"Unknown" & "Restricted" numbers

[michelyn8]

Kind of a mini-rant. I'm behind on some bills I have been seriously tightening the budget to pay as much as I can to as many creditors as I can but not everyone is getting paid every pay period. Because of this, I've been getting calls on one or two of the bills that have been classified as lowest priority. The kicker to me is they have started calling from blocked numbers.

Now dealing with almost daily calls from CA's is bad enough and I've been trying to be polite and honest about when I anticipate being able to pay. I don't answer every call because I'm at work and busy with that. But what on earth makes them think I am going to answer a call from an Unknown or Restricted number even if I wasn't on the job? To me that is a sign of a company that is going to be difficult - just like those that call every hour but never leave a message.

Even if it weren't a CA, why on earth would anyone think that blocking their number is good business. Caller ID is now more the norm than the luxury it was 10-15 years ago - especially for those who only have a cell like I do. And if its important, leave a message.

Ok, rant over. I know I'm a bad YM'er for having past due bills and collection calls but this is just something that struck me as kind of silly.

[Miss Tequila]

I have never been behind on a bill but I make iti a point to not answer calls from restricted or blocked numbers....those are usuallly telemarkerts or political calls....

[Great]

Are you serious? Pay your bills and you won't have to deal with collection calls no matter if they are 'blocked' numbers, hourly or anything in between.

[milee]

Yes, definitely. And she should go ahead and eat some cake...

[Miss Tequila]

"Are you serious? Pay your bills and you won't have to deal with collection calls no matter if they are 'blocked' numbers, hourly or anything in between. "

Wow, Itsa....what a great post...I'm sure she never thought of paying her bills on time!lol

[Deleted]

You can send them a "cease and desist" letter and they can no longer legally call you - they have to contact you via mail.

[Miss Tequila]

Oh, here is something I did when I used to get collection calls for my mom (honestly, I have no idea how they got my number). I asked them nicely to stop calling me...then I threatened legal action...then I kept my dd's whistle by the phone and blew in their ear...they stopped calling me after that

[Great]

Sept 18, 2012 9:19:31 GMT -5 Miss Tequila said:

"Are you serious? Pay your bills and you won't have to deal with collection calls no matter if they are 'blocked' numbers, hourly or anything in between. "

Wow, Itsa....what a great post...I'm sure she never thought of paying her bills on time!lol

I know its funny to me too ... someone ranting about collection agencies calling them trying to collect their money and thinking its silly

[midjd]

I know its funny to me too ... someone ranting about collection agencies calling them trying to collect their money and thinking its silly

It IS silly for them to call from 'unknown'/restricted numbers - because who in their right mind would answer?

[wvugurl26]

Half the time I don't answer calls from numbers I don't know. I definitely do not answer calls from blocked numbers.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Kind of a mini-rant. I'm behind on some bills I have been seriously tightening the budget to pay as much as I can to as many creditors as I can but not everyone is getting paid every pay period.

What I would do would be proactive in contacting your creditors. Call them FIRST and tell them that you can't afford to pay them this month, and will pay next.

As with others, I do not answer my cell phone when a number does not display. Many times, I will not answer if I do not recognize the number either.

[michelyn8]

Sept 18, 2012 9:30:53 GMT -5 @wrongsideof30 said:

I'm sorry to hear that you are struggling to pay your bills. Maybe you could post your budget and get some help from the board?

Thanks but I've pretty much got it all worked out. It hurts but satellite service has been suspended and cell phone plan cut to bare minimum for my portion (mother and DD1 reimburse me for theirs). Beyond that, what isn't allocated to rebuild my EF, for shelter, utilities, food, transportation, and insurance is going to catch things up.

What I would do would be proactive in contacting your creditors. Call them FIRST and tell them that you can't afford to pay them this month, and will pay next.

That's how I've been trying to handle them and 95% of them are working with me (and will be caught up by November). Its really not that many or that much. I just got hit with some unforseen expenses and had to prioritize who got how much when. Its the other 5% who are lowest priority and unfortunately are receiving the most sporadic payments who have turned them over to the CA's. I've sent Cease & Desist letters requesting contact only in writing but haven't gotten my little green cards back yet. I also sent a separate letter detailing a repayment strategy now that the others are nearly caught up but, again, no response yet.

