Collection agency harassing me for someone else, ugh!

Lisa

Lisa

Club Member
All of these collection agencies keep calling for the previous owner of our home. I explain we bought the house from her and they stop calling, but then it starts back up again a few months later. If I change the number, it still happens again. Now 2 1/2 years later, I'm up to 10 phone calls a day from these people! Today I got really upset because this collection lady started yelling at me insisting I was this woman. I reamed her out for that, asked her to speak nicely, and then politely explained that we bought the house from her. I ask her since they have access to public records such as deeds, why do they keep calling us. She says this woman is still using our address, and obviously, our address=our phone number. She said they use all the current databases for information, and it's the only address listed for her on each one, including her credit report. That's about as much as I could get out of her. She said she'd take me off the call list, but they always call again anyway after 3-6 months. I asked our mail lady if there's every mail for this woman, and she says all the time, but she sends it back to the post office because she knows this person is gone. I told her the situation, and she agreed that she must still be using our address because she gets a lot of mail for 2 1/2 years later. We can mark it moved, but her mail is not being forwarded to a new address, so it's just goes back to the post office!?

So my question is... What can I do about her using our address still? And is there some way to get these phone calls to permanently stop? You think this woman would've taken her $80,000 check she walked off with from the sale of this house and paid her bills, or at least filed for bankruptcy, lol.
 
Lisa said:
All of these collection agencies keep calling for the previous owner of our home. I explain we bought the house from her and they stop calling, but then it starts back up again a few months later. If I change the number, it still happens again. Now 2 1/2 years later, I'm up to 10 phone calls a day from these people! Today I got really upset because this collection lady started yelling at me insisting I was this woman. I reamed her out for that, asked her to speak nicely, and then politely explained that we bought the house from her. I ask her since they have access to public records such as deeds, why do they keep calling us. She says this woman is still using our address, and obviously, our address=our phone number. She said they use all the current databases for information, and it's the only address listed for her on each one, including her credit report. That's about as much as I could get out of her. She said she'd take me off the call list, but they always call again anyway after 3-6 months. I asked our mail lady if there's every mail for this woman, and she says all the time, but she sends it back to the post office because she knows this person is gone. I told her the situation, and she agreed that she must still be using our address because she gets a lot of mail for 2 1/2 years later. We can mark it moved, but her mail is not being forwarded to a new address, so it's just goes back to the post office!?

So my question is... What can I do about her using our address still? And is there some way to get these phone calls to permanently stop? You think this woman would've taken her $80,000 check she walked off with from the sale of this house and paid her bills, or at least filed for bankruptcy, lol.
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Yell back? fuck with them? sue them for harassment? start recording the calls, have a log by the phone.... But before you do any of that contact Mark WIKDSVT
 
Yea I would try to sue them, fuck them they can't yell or treat you like shit just becausE they assume your someone else.
 
Record them, let them know they are being recorded for legal purposes to protect both parties.

I had the same issue, someone with the same name as me used my phone number to get credit cards.
The fourth call from the collection agency I threatened to sue them and that stopped it.
The guy with the same name as me died at a young age, in his late 30's. It could have been the karma that killed him, but officially it was cancer.
 
Lisa said:
All of these collection agencies keep calling for the previous owner of our home. I explain we bought the house from her and they stop calling, but then it starts back up again a few months later. If I change the number, it still happens again. Now 2 1/2 years later, I'm up to 10 phone calls a day from these people! Today I got really upset because this collection lady started yelling at me insisting I was this woman. I reamed her out for that, asked her to speak nicely, and then politely explained that we bought the house from her. I ask her since they have access to public records such as deeds, why do they keep calling us. She says this woman is still using our address, and obviously, our address=our phone number. She said they use all the current databases for information, and it's the only address listed for her on each one, including her credit report. That's about as much as I could get out of her. She said she'd take me off the call list, but they always call again anyway after 3-6 months. I asked our mail lady if there's every mail for this woman, and she says all the time, but she sends it back to the post office because she knows this person is gone. I told her the situation, and she agreed that she must still be using our address because she gets a lot of mail for 2 1/2 years later. We can mark it moved, but her mail is not being forwarded to a new address, so it's just goes back to the post office!?

So my question is... What can I do about her using our address still? And is there some way to get these phone calls to permanently stop? You think this woman would've taken her $80,000 check she walked off with from the sale of this house and paid her bills, or at least filed for bankruptcy, lol.
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Go to the post office... And have them change it in the system and have her shit marked return to sender... They should get the point sooner or later...
 
i still have a problem with this. A guy with the same name as me stopped paying all his bills and essentially disappeared from the earth. So All thees agencies looked up public records for someone in the Toledo area with my name and started harrassing me. I even got summons to court for damages to an apartment and backed rent. I've been dealing with this for almost 4 years now. There's really nothing you can do. i've changed my phone number, moved to GA, and told anyone who contacted me that it's not me. Give them my SSN and they disappear for about 2 months.
 
If any of this hits your credit report:
under section 15 U.S.C. § 1681 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, a wronged party may collect $1,000.00 for each willful or negligent act which results in the violation of the FCRA.

Furthermore, from what you state, the collection company has a duty to investigate your claim that she no longer lives there. Failure to do so is a violation of the fair debt collections practice act. a/k/a/ FDCPA I don't have time right now to look up the specifics, but if you google it (bold words), you will see what the collection company can and cannot do.

