A "Do not call this number" question***UPDATE***

[Strawboss]

OK, quick, I own everything except the car loan we have which stands currently at under $10,000, credit cards below $300, always paid on time and paid off early, no cable, no contract Trac Fone cell phone, credit score last year for car loan was WAY up there, can't remember, maybe 800 something? All bills paid, all utilities paid on time, all taxes paid, nothing in arrears. Buy almost everything with cash.

Started getting calls on Trac fone from out of town, I have never answered them as I know nobody at that area code, they never leave messages. Out of curiosity I called this number from another number, got what sounded like a collection agency, they wanted my name, nope, not gonna get it, I ask them who they are looking for, they say they will not tell me, I ask them 3 times to stop calling my number, its a "chat and chuck" no contract cell phone, obviously my number is the number of the person they are looking for that used to have my number. As of today they average calling me 5-10 times a day.  I have my phone set up to automatically reject them and send them to my voice mail where my recorded name is given.

My research shows it is a collection agency used by Verizon wireless called CBE Group based out of Cedar Rapids Iowa. It also show numerous complaints and lawsuits by many people and the Attorney General of the state of Iowa concerning harassment and false claims and badgering etc... I live in Ohio.

I've never done business with Verizon anything, never had wireless anything, never had cable, never had internet never had a cell phone.

Never co-signed anything, never had my name on anything bought by anybody. Never had my name on any contract for anything ever except something by me for me. Same with my wife. TracFone only used for emergencies, basic 8 year old antique, no smart, no pics, no internet, no purchases from it, it rings, I talk, that's it.

My question is, can I just start calling these people as many times as they call me and just ask them to stop calling me? When you call, they ask your number and they give their first name. Can I just start calling Steve at CBE Group and advise him that this is the-pick a number- first, eighth, tenth time I'm calling him to tell him to stop calling me. I mean if they can do that to me, why can't I do it to them?

Since they don't have my address, they never sent anything, I know, easy to find, I never gave it out and its unlisted, all they have is my Trac Fone number and area code for Ohio.  If they have put forth this much effort to call me, then it stands to reason if they REALLY wanted to find me, they would just send a letter or a supeona. They obviously can't do that or they would have already.

I know, different states, different laws, but I thought a "do not call" list was federal. I don't want to contact a lawyer, I just want to give them back what they have given me, a waste of their time.

Any thoughts?

[VirginiaJim]

Exceptions for the Do Not Call Registry...Bill Collectors are one of them..

http://www.thenonprofittimes.com/management-tips/5-exceptions-to-the-do-not-call-registry/

I get strange calls all the time.  Never answer them.  Most are 'masked' and come in like a local number, so I've stopped answering anything I don't recognize (with the exception of Charlie747 once I figured out it was from England.).  I'll do a Google search on the number and see what comes back as well.

[sherob]

I just block the calls now... iPhone, press the (i) to the right of number, brings up Menu, press Block This Caller.  Done!

[VirginiaJim]

    Too bad it doesn't send a lightening bolt back through to the caller or an air horn sound..

[Rhino]

   Too bad it doesn't send a lightening bolt back through to the caller or an air horn sound..

  A swift kick to the nuts would also be appropriate.

[VirginiaJim]

They probably got his number confused with someone else.  It happens.

Also wouldn't be a bad idea to pull a credit report and see if anything is on it.  I did that some years back and found a 'bad debt' that I absolutely knew nothing about and the collection agency was one of my clients!  They weren't calling me but I called them to get it squared away.  Turns out it was a bill from a hospital concerning treatment for my eldest daughter.   She wasn't on my insurance then but it was under a $100 so I took care of it.  I guess the hospital bastids looked back a few years, found my name and tried to collect.  We weren't even in the state any more.  Wasn't worth fighting over so I got it taken off my record.  My daughter hadn't received a bill either.

[Strawboss]

Thanks, all, kinda figured it wouldn't apply to bill collectors. I have my phone set up so when they do call, it just makes a little "chirp" when it auto rejects the number, that's the best I can do, I called Trac Fone and they said that's all I can do. At least its only one number they are using to call me. So far, I figured they have called me probable 100 times over the last month, that's a bit tenacious, I figure they are using computers to place the calls. I have a brother with a very shaky financial history, same last name, same area code, I haven't asked him yet, its possible. I know I may be able to stop all this by giving them my name, but I still can't be sure they'll stop calling me, they never said if I did they will, but now its a matter of principal.

[VirginiaJim]

Then it has come to this..

http://youtu.be/E8_GVfPuw4M

[Conrad]

A swift kick to the nuts would also be appropriate.

