constantly getting hounded by collection agencies for the person who previously had her number.
Blocking does not work because the collection agencies have hundred's of phone numbers.

Any suggestions?
Get a new phone number? What a pain.
thanks,

burt
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JMacDonald
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by JMacDonald »

Just bite the bullet and get a new number.
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livesoft
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by livesoft »

Isn't there some way to collect money from collection agencies who call you insistently?
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jabberwockOG
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by jabberwockOG »

There is no practical solution to this problem. This happened to us a few years ago with a new land line number - it was funny at first, later not so much. The debt collectors will never ever stop calling. Contact your cell service provider and explain the situation and they will issue her a new number.
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by solobuildingblogs »

1. Change your phone number if possible.

2. If a smartphone get a robo- blocking app.

3. File a complaint with your state's attorney general's office against the agency.

4. As a last resort, yes, you could choose to go after them in small claims. From a google search: http://web.mit.edu/bjaspan/www/tcpa/tcpa.html
See item 6 from: http://blog.credit.com/2015/06/12-times ... or-119419/
Last edited by solobuildingblogs on Fri Sep 08, 2017 6:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Doom&Gloom
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by Doom&Gloom »

Happened to my wife years ago. Frequency of calls gradually decreased to "only rarely" until she had to change numbers for other reasons.

It will eventually improve (may take years), but if you want faster results you need to change numbers.
Angelus359
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by Angelus359 »

I use an app called hya that has a database of spammers

Has helped me so much

Not sure if it'll help with collections
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celia
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by celia »

JMacDonald wrote: Fri Sep 08, 2017 6:11 pm Just bite the bullet and get a new number.
...and tell the carrier that you want a number that has not been used for several months. In addition, ask them to "retire" your wife's current number for several months because of the bill collector calls. If you didn't like it happening to you, neither will the next person who gets it. We thank you.
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by mouses »

I thought collection agencies were supposed to stop calling if you wrote them a letter saying you didn't owe the debt or something. Hundreds of phone numbers? Are they spoofing? Is that legal?
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retiredjg
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by retiredjg »

If it is only 1 or 2 agencies, it might be worth the "battle".

At a previous home number, I had luck with just talking to them and explaining that the phone number did not belong to the person they were looking for. I think I had problems twice and it worked out well both times.

If there are several agencies hounding the number, since this number is new, it would be worth changing to me.
student
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by student »

I once received this on my work phone. I took the aggressive approach by returning their call and yelled at them. They said it would take 24 hours for the system to register and they did not call back.
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by mhalley »

If you are not the actual person that owes the debt, then you have little in the way of recourse. If you are the person that owes the debt, you have the right to have them stop calling due to harassment, but nothing protects the innocent. I agree a new phone number since it is not one you have had for a long time is the way to go.
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by nisiprius »

mouses wrote: Fri Sep 08, 2017 7:10 pm I thought collection agencies were supposed to stop calling if you wrote them a letter saying you didn't owe the debt or something. Hundreds of phone numbers? Are they spoofing? Is that legal?
Collection agencies are scofflaws. Or, at least, the one that was hounding me was. They simply don't do what they are "supposed" to do. I ran into this once. They would not disclose their street address, their phone number, or even a fax number. The only address they would disclose for mailings was a post office box. I would send things to that PO box number and they would simply deny that they had received them.
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Saving$
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by Saving$ »

retiredjg wrote: Fri Sep 08, 2017 7:23 pm If it is only 1 or 2 agencies, it might be worth the "battle".

At a previous home number, I had luck with just talking to them and explaining that the phone number did not belong to the person they were looking for. I think I had problems twice and it worked out well both times.

If there are several agencies hounding the number, since this number is new, it would be worth changing to me.
This. I put up with messages on a home phone answering machine for years. I finally decided to start explaining they had the wrong number and no such person was or ever had been at the number, and that I did not know such a person. It took 20-30 times of this, but they finally stopped calling. A few years later it started again (for the same person) and I had to explain is again a few times.
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by pondering »

I answer all unknown callers with a very short and simple script:

May I ask who is calling?

Please put me on your don't call list. Thank you.

I hang up.
--Robert Sterbal | robert@sterbal.com | 412-977-3526
richardglm
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by richardglm »

This is really common in high demand areas. If you live in an area code with number exhaustion you're going to get recycled numbers. Asking for a new number might help, but you might get another recycled number.

If you choose to keep the number, look up FDCPA. You should be able to stop the calls easily and get up to $1,000 per violation if they continue to call.
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by Nate79 »

pondering wrote: Fri Sep 08, 2017 8:38 pm I answer all unknown callers with a very short and simple script:

May I ask who is calling?

Please put me on your don't call list. Thank you.