DEMAND TO SPEAK TO THEIR SUPERVISOR AND SET THE SUPERVISOR STRAIGHT.
 
So it's not just me then going through this. It's a real pita! :o I usually just tell them to look up the deed to the house, and it seems to work well for a few months anyway, but this ladys name isn't even close to mine. I've tried "wrong number" and pretending to not speak any english, that works well also, lol.

Our mail lady keeps marking it moved for us, I assume they send it back. I've told the collection agencies off if they ever started getting rude, but most of them have actually been very nice, and I always figured you get a lot farther being nice. The one today was a new company that's never called me before. The say the same old stuff "We bought it from another company, we'll remove your number." It goes in cycle...it's quiet for a while, then it's like a swarm of collection agencies, lol. Saying you're recording them is a great idea!

Wikdsvt- I'm definitely going to look that up. I actually tried before, but it was too broad of a subject to get any real info...so that helps me A LOT! I knew there had to be something like that. Thanks!!!

Quick86- LOL! :icon_bigg
 
I worked for a collection agency for a few years (hate all you want, we followed the rules).

Here's what you do.

*record the calls if you can, if not, keep some sort of record of when they call*
1. Advise them that you are not the person they are looking for and kindly request that they stop calling
2. Ask for a supervisor and say the same thing
3. Keep a LOG of who you speak to each time and the dates/times
4. Advise them that you will sue them for the maximum amount allowed by through the FDCPA and it's typically $1000 per violation.
5. Send a certified letter (keep a copy for yourself) explaining the situation and that you will take legal action if the harassment does not stop.

Even if it WAS your debt, there are things they are not allowed to do... if they break these rules, you can sue them for even more. They cannot call before 8am or after 9pm (I think it's 9pm).. they cannot swear or be abusive/call names. They cannot threaten to sue you or garnish wages unless they have the legal recourse to do so. They cannot threaten to take your home or put you in jail. Etc.
 
DetroitStyle said:
I worked for a collection agency for a few years (hate all you want, we followed the rules).

Here's what you do.

*record the calls if you can, if not, keep some sort of record of when they call*
1. Advise them that you are not the person they are looking for and kindly request that they stop calling
2. Ask for a supervisor and say the same thing
3. Keep a LOG of who you speak to each time and the dates/times
4. Advise them that you will sue them for the maximum amount allowed by through the FDCPA and it's typically $1000 per violation.
5. Send a certified letter (keep a copy for yourself) explaining the situation and that you will take legal action if the harassment does not stop.

Even if it WAS your debt, there are things they are not allowed to do... if they break these rules, you can sue them for even more. They cannot call before 8am or after 9pm (I think it's 9pm).. they cannot swear or be abusive/call names. They cannot threaten to sue you or garnish wages unless they have the legal recourse to do so. They cannot threaten to take your home or put you in jail. Etc.
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Thanks for that info!! =) I got #1 down pretty good at least, lol.

Funny, I used to work for one of those survey companies for a little while, so I totally understand. People would be screaming at me before I got to finish my first sentence, lol!!
 
I get someone calling my wk now for years looking for someone (Harvey, the previous phone number holder)
I figure its a Bails bondsman.
I tried once to convince them I was Harvey....but they knew from my voice I was not the person they were looking for.
 
BigWheelinBubba said:
Turn your home phone off and use your cell.. who has home phones any more anyways? :dontknow:
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Honestly, we mainly have a home phone because of my in-laws. You were at our wedding, you met them...and Paul's sister, so you know what they're like. Paul made that decision after they kept calling one day 500 times like there was a fire for no reason but to start some drama. They leave a message at the beep now. :) Lmfao!!!
 
Detroit Gearbox said:
I get someone calling my wk now for years looking for someone (Harvey, the previous phone number holder)
I figure its a Bails bondsman.
I tried once to convince them I was Harvey....but they knew from my voice I was not the person they were looking for.
Click to expand...

lol
 
Lisa said:
All of these collection agencies keep calling for the previous owner of our home. I explain we bought the house from her and they stop calling, but then it starts back up again a few months later. If I change the number, it still happens again. Now 2 1/2 years later, I'm up to 10 phone calls a day from these people! Today I got really upset because this collection lady started yelling at me insisting I was this woman. I reamed her out for that, asked her to speak nicely, and then politely explained that we bought the house from her. I ask her since they have access to public records such as deeds, why do they keep calling us. She says this woman is still using our address, and obviously, our address=our phone number. She said they use all the current databases for information, and it's the only address listed for her on each one, including her credit report. That's about as much as I could get out of her. She said she'd take me off the call list, but they always call again anyway after 3-6 months. I asked our mail lady if there's every mail for this woman, and she says all the time, but she sends it back to the post office because she knows this person is gone. I told her the situation, and she agreed that she must still be using our address because she gets a lot of mail for 2 1/2 years later. We can mark it moved, but her mail is not being forwarded to a new address, so it's just goes back to the post office!?

So my question is... What can I do about her using our address still? And is there some way to get these phone calls to permanently stop? You think this woman would've taken her $80,000 check she walked off with from the sale of this house and paid her bills, or at least filed for bankruptcy, lol.
Click to expand...


You’re not gonna like this….. but nothing. Believe it or not, it
is not illegal to “use someone else’s address”. This is at least
what I discovered as of 10 years ago when I had someone
trying to use mine.

You can try to deal with the post office (good luck with that)
and or try your local police department (again, good luck with
that one too).
 
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