[973beachbum]

Sept 18, 2012 10:30:24 GMT -5 michelyn8 said:

Sept 18, 2012 9:30:53 GMT -5 @wrongsideof30 said:

I'm sorry to hear that you are struggling to pay your bills. Maybe you could post your budget and get some help from the board?

Thanks but I've pretty much got it all worked out. It hurts but satellite service has been suspended and cell phone plan cut to bare minimum for my portion (mother and DD1 reimburse me for theirs). Beyond that, what isn't allocated to rebuild my EF, for shelter, utilities, food, transportation, and insurance is going to catch things up.

What I would do would be proactive in contacting your creditors. Call them FIRST and tell them that you can't afford to pay them this month, and will pay next.

That's how I've been trying to handle them and 95% of them are working with me (and will be caught up by November). Its really not that many or that much. I just got hit with some unforseen expenses and had to prioritize who got how much when. Its the other 5% who are lowest priority and unfortunately are receiving the most sporadic payments who have turned them over to the CA's. I've sent Cease & Desist letters requesting contact only in writing but haven't gotten my little green cards back yet. I also sent a separate letter detailing a repayment strategy now that the others are nearly caught up but, again, no response yet.

Bluerobin would be the best person to answer this, but I think collection agencies don't get paid if you bypass them and pay the original creditor directly. So it really isn't in their best interest to help you cut them out. It is still wrong but I doubt once they were brought into this that they will just back off. Sorry.

[Bluerobin]

michelyn, I spent a career in collections. Those who didn't answer when I called got referred for other action, like suits. Best to answer and deal with them. If they are obnoxiously rude, call them out and tell them if they want to be civil, you will speak to them. Don't make promises you can't keep, as that too will result in other action. Most collectors will work with you.
I used to love it when we won our suits, got the judgement, then got the sheriff to enforce collection by seizing assets, etc depending on what the law of the particular state allowed.

ETA: If they won't work with you, send them a certified letter advising you are having trouble and can only afford to send them $X per month. As long as it is something, most won't pursue other action. If they do, you can always show up to court with the I am paying what I can defense.

Collection agencies get a commission. Even if you pay the debtor directly.

If you told me not to contact you, I wouldn't, but my only option then would be a suit.

Another strategy would be to offer to settle the debt, like pay$100 as settlement in full for a $200 debt. Do this only if your credit rating is trashed. Make sure you get an agreement for the settlement. I used to state something to the affect, X company agrees to accept $X in full settlement of invoiceX if payment is received by X date.

[Great]

Sept 18, 2012 9:31:57 GMT -5 midjd said:

I know its funny to me too ... someone ranting about collection agencies calling them trying to collect their money and thinking its silly

It IS silly for them to call from 'unknown'/restricted numbers - because who in their right mind would answer?

I answer all calls no matter who they originate from, I'm not HIDING or AVOIDING anyone. Further, a local collection agency has a number one digit off from mine ... I get a ton of their customers calling me with their whiney stories on my message machine that I have to go through if I don't answer the calls and give them the correct number.

[swamp]

I answer all calls no matter who they originate from, I'm not HIDING or AVOIDING anyone

I'm not avoiding anyone either, but I don't answer the phone unless I recognize the number. I don't want political calls, I don't want to take a poll, I don't want to be sold something. If it's someone who needs to talk to me badly enough, they'll leave a message.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I don't want political calls, I don't want to take a poll, I don't want to be sold something. If it's someone who needs to talk to me badly enough, they'll leave a message.

[Deleted]

I am going to miss my "Contacts Only" function when I upgrade my cellphone.

[Great]

swamp did you miss the part of my post about my phone number being one digit off from a local collection agency, that I get several of their customers dialing my number in error? I'd gladly take political calls, sales pitches, polls etc... and let them know I'm not interested and ask to take me off their list. It's the deadbeats who go on and on trying to tell me why they can't pay their bills I don't want to deal with.