I hang up.
You think this would work for a collection agency? Seriously?
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by pondering »

Yep

They are free to mail me something

Try it
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wander
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by wander »

If it happens to me, I would get a new number. Your wife's number is new and not known many people anyway.
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by TIAX »

livesoft wrote: Fri Sep 08, 2017 6:14 pm Isn't there some way to collect money from collection agencies who call you insistently?
Exactly right. Find an attorney specializing in FDCPA suits and they'll represent you on contingency. When each call costs them $1000, calls stop pretty fast.
signewton
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by signewton »

if you have android, download AVG anti-virus software (premium version). Theres an option on there that allows you to block any number by sending them straight to voicemail- Your phone never rings. :beer
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by The Wizard »

pondering wrote: Fri Sep 08, 2017 8:58 pm Yep

They are free to mail me something

Try it
Right, but in this case, they are trying to reach the previous owner of that phone number, not you...
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by Lynette »

This happened to me when I got a new number. I convinced them that I was not the person that they were looking for. The calls stopped. Then that collection agency sold the previous person's debt to another agency and they started calling my number again.
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by tim1999 »

This happened to me when I got a new work cell phone number a few years ago. The previous owner was apparently a deadbeat with numerous collectors calling. The calls died down after a couple of months.

I also don't answer calls from any number I don't recognize. The bill collectors almost never leave a voicemail. OP may want to do that.
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by aristotelian »

We had this when we got our phone number. Took a while but they eventually went away. I think most were actually grateful for us explaining the situation so I would not just hang up on them.
aqan
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by aqan »

happened to me too.. after a few months of harassment I told them that 'Rob' died and the calls stopped:)
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by Yooper »

aristotelian wrote: Sat Sep 09, 2017 7:27 am We had this when we got our phone number. Took a while but they eventually went away. I think most were actually grateful for us explaining the situation so I would not just hang up on them.
As did we. We took Saving$ and Aristotelian's approach - calmly explaining that "Joe Blow" doesn't live here anymore and the date we got the number. One agency went so far as to apologize for the inconvenience and said he'd take the number off the list (before I'd even gotten around to asking if they could do that). The calls finally did stop, but about twice a year we get another call for "Joe Blow", guess his case is getting handed around.

For what it's worth, the option "If you are not Joe Blow, please press x and your number will be taken off the list and we will not call again" never worked for us. I actually had to call them back and talk to a human being.

True story, when picking up some spark plugs at an autoparts store last fall they asked for my phone number when checking out. Soon as I gave it to them they remarked, "Joe Blow...?" and I started laughing. They looked at me strangely until I explained the back story.
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by snowman »

Yooper wrote: Sat Sep 09, 2017 9:19 am
aristotelian wrote: Sat Sep 09, 2017 7:27 am We had this when we got our phone number. Took a while but they eventually went away. I think most were actually grateful for us explaining the situation so I would not just hang up on them.
As did we. We took Saving$ and Aristotelian's approach - calmly explaining that "Joe Blow" doesn't live here anymore and the date we got the number. One agency went so far as to apologize for the inconvenience and said he'd take the number off the list (before I'd even gotten around to asking if they could do that). The calls finally did stop, but about twice a year we get another call for "Joe Blow", guess his case is getting handed around.

For what it's worth, the option "If you are not Joe Blow, please press x and your number will be taken off the list and we will not call again" never worked for us. I actually had to call them back and talk to a human being.

True story, when picking up some spark plugs at an autoparts store last fall they asked for my phone number when checking out. Soon as I gave it to them they remarked, "Joe Blow...?" and I started laughing. They looked at me strangely until I explained the back story.
This was my wife's experience as well. She is way more patient than I am. I would have changed the number, but she insisted doing it her way - she told every caller that "John Smith" no longer owns this number, and could they please take her off their list. Most did, and the ones that didn't, she called back and patiently explained the situation. She was taken off the list.

It took about a year for all the calls to stop.
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burt
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by burt »

Thank-you for your responses and suggestions.
Think we may try to stick it out for a couple months to see if harassing calls reduce, before changing phone number.

"Technology is great, until it isn't." - burt

burt
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by Copper John »

On my Samsung S5 android phone I can go through the settings and enable the blocking mode and set it up so that only numbers on my contact list will ring and all others will go to voicemail. I think the ability to do this will vary on the Android operating system loaded and the manufacturer of the phone.

I believe you can do something similar to this on an iPhone using using the Do Not Disturb setting. When I googled block calls not on contact list several articles came up on doing this on an iPhone including one entitled: "Guide: Automatically block calls from anyone not in your iPhone's Contact List"
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by dreamrrr »

This happened to me. I was receiving harassing phone calls and letters in the mail for a debt that was supposedly owed by someone that no longer lived at my house. I found a form for a generic "cease and desist" letter and I found the name of the corporation that owned the collection agency. On their website, I found the emails for each member of the board of directors.

I sent them all an email that included the following. >>>

"Pursuant to my rights under federal debt collection laws, I am requesting that you cease and desist communication with me, as well as my family and friends, in relation to all alleged debts you claim are owed.

You are hereby notified that if you do not comply with this request, I will immediately file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission and the Colorado Attorney General’s office. Civil and criminal claims will be pursued."

