Being served papers for someone we don't know

[Abby Normal]

I'm having one of those WTF days and I need some suggestions.

A few months back we received a call from a collection service stating that we were a contact name for "Joe Schmuck". Only we've never heard of Joe Schmuck. I told them I had no idea who they were calling about.

Today, my DH received a call stating that we would be served papers for Joe. He told them again, that we don't know who this person is. Needless to say an arguement ensued. Caller told DH that DH was waisting the callers time. DH laughed and said "Dude, you're the one who's waisting my time. There is no one here by that name, and never has been. Nor do we know who this person even is."

We've lived in our house for 15 years and it was new then. So it's not like Joe lived there before us.


Side note- I only answered the phone the first time, because I was on the other line with someone else and the caller ID didn't come through. DH answered today, because he was expecting a call and thought the unknown caller was it. I think they have called quite a few times, but we don't normally answer.

Any suggestions on how to get them to go away?
They say they are going to try and serve twice to our address, then proceed against Joe as a non present party. I'm thinking I should get an address after the first time and send something certified tell them to go away.

[bring in the new year]

Agilemom, call the cops first and make sure it's not a scam.

2. Run your credit report and make sure it's not some kind of stolen idenity problem.

3. If you know a lawyer, call them now. That way you'll get advice pertinent to your county and more importantly, when jackwads call back you can give them lawyer's name. If you don't have a lawyer, look for Legal aid in your area.

I've had people call looking for people unknown to me and they've never not backed down when I said the person didn't live here. Something about this smells to me.

[thyme4change]

I'd let them proceed against Joe as a non present party.

[thyme4change]

Actually, I would probably show up at the court for the hearing and ask the judge to ask the plantiffs to leave me alone. I would swear under oath that I have no idea who Joe is, or how he got connected to my address & phone number. Of course, I work next door to the court - so it would be fun to go over there for an hour and embarrass the collection agency.

[singlemomky]

I'm not sure where you live but in Kentucky you don't serve an address - you have to serve an actual person. It can be certified mail but again in Kentucky that has to be restricted delivery (named person has to sign for it).

[Abby Normal]

I'm guessing it's probably just a bluff tactic to see if we own up to knowing Joe. Though I can't figure out why they think we know Joe.

We just pulled our credit reports last week for other reasons. We've had our credit frozen for a while, so I doubt it's ID theft.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

Jun 30, 2011 15:30:46 GMT -5 Abby Normal said:

Any suggestions on how to get them to go away?

We've had our telephone number for 8.5 years. It was, apparently, previously used by a woman with significant debt collection involvement. From time to time, we still get calls from collection people who don't care, or who don't believe me, when I assure them that she isn't here.

So ... what do I do? It varies, depending on my mood.

1. I usually sing show tunes. Loudly and off-key.

2. Sometimes I practice my street preaching and televangelist skills. Nothing like a little hellfire and brimstone.

3. Sometimes, I merely repeat back every word they say, in an annoying voice.

Each and every time, I win: they hang up.

The calls are getting fewer and fewer. ;D

[oreo]

We've had our phone number for 18 years and we occasionally get a collection call for someone. It is always an automated system. It leaves a message, and I delete it when I get home. I called them back once about 5 years ago and told them we didn't know who this person was and they didn't call for a few years but recently we still get the occasional call.

I'd just ignore it since it isn't you. Assuming whatever they send will be sent to the name they've been giving you, you just write "return to sender, addressee unknown" or something and put it back in the mail box.

[dancinmama]

Same thing here. Apparently there are two parties that had our phone number before us that are in collections. The collections people are IDIOTS. When they ask for Helen Munoz or Genaro Perez, I know they are debt collectors. I politely explain to them that the only connection is that we happened to have the misfortune of getting their telephone number and to please remove the telephone number from their list. Unfortunately, the telephone number is THE ONLY link they have to the people they need to collect from. The calls have gotten less and less frequent though.