 

[DeansZG]

  Hey there Dave..... 
    I gave(literally) one of those individuals an ear-full a few yrs. ago like this;  I stopped by the local marine store & purchased one of those canned air horns.  The next time they called, I spoke to them in very soft tones so they would have to listen very closely, often repeating myself a few times because they couldn't hear me, & after a minute I placed the mouthpiece of the phone AT the air-horn & gave it a 20 second blast, then ended the phone call.....  End of annoying telemarketer......

  At the home phone, we get telemarketers at least once a week, due to xfinity's 25 phone # limit on blocked calls    When they call now I pick up the phone & do not say anything, just listen..... After 20 seconds or so, they disconnect the call & 98% do not call back either.

[jim_de_hunter]

I file a complaint on the Do Not Call Registry usually.  It keeps the same number from calling.

I will also blow through and talk to a person.  I ask immediately, "What my name?" The replay is usually, "Wha.......?".  And then I repeat, "What's my name?  You're not suppose to call me if you don't know my name. What's my name?  By then they disconnect.

[Deziner]

I tend to ask politely for them to stop calling me once or twice. After that I generally get obnoxiously vulgar. I ain't saying it the correct thing to do, it's just how I handle it.

[Strawboss]

I like that Jim. And eventually Deziner that's what I'd like to start doing. Got some more research to do. I would imagine if I really do owe someone, I would think that I would have gotten a number of threatening bills in the mail, or a phone call on my landline.

[T Cro ®]

I simply do not answer our phones unless I recognize the caller and even if I do I may still not answer.....

[Nosmo]

In theory, if you have never done business with them, and you demand they don't call you, they are supposed to respect that.  Yeah, right.

A couple of years ago I was inundated with calls from "Rachel" at "the credit Card bureau", at least once a night sometimes more. I did file complaint with the on-line version of our State Attorney General's Consumer Affairs office, to no avail.

One night I decided to push "1" to speak to the "operator", which resulted in a long cursing contest (which I always win).  After describing to the off-shore person exactly what I was going to do with his dead camel's guts and all of his seven children, they stopped calling me.

I did have a go-around with a collection agency many many years ago, where the had my number tangled up with some dead-beat, but they did stop after three tries.

I LOVE telemarketers. 

[Strawboss]

I know, all I get is a little "chirp" on the cell phone when they call, these aren't telemarketers, its a slick collection agency that's huge and knows what its doing. Many companies refer to them for their collection needs. I just figured before I lay into them I need to know what's going on as I'm also quite good at cursing as its a sort of art form at the firehouse.

[MS1400]

I alway answer, "Oh Yes you may speak to him, I just need the Credit Card Number and the 3 digit code off the back and we will get you started, once it goes through, you'll have 10 minutes and then if it goes over that, it will send you back to me.  CC Number?  (They usually hang up at that point) A few hang out and I explain this guy is a famous celebrity in whatever world you want to dream up, ok Motorcycles, and he charges to talk to you, keeps the riff raft down and this way we can keep track of who he talks to with some positive ID..........ok again, Credit Card number?  If they persist, just say, Oh, we don't do that send a Certified letter please!  Bye Bye! 

[Conrad]

In theory, if you have never done business with them, and you demand they don't call you, they are supposed to respect that.  Yeah, right.

A couple of years ago I was inundated with calls from "Rachel" at "the credit Card bureau", at least once a night sometimes more. I did file complaint with the on-line version of our State Attorney General's Consumer Affairs office, to no avail.

One night I decided to push "1" to speak to the "operator", which resulted in a long cursing contest (which I always win).  After describing to the off-shore person exactly what I was going to do with his dead camel's guts and all of his seven children, they stopped calling me.

I did have a go-around with a collection agency many many years ago, where the had my number tangled up with some dead-beat, but they did stop after three tries.

I LOVE telemarketers.

That would be my old 'friend' 'Rachel' at Card Services. I played along with this scam a couple of times and told them that I do need to have my CC debt 'reduced'. I played along right up to the point where they asked for my personal info. They thought that I was on the hook for sure. I then asked how they felt to have their time wasted and what a POS they are for trying to rip people off. Click.

I now block as many of these types of calls as I can and for the rest I don't answer the phone if I don't know the number. If it's important they'll leave a message.

Good luck Boss!

[Rhino]

I've spent some quality time with "Rachel" myself.

That would be my old 'friend' 'Rachel' at Card Services. I played along with this scam a couple of times and told them that I do need to have my CC debt 'reduced'. I played along right up to the point where they asked for my personal info. They thought that I was on the hook for sure. I then asked how they felt to have their time wasted and what a POS they are for trying to rip people off. Click.

I now block as many of these types of calls as I can and for the rest I don't answer the phone if I don't know the number. If it's important they'll leave a message.

Good luck Boss!

[Cholla]

Thing is, these collection agencies have no way of knowing it is YOU they are calling. As far as they know it is the previous holder of that phone number and you are telling them it's not the person they are seeking.