Board 8 > Is there a way to stop debt collectors from calling when you're not the debtor?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I'm getting a lot of calls from what I assume are debt collectors (that's what Google says these phone numbers are). Apparently, the guy who had this number previously ran up a lot of debt and scarpered off.

I don't want to answer these calls. My voicemail greeting says who I am, and my name is different from the guy who used to have this number (I answered one caller by mistake and told them I had this number). It's getting tiresome.

How do I stop these calls?

Answer them and tell them "I am not the person you seek. Please stop calling me, or I will report you to the FCC." If that doesn't work, you might have to change your number again.

Sorry to say, it's par for the course for getting a new number. On occasion, I still get a call asking for a "Shameka" or something like that. They ask "Oh, did you get this number?" and I reply "Yeah, about twelve years ago or so." They hang up every single time. (I've had the same number since I had my MotoRAZR).
---

You can't. Years ago, I tried to explain to a live person that I wasn't the person they were asking for, and they just say something like "I'll call back" or "oh, ok", or "we'll remove you", but they just keep calling anyway. Eventually it stops. You can try blocking the number, but most of the time they call from random numbers. If it's really bad, set your default ring to silent, and just give everyone who calls you a ringtone.
---

lol not setting every call to silent
---

KingButz posted...

lol not setting every call to silent

I mean, that's what I do. I only have a few people on my contact list with audible ringtones, in case of emergencies. You'd be surprised how many people think this is weird for some reason though.
---

Had an aunt/uncle forge our address for a few of their debts. Multiple aunts/uncles even. We get all sorts of calls asking for them and there is nothing we can do about them.
---

Yeah it won't stop. It's even possible that the dude gave fake numbers. I've had my number forever and a day and every few years I start to get a hoard of calls looking for the same individual (the same in each group of calls, different each time the situation happens).
---

KingButz posted...

lol not setting every call to silent

Having a phone buzzing on my desk or in my pocket several times a day is not ideal. It's especially bothersome when I'm trying to listen to music with my earbuds in.

They will never stop calling if you don't answer and explain you are not the right person.

---

We have a national do not call registry, I'm unsure if it is a carrier thing or a federal thing, but if you register your number on it it will prevent blocked calls, collection agencies and numbers reported as spam from calling your number. You might want to see if you can register on something similar.
---

The do not call registry doesn't stop anything anymore, unfortunately. There are too many ways around it, most commonly number spoofing.
---

When this happened to my mom for awhile (someone calling for a Victoria constantly, not her) she eventually got a check for like $1000 from a class action lawsuit.
---

I think the Do Not Call Registry also doesn't stop calls where they have a business relationship with you. In this case, if the caller believes you owe them money, that's a business relationship.

Not that it matters with number spoofing, but yeah.

---

Just cuz ur voicemail says a different name doesnt mean it's a wrong number. They could think that's how to get a hold of the person. You have to let them know it's not the right number.

---