[Elderkind]

1. I usually sing show tunes. Loudly and off-key.

2. Sometimes I practice my street preaching and televangelist skills. Nothing like a little hellfire and brimstone.

3. Sometimes, I merely repeat back every word they say, in an annoying voice.

Each and every time, I win: they hang up

Molly: I just spit my sweet tea all over the keyboard laughing at that. ;D

I also have been plagued with collection calls for a Laura Brown... My favorites are:

1. Pretending I'm a cop at a crime scene and how does the caller know the dead person - Maybe they killed them... (I ripped that off a stunt pulled on a radio show)

2. Answering the phone with fake sexy voice "Rick's Massage Parlor.... which service package are in interested in?" That one can really bring out the nasty in these guys that were at first very serious and all business... They always ask about the "Platinum Package"....

[cael]

LOL Molly! Nice!

We had issues w/ this when we got our landline two years ago. Got a bunch of calls from a few places. I did have to tell them many times that Julie so-and-so doesn't have this number anymore, and I actually called a few places back & demanded a manager to remove our number. It's worked, we rarely get the calls anymore. I think it's been months since we got any.

[973beachbum]

My mom used to get calls from collection agencies harrassing her because they insisted that the person they wanted to "collect" from was there and she just wouldn't let them.

She kept a ref's wistle next to the phone and as soon as they mentioed his name she would blow it as hard as she could into the phone. She said they hung up quick and she felt better. ;D Now that's what I call a twofer!

[lulubean]

It never fuxxing stops and sometimes I want to kill them.

[DVM gone riding]

my work intentionally took over the number for someone that owed money. (we wanted there clients) 6 years latter we still occasionally get calls for her, we tell them no that we don't know her and they hang up, never a serious issue--but then we also ans the phone, hello generic veterinary office name how may I help you, so they don't seem to argue much.

[formerexpat]

They are unstoppable.

Not really. Each and every state has collection laws. Look up your states laws and handle accordingly.

I've asked for their address and that I'd tell Joe to send them the money. I then write them and let them know that I am not the person that they are looking for, I do not know the person and to cease & desist.

Works in accordance with FDCPA in all states.

If after you send this letter, they decide to call again, you can call your states attorney general. They don't like it when debt collectors don't comply with the FDCPA - they hate those bastards as much as we do.

[suesinfl]

Jun 30, 2011 16:27:48 GMT -5 ❤ mollymouser ❤ said:

Jun 30, 2011 15:30:46 GMT -5 Abby Normal said:

Any suggestions on how to get them to go away?

We've had our telephone number for 8.5 years. It was, apparently, previously used by a woman with significant debt collection involvement. From time to time, we still get calls from collection people who don't care, or who don't believe me, when I assure them that she isn't here.

So ... what do I do? It varies, depending on my mood.

1. I usually sing show tunes. Loudly and off-key.

2. Sometimes I practice my street preaching and televangelist skills. Nothing like a little hellfire and brimstone.

3. Sometimes, I merely repeat back every word they say, in an annoying voice.

Each and every time, I win: they hang up.

The calls are getting fewer and fewer. ;D

Years after my divorce, I started receiving collection calls for my X (he was using my phone number for some reason . I gave the callers his cell #, his wife's cell #, and their home #. The calls have stopped so far. ;D

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

For those of you who want to try the "show tune" approach, "The Sun'll Come Out Tomorrow" (Annie) is a real crowd pleaser ... or not! ;D

[TheOtherMe]

Two years after getting my cell phone number, I am still getting phone calls from the deadbeat who had the number before me. I was told about 6 weeks about that the deadbeat gave this number as his contact number when they tracked him down. I don't think it will ever end.

[chiver78]

Jun 30, 2011 21:22:52 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

Two years after getting my cell phone number, I am still getting phone calls from the deadbeat who had the number before me. I was told about 6 weeks about that the deadbeat gave this number as his contact number when they tracked him down. I don't think it will ever end.

ugh...this is why I will never relinquish my cell number - I've had it for 13 or 14 years now. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one that's ever had it.

good luck....that sucks.

