How to stop debt collectors from calling?
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If you ask a person who had her phone number before, and I do not think you are telling the truth when he says that this person is no longer with that number, so connected,
Call your phone service provider, explain the situation and ask if you can have their number blocked at no charge to you. If that doesn’t work tell them that you do NOT know this person, and that you will report them to the Better Business Bureau if they call one more time.
Ask for their fax number, and their supervisors name. Then fax a copy of your bill with your name, and not the name of the person they are looking for. Then proceed to tell them that you are putting them on notice that this is no longer that persons number, and you are on the do not call list. If they call again, report them. This should do the trick, as long as you can prove its not the person they are looking for. You could also just pay that bill. lol.
Understand this: ALL those folks are doing is doing a job they are being paid to do. That’s it! YOU can be the exception to their “war stories“. You SHOULD BE the exception to their “war stories“.
I KNOW these are going to be hard to do, BUT YOU MUST “bite the bullet“ AND DO them:
DON’T LOSE YOUR COOL/HEAD! DON’T RAISE YOUR VOICE! DON’T SWEAR OR CURSE!
DON’T THREATEN ANYONE FOR ANY REASON AT ANY TIME FOR ANY AMOUNT.
I was there – many years ago. Here’s what I did then:
I kept a log:
Day
Date
Time
Person Calling
Company He/She Represents {[The collection agency and/or the company you [or that other person] owe the money to.]}
[They didn’t have this then] Caller ID No.
Notes about the call [what the caller said & what you said].
The caller’s comments and questions are in UPPER CASE. Your comments and questions are in lower case.
The conversation might go something like this: The phone rings. Take a couple deep breaths and clear your head. You know what this is about. There’s no need for you to “fly off the handle”
THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT OTHER PERSON
MR./MS. ______?
I’m sorry, You must have the wrong number. There‘s no one here by that name..
OH REALLY, I’M SORRY. HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD THIS NUMBER?
About ___ months.
AND THERE’S NO ____ THERE?
No, sir, there’s not.
AND WHO ARE YOU?
My name is _____.. May I ask with whom I’m speaking?
M____, THIS IS MR. U O US AT ______. I’M LOOKING FOR M___. THIS IS THE LAST KNOWN /PHONE NUMBER WE HAVE. ARE YOU SURE YOU DON’T KNOW HIM/HER?
Mr. Us., I’m a person of great integrity. I don’t have a clue who or what you’re talking about.
I GUESS I DON’T HAVE ANY OTHER CHOICE BUT TO BELIEVE YOU, DO I?
That’s what I would like you to do, Mr. Us.
Mr. Us, I gave you the best information I can about the situation as of right now, today this minute. May I ask a favor of you?
YOU CAN ASK, BUT I DON’T KNOW IF I’LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT FAVOR FOR YOU. GO AHEAD.
Mr. Us, may I please have a mailing address or an e-mail address to send a letter/e-mail requesting these calls immediately stop?
I DON’T KNOW IF I CAN DO THAT. I MIGHT HAVE CHECK ON THAT. I’LL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU.
That’s fine, but I really would appreciate an address or an e-ail address so we can take care of this matter. This way you stop wasting your time. You have more important things to do, don‘t you Mr. Us?.
I’LL SEE WHAT MY BOSS SAYS.
Thank you Mr. Us. I‘ll be looking forward to reading your e-mail or hearing from you. By the way, may we exchange e-mail addresses now?
Yes. It‘s ——–@yahoo.com .Would you please read it back to me and spell it? Thank you.
ITS —–@yahoo.com.
Thank you Mr. Us. I hope to hear from you soon.
What did you do? You put the collection agency on an alert not to continue calling you, didn‘t you? Make notes. Make notes. Make notes. Document. Document. Document. He may or may not get you that e-mail address or that physical address, BUT YOU have a record of what was discussed. What can you do with it? You just keep on logging that information and taking notes, about what was said on that call and all the other calls.
I THINK the law is still on the books about harassing telephone calls. I would consult a communications attorney about the matte. OR go on-line and see if that law still exists and how you could make it work in your favor.
OR THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT YOU.
MR./MS. ______?
Speaking
M____, THIS IS MR. U O US AT ______. I WANT TO KNOW WHEN WE CAN EXPECT SOME KIND OF PAYMENT OR THE FULL BALANCE OF $____. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA?
No. I’m sorry I don’t. I’m doing everything I can to find a new job.
and/or I’m currently out of work and believe me, I am looking for work
and/or I’m hoping my former employer will call me back to work.
M_____, THAT ANSWER JUST ISN‘T GOOD ENOUGH. I NEED TO KNOW. I HAVE TO HAVE AN EXACT DATE.
Mr. Us., I honestly don’t know. I wish with all my heart I could write you a check or give you a money order right now, but I know its just not happening any time in the near future.
YOU DON’T HAVE ANY IDEA?
No sir, Mr. Us, I don’t. How can I? Now you know from my past payment history, when I was working and earning money, I didn’t have any trouble paying you on time – every time. You know that. Don’t you?
I’M SORRY, M_____, I DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION. ALL I KNOW IS YOU OWE THE MONEY AND I HAVE TO CALL YOU TO FIND OUT WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO PAY IT.
Mr. Us, I gave you the best information I can about the situation as of right now, today this minute. May I ask a favor of you?
YOU CAN ASK, BUT I DON’T KNOW IF I’LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT FAVOR FOR YOU. GO AHEAD.
Mr. Us, may I please have a mailing address or an e-mail address to send a letter/e-mail requesting these calls immediately stop?
I DON’T KNOW IF I CAN DO THAT. I MIGHT HAVE CHECK ON THAT. I’LL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU.
That’s fine, but I really would appreciate an address or an e-ail address.
I’LL SEE WHAT MY BOSS SAYS.
Thank you Mr. Us. I‘ll be looking forward to reading your e-mail or hearing from you. By the way, you do have my e-mail address, don‘t you?
I DON‘T HAVE THAT INFORMATION, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE IT TO ME?
Yes. It‘s ——–@yahoo.com .Would you please read it back to me and spell it? Thank you.
ITS —–@yahoo.com.
Thank you Mr. Us. I hope to hear from you soon.
What did you do? You put the collection agency on an alert not to continue calling you, didn‘t you? Make notes. Make notes. Make notes. Document. Document. Document. He may or may not get you that e-mail address or that physical address, BUT YOU have a record of what was discussed. What can you do with it? You just keep on logging that information and taking notes, about what was said on that call and all the other calls.
I THINK the law is still on the books about harassing telephone calls. I would consult a communications attorney about the matte. OR go on-line and see if that law still exists and how you could make it work in your favor.
I wish you well!
VTY,
Ron B.
Wow….Ron B, you take a lot of time and trouble to come to your conclusion….let me offer a short version.
Send the collection agency a letter, making sure to include the lines below, from the Fair Debt Collections Act. Include a copy of your phone bill with your name on it.
Looks pretty clear to me, doesn’t it? If you supply them the proof the don’t live there, and they continue to call and bother you, they must “reasonably believe” that you are lying to them.
After they receive this letter, if they call you again sue them for $1000 in Small claims court, and lets see what information that have to show you were lying.
Trust me, once they get this letter and your phone bill they will leave you alone.