I have old debts with last contact from mid 1998. At that time I tried to get them to work with me but, they refused and only demanded large payments I could not make. So I have avoided them ever since. I was told that the SOL runs from point of last contact which was nine years ago now. Somehow they have gotten hold of my current phone number and are leaving voicemails stating this a call for my full name and that they are attempting to collect a debt. They have no way of knowing it this is actually my phone or someone elses since my greeting does not indicate who they have reached. The beginning of their message states that by continuing to listen your are acknowledging that you are my full name. Most anyone out of curiosity would listen to such a message to see what it is about so, aren't they violating some law by leaving such messages that could potentially be heard by someone other than you? How do I get them to stop without letting them know they have actually reached me?

I received calls like this at work that were left on my voice mail. I always thought it was kind of dumb, cause like you said, anyone would or could listen to it. My voice mail greeting does start out giving my name and I thought that was how they got around leaving it. Now, if yours doesn't give any identifying info, it does seem like they could potentially be in the wrong. If they have your phone number, then it seems like they could get other info like employment, address, etc. How long have they been calling?

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"Never give up on someone you can't go a day without thinking about".

Yes, it is illegal for any creditor or collector to leave open messages for anyone to hear. They can only state who they are and who they are trying to contact. Keep the recordings/messages that they left. You may need them to 'make a deal'.

__________________
Where there are hard working people being harassed or threatened, I will be there. My site: http://anthonylemons.blogspot.com
Avoid these Agencies: http://www.budhibbs.com/coll_to_avoid_list.htm
Contact any government official here: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/ Contact any State Attorney General: http://www.naag.org/
Federal Trade Commission: http://www.ftc.gov/

They have been calling a couple times a week for a couple of months and a second one just started with almost exactly the same message as the first one.

In regards to the SOL, if you have expired the time on the debt, you legally do not have to pay, but they can still seek you out to pay it. Just ignore them, I would, and send them a cease and desist order, via certified mail. You can visit my site, and on the side is a link to a sample letter. Hope I helped a little.

__________________
Where there are hard working people being harassed or threatened, I will be there. My site: http://anthonylemons.blogspot.com
Avoid these Agencies: http://www.budhibbs.com/coll_to_avoid_list.htm
Contact any government official here: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/ Contact any State Attorney General: http://www.naag.org/
Federal Trade Commission: http://www.ftc.gov/

I forgot to ask; which collection agency is calling you?

__________________
Where there are hard working people being harassed or threatened, I will be there. My site: http://anthonylemons.blogspot.com
Avoid these Agencies: http://www.budhibbs.com/coll_to_avoid_list.htm
Contact any government official here: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/ Contact any State Attorney General: http://www.naag.org/
Federal Trade Commission: http://www.ftc.gov/

Wouldn't a cease and desist letter constitute a contact so they can start the SOL over again if it is not quite past? I don't know what the SOL is in Florida. I have heard that some collection agencies falsify point of last contact dates to keep the debt alive anyway.

Contact does not restart the clock, only making a payment does.

__________________
Where there are hard working people being harassed or threatened, I will be there. My site: http://anthonylemons.blogspot.com
Avoid these Agencies: http://www.budhibbs.com/coll_to_avoid_list.htm
Contact any government official here: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/ Contact any State Attorney General: http://www.naag.org/
Federal Trade Commission: http://www.ftc.gov/

If any collection agency falsifies their records to restart a SOL clock, trust me, it will become known, due to having to produce a method of payment. Not only would they face fraud charges, but also the banking commission of their state and your state would become involved.

__________________
Where there are hard working people being harassed or threatened, I will be there. My site: http://anthonylemons.blogspot.com
Avoid these Agencies: http://www.budhibbs.com/coll_to_avoid_list.htm
Contact any government official here: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/ Contact any State Attorney General: http://www.naag.org/
Federal Trade Commission: http://www.ftc.gov/

Since the Secret Service covers crossing state lines fraud, as well as the FBI, not many collectors would opt to make up a fake payment or SOL restart.

__________________
Where there are hard working people being harassed or threatened, I will be there. My site: http://anthonylemons.blogspot.com
Avoid these Agencies: http://www.budhibbs.com/coll_to_avoid_list.htm
Contact any government official here: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/ Contact any State Attorney General: http://www.naag.org/
Federal Trade Commission: http://www.ftc.gov/

AACC which is Asset Acceptance is the new one but I am not sure about the other one since the caller ID only says not provided. One caller ID said M P S ATMS. I turned off my voicemail yesterday so they can't leave anymore messages since anyone that really needs to get in touch with me has my cell phone number.

If you visit my site, I have a lnik to the Secret Service and the FBI, and their website explains more about this.

__________________
Where there are hard working people being harassed or threatened, I will be there. My site: http://anthonylemons.blogspot.com
Avoid these Agencies: http://www.budhibbs.com/coll_to_avoid_list.htm
Contact any government official here: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/ Contact any State Attorney General: http://www.naag.org/
Federal Trade Commission: http://www.ftc.gov/

link, I meant.

__________________
Where there are hard working people being harassed or threatened, I will be there. My site: http://anthonylemons.blogspot.com
Avoid these Agencies: http://www.budhibbs.com/coll_to_avoid_list.htm
Contact any government official here: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/ Contact any State Attorney General: http://www.naag.org/
Federal Trade Commission: http://www.ftc.gov/

Does anyone know how to get the Evil big three Credit Aeporting Agencies to take items off your report that are over seven years old?

You may already know this, but alot of crooked collectors often change their name to throw consumers and enforcement agencies off of their trail, such as Bass and Associates were formerly Ellis Crosby and Associates, and other names that they had.

__________________
Where there are hard working people being harassed or threatened, I will be there. My site: http://anthonylemons.blogspot.com
Avoid these Agencies: http://www.budhibbs.com/coll_to_avoid_list.htm
Contact any government official here: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/ Contact any State Attorney General: http://www.naag.org/
Federal Trade Commission: http://www.ftc.gov/

Send them this letter, and they must provide full information about the debt to you:

__________________
Where there are hard working people being harassed or threatened, I will be there. My site: http://anthonylemons.blogspot.com
Avoid these Agencies: http://www.budhibbs.com/coll_to_avoid_list.htm
Contact any government official here: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/ Contact any State Attorney General: http://www.naag.org/
Federal Trade Commission: http://www.ftc.gov/