how to stop calls from debt collection agencies for random people

tyler_cracker · #1 03-31-2007, 12:18 PM

i'm getting really sick of this.

i periodically get phone calls from machines trying to find people i have never heard of. when i answer the phone, they say something like,

"hello. i am trying to reach...[some name in different computer voice]...with an important personal business matter. if you are this person, press 1. if you can bring this person to the phone, press 2. [blah blah blah]. if you do not know this person, press 5."

i press 5, and it says, "sorry for the inconvenience".

if the machine calls and gets my answering machine, it leaves a phone number to call.

this has happened several times over the last year or two with different names.

once, i googled the phone number they left on my machine, but i didn't get very much information. it looks like these calls are coming from debt collection agencies. one example is 1 800 807 4106, which pulls up a company called DRS.

if i call the number to talk to a person, they refuse to tell me what company they work for, why they are calling me, or to let me speak to a supervisor. if i start yelling at them, they just hang up on me. all they will do is say that if i'm not the person they want, they will remove my number from the system.

the last person i've been getting calls for is daniel diyoma or something. i have already told machines twice that he does not live here. the last call i received was at 0900 THIS (SATURDAY) MORNING, which is obviously unacceptable.

so, OOT, please help me protect my beauty sleep. if there are ways to make life more miserable for the companies that are harrassing me, that would also be awesome.

other info: i'm already on the federal do-not-call list. my phone number is not remarkable (like 555-9999 or something).

chesspain · #2 03-31-2007, 12:28 PM

I've had my landline number for eighteen months, and I'm still getting phone calls for a Cathy Hutchinson. I just tell whomever is calling that this no longer her number. Sometimes, though, I am so close to pulling a Danny Devito (from Other People's Money) and saying, "Sorry she can't talk now, but she's sucking my dick."

P.S. Why are you even bothering to listen to and respond to an automated message for someone else. Just hang up.

kerowo · #3 03-31-2007, 12:35 PM

If you can't get ahold of a real person or the collection agency isn't listening to you I'd suggest changing your land line. If lots of people only call you on it the hassel factor is high, if most people only use your cell it won't be so bad.

I had someone looking for someone with my name and telling them I had a different ssn made them eventually stop calling me, but it took a couple of iterations before they finally figured out my address/phone # wasn't this other deadbeat. You might try saying you are that person's name but not the one they are looking for, that might work.

guids · #4 03-31-2007, 12:46 PM

I hope Janet Anderson rots in hell.

GambleGamble · #5 03-31-2007, 12:46 PM

....also try hitting 1 instead of 5 and talking to an actual person and making sure they remove the number, the automated systems usually just hang up the line without removing the phone number, which usually has to be done manually....

....I will never understand why people get fired up for a wrong number, its inevitable whenever you change your number and can go on for a while, just say its a wrong number hang up and move on with your life....

....FWIW I have been a collector for 13 years

d10 · #6 03-31-2007, 12:48 PM

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...Number=4617343

I ended up just disconnecting my phone line.

bluey · #7 03-31-2007, 12:57 PM

press 1 and [censored] with them.

tyler_cracker · #8 03-31-2007, 01:13 PM

[ QUOTE ]
....also try hitting 1 instead of 5 and talking to an actual person and making sure they remove the number, the automated systems usually just hang up the line without removing the phone number, which usually has to be done manually....

[/ QUOTE ]

good to know. thanks.

[ QUOTE ]
....I will never understand why people get fired up for a wrong number, its inevitable whenever you change your number and can go on for a while, just say its a wrong number hang up and move on with your life....

[/ QUOTE ]

i have already indicated twice that this is a wrong number, yet i continue to receive phone calls. this is what gets me fired up.

now, it's possible that i'm getting calls from different collection agencies, but due to the shady-ass way these companies do business, i have no way to determine that.

tyler_cracker · #9 03-31-2007, 01:16 PM

[ QUOTE ]
P.S. Why are you even bothering to listen to and respond to an automated message for someone else. Just hang up.

[/ QUOTE ]

because when i ignore the messages, they keep calling me. i want them to stop calling me, though obviously my strategy seems to be lacking in results :|.

tyler_cracker · #10 03-31-2007, 01:17 PM

[ QUOTE ]
If you can't get ahold of a real person or the collection agency isn't listening to you I'd suggest changing your land line.

[/ QUOTE ]

this is not a good solution for me because i use the phone for my job and it's all over marketing materials and stuff. also, the principle of the thing. also, what's to say that when i get a new number all this [censored] won't happen with that number?