I never heard from them again. The phone calls and mail ended very quickly after sending this.
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by JBTX »

pondering wrote: Fri Sep 08, 2017 8:58 pm Yep

They are free to mail me something

Try it
I have read this and tried it with solicitors. In theory it should work because the penalties are steep if proved they are in violation. However it mostly didn't work. Often telemarketers and especially collectors aren't the most concerned about policy and procedure. They have a single minded goal - get what they want to get their commission. I worked with a company that had collectors and their supervisor told me that some of the best collectors often had criminal records. We also dealt with third party collection agencies and the ones who are the dirtiest in their tactics are by far the most effective.
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by cherijoh »

burt wrote: Fri Sep 08, 2017 6:06 pm Recently retired and moved back to home state.
Our old mobile provider had poor reception so we signed up with a new mobile provider.
We wanted our phone numbers to reflect our new location so both of us got new mobile phone numbers.
My new mobile number is good, however my wife is constantly getting hounded by collection agencies for the person who previously had her number.
Blocking does not work because the collection agencies have hundred's of phone numbers.

Any suggestions?
Get a new phone number? What a pain.
thanks,

burt
I had a similar issue although I had had the cell phone for a while so I think the deadbeat either made up a phone number or had had it many years ago and had just gotten into financial trouble. It took a while but I told each of the collection agencies that this was my cell number and I didn't know the person they were calling about and to stop calling me. Eventually I stopped getting phone calls from the collection agencies.

You might give that a try before getting a new phone number.
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by pondering »

JBTX wrote: Mon Sep 11, 2017 12:38 am
pondering wrote: Fri Sep 08, 2017 8:58 pm Yep

They are free to mail me something

Try it
I have read this and tried it with solicitors. In theory it should work because the penalties are steep if proved they are in violation. However it mostly didn't work. Often telemarketers and especially collectors aren't the most concerned about policy and procedure. They have a single minded goal - get what they want to get their commission. I worked with a company that had collectors and their supervisor told me that some of the best collectors often had criminal records. We also dealt with third party collection agencies and the ones who are the dirtiest in their tactics are by far the most effective.

Did you log your experience or is this all anecdotal?
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SimonJester
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by SimonJester »

burt wrote: Sun Sep 10, 2017 5:23 pm Thank-you for your responses and suggestions.
Think we may try to stick it out for a couple months to see if harassing calls reduce, before changing phone number.

"Technology is great, until it isn't." - burt

burt
I would change the number sooner vs later. The longer you have the number the more people your wife will have given it out to making it more of a pain to change. If the person had a lot of debt collectors the calls may never stop...
"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by JBTX »

pondering wrote: Mon Sep 11, 2017 7:07 am
JBTX wrote: Mon Sep 11, 2017 12:38 am
pondering wrote: Fri Sep 08, 2017 8:58 pm Yep

They are free to mail me something

Try it
I have read this and tried it with solicitors. In theory it should work because the penalties are steep if proved they are in violation. However it mostly didn't work. Often telemarketers and especially collectors aren't the most concerned about policy and procedure. They have a single minded goal - get what they want to get their commission. I worked with a company that had collectors and their supervisor told me that some of the best collectors often had criminal records. We also dealt with third party collection agencies and the ones who are the dirtiest in their tactics are by far the most effective.

Did you log your experience or is this all anecdotal?
Not sure what you are asking here. But no I didn't log it. I understand that one can follow up and report violations but no I didn't do that. I would tell them to take me off their list and i could tell by the way they would just hang up they weren't taking me off any lists.

Most of the calls these days are robot calls. I have nomorobo on my home phone and it has helped tremendously for general marketing calls . I also have an app on my mobile and it has also helped. I have never had any issues from collectors so I can't speak directly to that issue.
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by wfrobinette »

Doom&Gloom wrote: Fri Sep 08, 2017 6:55 pm Happened to my wife years ago. Frequency of calls gradually decreased to "only rarely" until she had to change numbers for other reasons.

It will eventually improve (may take years), but if you want faster results you need to change numbers.
And there is nothing to say that new number won't have the same problem. Nearly every number I've received in the last several years has led to some calls. Once I tell them it's not the persons number anymore the calls dwindle down.

Best plan of attack is not to ever give up your number. I've kept my PA area code when I moved to Jersey 2 years ago and will never again change cell numbers. BTW unless your calling a cell from a landline 10 digits are required anyway. Changing a number requires you to notify everyone of your contacts and I see that as a bigger pain than giving out my 10 digit number to new friends in the new area. Most larger cities/areas have multiple area codes anyway.
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by pondering »

For actual criminal activity use

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malicious ... tification

Please note that not every phone carrier offers the *57 service
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MDfive21
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Re: New Mobile Phone number - Now hounded by Collection Agencies

Post by MDfive21 »

livesoft wrote: Fri Sep 08, 2017 6:14 pm Isn't there some way to collect money from collection agencies who call you insistently?
yes, if you want a hobby that will pay you back, check out debtorboards.com. yes that's a real site (the bogleheads of suing CAs) and they focus on extracting cash from lazy or malignant collectors. you may have just uncovered a gold mine.
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