[cael]

Jun 30, 2011 21:29:30 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

Jun 30, 2011 21:22:52 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

Two years after getting my cell phone number, I am still getting phone calls from the deadbeat who had the number before me. I was told about 6 weeks about that the deadbeat gave this number as his contact number when they tracked him down. I don't think it will ever end.

ugh...this is why I will never relinquish my cell number - I've had it for 13 or 14 years now. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one that's ever had it.

good luck....that sucks.

I've had my cell # for almost 10 years now. For the first year or two I had it, I would occasionally get calls from people asking for a Michael (which happens to be my brother's name, but wasn't him). They were all from NJ numbers. I figured it was possibly a mis-dialed number - my area code is 978, and NJ has area codes 973 and 908. At one point a chatty older lady called asking for him, and it turns out this is a guy who'd been in jail for a while, and was now out, and people were trying to find him. She swore my number was or had been his number. It was pretty funny! Those calls stopped after probably 2 years max though.

I get wrong number calls from Spanish guys in Lawrence a few times a year still. But they're nice & just say sorry and hang up

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

I lived in TX for 14 years, had the same phone number all that time. After about 12 years, I started getting calls from bill collectors. They had my phone number and address, but a different name.

They were insistant that I had a houseguest that used my phone/apartment to get credit. I told them that I lived alone and did not have any houseguests that were here that would have used my info to get credit, they had their own homes.

Finally, I gave them my apartment's management office and told them to call them and ask them who lives in my apartment and what my phone number is. That they'd vouch that I was the only resident in this apartment.

That was the last phone call I got from them.......

[pig]

Any suggestions on how to get them to go away?

I have had this happen to me before. I called the collection agency and told them that Mrs. X didn't live here anymore and that she is now living in <name of town where she is> They stopped calling after that.

[Abby Normal]

Thanks for the ideas. Maybe at least we can have a little fun with them for being so annoying. Though you are not making me feel better with the ones that go on for years.

[bring in the new year]

Patstab,

I don't have this problem with the phone or the cell, but I once got a new email address.

The guy who had had it before had - lets just say he had specialized tastes in porn. And he kept using MY email as a sign up. (Ewwh)

This was before good spam filters.

SO, I got an email from a friend of his and I replied back politely that this was no longer his addy.

And the woman replied "that's so nice of you. I'll let him know."

And I said, well, as long as you're talking to him could you ask him to stop using this addy to sign up for prison guards & bunnies porn?

That cut down the porn spam by two thirds.

[tiredturkey]

For a while last year I got bill collector calls for a Mr. Nguyen who has never had our address and certainly not our phone number since we got it in 1991. One lady asked if I was absolutely sure Mr. Nguyen didn't live here and I told her I was damn sure because if he was I sure wouldn't be doing the cleaning, laundry and cooking and DH certainly wouldn't be doing the lawn. I never heard from them again.

[HoneyBBQ]

2nd what was already said - an address can't "be served' you can only serve the person. They are just harassing you because they don't believe you. Send them a certified cease and desist letter and they have to leave you alone by law.

[cubefarmer]

Collection calls are a problem at every job I have ever had. It's rather amazing that no matter where I work or whose old extension I am assigned - it's someone who hasn't paid their bills.

[robbase]

just like you control the door to your house of who you choose to let in or not )or who to close the door on), or even who you chose to answer the doorbell for, you also chose who you allow to speak to you o the phone.

There is absolutely no law against hanging up at any time, even if the other person is mid sentence / mid word. But I guess people are too PC / polite these days, which I guess is why we have so many successful telemarketers.

[shelly527in]

DBF just started his own business last year and keeps getting collection calls for someone he doesn't know. He tells the caller he wishes he could find him to ring his neck about all the calls he's getting when he's got work he should be doing.

[shelly527in]

DBF's way of getting rid of telemarker was pretending to be the wanted person's brother. His story was that he was sleeping with his brother's wife while he was out of town and the baby actually his. He asked the telemarker not to tell the brother because that would break up the family. The telemarker sturted a few seconds and hung up! He can come up with some doozies!!