Can Bill Collections Find out an Unlisted Number?

Even though numbers are suppose to be unlisted, unpublished, there are those sites that you pay a fee and all the information you want can be found, including SS#'s, addresses, phone numbers, employers, etc. Sometimes they are up to date and sometimes they aren't. Even though your number may be unlisted, doesn't mean it is a nonpublished number. I found that out the hard way....I had to request and "unlisted/non published" number, but it still seems people find my number. Not only do we have caller ID's but a lot of companies have it too.

Okay, so non-published is different that unlisted?

Oh, wait, you are saying that people can pay for my personal information???????

WTF! :( :(

Not really. Non-published/unlisted just means it won't be put in the phone book.

Suppose you fill out one of those sweepstakes forms (to win a new car, etc.) at your local fast-food place, and on it you put your phone number. Those places get your form, input the info you give them, and make it part of a big database. Companies like your credit card, can pay to search these databases, and that's how they get your new phone #.

Yep...I been getting calls on my freaking cell phone from a collector the last couple of days...how they got that I will never know....but yea if they have your social they can pay to get anything they want on you....Welcome to the wonderful world of computer technology..

Sara,finding a unlisted number is not hard when you consider that you would list it when applying for credit,utility sevice,rental agreements,etc.You would have to give it out to no one except very close friends and family to keep it private and hope they don't list it anywhere. All this personal info is reported to credit bureaus by creditors and there are services credit bureaus sell to collectors and creditors to locate a person.

Other companies you do business with also report information to these databases. Like your electric company... maybe you gave them your new #, and maybe they reported it to LexisNexus. Once LexisNexus has it, anyone with a permissible purpose can search for it.

That's what I did -- I gave it to the electric company. Damn it.

So it seems that these companies can get the consumer numbers in any way. I will be surprised if they pay the telephone company to get the numbers.

No information is secret anymore with computer data banks, seems nothing is private, really sucks.

Leah, threaten them with violations of the fdcpa for calling your cell phone, you are having to pay for their calls.

fedupinpa, I agree. But often the information isn't accurate, and sometime hacked (as what happened to the large information company in Atlanta, thousands of people's personal information was stolen).

I hate knowing that nothing about me is private.
It makes me wish I could just move to the middle of nowhere to get some peace!

Is it legal for the pdl's to call my cell phone? I asked Cashnet not to call my cell phone anymore and they said they could not and would not remove that number and would continue calling it because that is their right and I gave them the number. I don't like collectors calling my cell phone. I know, stupid me shouldn't have given it to them.

I thought that they couldnt call you if it costs you money or someting like that but that may only apply to third party collectors

Yes, as far as the fdcpa, a third party collector calling your cell phone would be a violation I would think. Because you'd be paying for the call.

Sassnlucy, sounds like they are literally harassing you, you told them they are not welcome to call your cell. The FDCPA may not apply to original creditors, but the sheriff's department does.

the fdcpa dosnt apply to origanal creditors if cashnet is harrasing you file a complaint with your police department bbb and state ag office...

;)When you change your phone number and get an unlisted number, make sure that you also request the phone company to place a restriction on your new number, then it will show up as " private" or "restricted" whenever you call anyone. This way, you won't accidently let the number show up on someone's caller ID and you would then have allowed your number to get onto a list somewhere. Incase you give out your number to a supermarket, sweepstakes drawing or promotion, etc., use a cell phone number instead, not your homephone.