[pybasj]

Send a debt validation letter and a cease and desist letter. If they still call after that report them as said above to your state's AG office.

[FloridaRon]

Don't you just love it when a "Guest" posts a comment to the forum, like the one above? Doesn't contribute to the topic at all, and is just plain silly. Not to mention the fact "Guest" is replying to a post almost a month old. <<Sigh>> Must work for a CA that thinks the fdcpa is optional for them.

Guest, all they have to do to stop the calls is send a C&D letter. They also have the right to request validation of the debt in order to ensure it is actually their debt. CA's are required by law (the FDCPA) to abide by these requests. Some don't, that's why this forum exists; to educate debtors about their rights.

actually collection agencys CAN call you cell phone and most people even prefer it-- if the "debtor" or person owing the money asks the collector to stop thats when they have to.

[FloridaRon]

LJ,

You're wrong.

A cease and desist letter is just that! It doesn't mean "please stop calling me on my home phone. Use my cell phone instead."

Once a CA receives a C&D letter, they can make one more phone call to advise the debtor it has been received, or to let the debtor know of any legal action they may take against them. That's it. They can't start calling the debtor's cell phone, neighbors, work, bosses, grandparents, baby sitter, family dog, etc.

Some CA's may think that's what it means, but they are incorrect. Once they start calling the debtor on their cell phone, that is a clear violation of the fdcpa and the debtor can sue and win.

So, good luck if you are a collector and that is what you do because you're going to eventually get your company sued. If you haven't already.

...and to me as well. My father and I own a piece of property together--both of our names are on the title. Younger brother and my father both have the same first and last name, but my brother died in 1999.

About a year ago, my father got a letter addressed to his first name, his last name, complaining about unpaid parking tickets from Chicago. When he looked at the license number on the vehicle, it was for a car my father never owned... When he showed it to me, I recognized the license # as belonging to my dead brother.

My dad called them up and said this person died in 1999, and further, several of the tickets appear to have been issued AFTER he died and the vehicle had been sold and transferred to another person. After discussing it with the person who answered the phone, she said she'd "Look into it" and took down his name, mailing address and phone number... but when she asked for my dad's SSN, he said "Why do you need that?" And he got back some **** and bull reply about record-keeping. So he made up an SSN. He followed up a couple times, didn't hear anything for three months or so, and simply decided to ignore it.

Flash forward about six months, same organization now starts mailing letters to my father about tickets issued to my dead brother of the same name, and the collections letters reference the bogus SSN my dad gave them.

So, yes, the sleazier collections agencies will indeed try to force debts onto other people... It is a game. At some point, they're hoping to find a person who has enough money and a high-enough credit score that it isn't worthwhile for them to fight it, and they just pay.

****Adult term removed - Jason

[FloridaRon]

Tom_m_indy,

I should be surprised at this, but I'm not. I do find it, however, really despicable that they did this. I'm glad your father had the presence of mind to give a bogus SSN. At this point, I don't think there is much the CA can do, especially since they are using said bogus SSN and not a real one.

It's a shame, though, they are trampling all over the memory of your deceased brother by doing this.

Answering the phone and telling them not to call again makes them call more in my case. I was told not to answer or even pick up and hang up because that will give them a reason to keep calling. Just dont answer the phone. They never leave a message and after a month or two they generally stop.

This number has been calling me for months now, 3 to 7 times a day on my cel phone. It must be an ebay thing as I have a 60 or 70 dollar balance with them which I refuse to pay as I had a couple non paying bidders on vehicle and boat I sold. I reported it to ebay but the seller fees where never removed. I tried getting ebay to remove them and they never did. This is on an 8 year old ebay account with over 300 positive feedbacks, 99.8 percent positive. I have answered the phone a couple times but is always a recording and put on hold, so I just hang up, not going to burn minutes on hold. They never leave a message either when they call when I don't answer. Very annoying indeed. Wonder if my cel phone company would block the number if I called them and complained they were harassing me.

It's easy to turn in a harassing creditor for these telephone calls. I've turned in three companies for this type of call, and the calls stopped after about two weeks. Begin with an email to their "info@" box and cc it to the FCC. This works and quick!

The Fcc is in charge of enforcing the laws on Debt calls over any telecommunications device. Contact their website direct hxxp://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm

Try this.
Collections Agent: "May I speak with xyz"
You: "This is a cellular phone. Do not ever call this number again. The person you want is not at this number"

This usually works for me

ICS has been calling trying to locate a relative. We told them we don't know where she is and stop calling. Sent the registered letter to stop and have receipt for it but calls continue. We owe no money.
Where can we turn for help?

William
Your website address for FCC doesn't work,

[Chrys Henderson]

That's because it says hxxp. Try this one instead.

Hey guys... I have been bombarded with calls from this number as well... I just got in contact with them and they removed my number from the list as they were trying to contact someone else with my number... here's the number to call and have your number removed... 888-229-8848

hope this can help!