[swamp]

Sept 19, 2012 8:44:14 GMT -5 Great said:

swamp did you miss the part of my post about my phone number being one digit off from a local collection agency, that I get several of their customers dialing my number in error? I'd gladly take political calls, sales pitches, polls etc... and let them know I'm not interested and ask to take me off their list. It's the deadbeats who go on and on trying to tell me why they can't pay their bills I don't want to deal with.

Nope, I didn't.

I'd put in on my answering machine "You've reached Great, not XYZ Collection Agency, their number is............ If you want to leave a message for Great, please do so after the beep." That way, you don't have to listen to the whiners. Easy Peasy.

Or perhaps you like to hear the tales of woe to make yourself feel better?

[Great]

lol ... noooo don't enjoy those calls at all, they have a tendency to have their 'story' prepared or something and no matter how much I interupt some of them to tell them wrong number, they just keep going.
I have thought about changing the message on my answering machine, good idea too ... just not sure that it is the message I want professionals (CPA, attorney's, tennant, bankers, return calls for home maintenance companies etc) to get when they call my house.

eta .... and some of them will call after 10 pm or before 7 a.m. .... high, drunk whatever, so that they think they won't have to talk to a collection agent.

[swamp]

Sept 19, 2012 9:06:18 GMT -5 Great said:

lol ... noooo don't enjoy those calls at all, they have a tendency to have their 'story' prepared or something and no matter how much I interupt some of them to tell them wrong number, they just keep going.
I have thought about changing the message on my answering machine, good idea too ... just not sure that it is the message I want professionals (CPA, attorney's, tennant, bankers, return calls for home maintenance companies etc) to get when they call my house.

I don't see the problem. If you're getting bothered by wrong numbers, it's proactive.

My friends' number was very close to a vet office. They put in on their answering machine that they are not Bay Vet Clinic, please do not leave a message. My friend was getting calls for job interviews, it didnt' seem to affect her job search.

[Formerly SK]

Sept 19, 2012 8:39:04 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

I don't want political calls, I don't want to take a poll, I don't want to be sold something. If it's someone who needs to talk to me badly enough, they'll leave a message.

No kidding. I'm so glad I don't live in a swing state! The local political calls/mailers/door knocks/TV ads are bad enough. Thank god the presidential candidates ignore me.

[midjd]

Or perhaps you like to hear the tales of woe to make yourself feel better?

Sounds that way.

[swamp]

Sept 19, 2012 9:27:29 GMT -5 Formerly SK said:

Sept 19, 2012 8:39:04 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

I don't want political calls, I don't want to take a poll, I don't want to be sold something. If it's someone who needs to talk to me badly enough, they'll leave a message.

No kidding. I'm so glad I don't live in a swing state! The local political calls/mailers/door knocks/TV ads are bad enough. Thank god the presidential candidates ignore me.

I live in NYS, it's a given that Obama will take it. Howeer, the congressional candidates are going to drive me crazy.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I get Mitt Romney recordings all the time. So far none for Obama.

We keep getting this random survey call, it is the same company EVERY TIME. DH started answering the phone and doing the "Susaphone/saxaphone" skit from Monty Python.

He gave props to the guy that got it and started playing back.

[Bluerobin]

Crabby used to get calls at work for the local triple A baseball team. The last 4 digits of her number spelled "ball". I told her to start giving everyone whatever they wanted, including seats right behind home plate. Eventually the calls slowed.

[Regis]

Just answer the calls with "Buddy the Elf. What's your favorite color?" ;D

[CarolinaKat]

At some point someone at the CPS agency in my hometown had given my cell number out as the caseworker contact number for a case involving an adpotion of a newborn of a teen mother. There were several family members trying to adopt this baby. I got to talk to a few of them, and in one case, the aunt AND her lawyer! They seemed to be a nice couple in their early 40s with all their poop in a group with a professional family lawyer representation, so I hope they got the baby. Some of the other family members... well they sounded pretty sketchey...