Cell phones still getting old owners collection calls (Verizon, law, update)

[shadowwalker]

My wife and I have had our cell phone numbers for over 9 1/2 years and still get regular calls from bill collectors looking for old owners. Telling them how long we've had them, even giving the Facebook profiles and addresses of old owners have had no effect. Getting hostile or calling back for a supervisor is futile. Changing numbers at verizon is a joke. The number I had before was a out of business airplane business. Just felt like venting thanks.

[wit-nit]

Tell them "the checks in the mail".

[AksarbeN]

Originally Posted by wit-nit

Tell them "the checks in the mail".

Good idea!

Tell them you'll send a cashiers check and you need their name & mailing address, phone number to call when it's coming. After you have their info, you can put them on all the postcards for magazine subscriptions with "bill me later". lol Write their phone number on bathroom walls at gas stations along the interstate as well...... LOL

[thatdurncat13]

^^best answer I've ever seen!

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by shadowwalker

My wife and I have had our cell phone numbers for over 9 1/2 years and still get regular calls from bill collectors looking for old owners. Telling them how long we've had them, even giving the Facebook profiles and addresses of old owners have had no effect. Getting hostile or calling back for a supervisor is futile. Changing numbers at verizon is a joke. The number I had before was a out of business airplane business. Just felt like venting thanks.

Same thing's been happening to me and I've had the number for almost 15 years. What's concerning is that she's still using it on credit applications and as a "good" number.

I know that because one of the calls was about an overdue water/sewer bill and impending service shutoff for a town in Maryland. A couple of the town's officials are close personal and professional friends so they checked it out for me. The number was used 3 months before the call so she's still using it.

[mshultz]

You have my sympathy. I have thought about changing my landline number to stop some political calls. However, it would be a huge hassle updating my number for those who need to call me; I would be sure to miss people. I'm also concerned that if I did change my number, the new number would come with its own set of undesirable callers.

[Ed_RDNC]

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/rule...tices-act-text
Provides you with specific protections against harassment. From the above:

What if I don’t think I owe the debt?
... You can get a collector to stop contacting you, at any time, by sending a letter by mail asking for contact to stop.

Then read further down:

Where do I report a debt collector for an alleged violation?
What else can I do if I think a debt collector has broken the law?

In summary, when they contact you asking for payment, they are very used to people lying on the phone and have strong motivation to keep going. NOTHING you say over the phone can force them to stop. Get the person's name, company name, and mailing address. Then send them a registered-letter referencing the above law and demanding they stop contacting you.

RE: water/sewer bills: Note that I think for some reason this specific utility's billing is handled differently than power, cable, phone, rent, and other bills.

[rstevens62]

I read something recently that was suggesting these debt collection agencies that buy up 'old debts' and attempt to collect on them, are not legitimate at all, even if you do owe the money, it had something to do with the original debt having been sold/ written off, and this changes the whole game.

[pretty in black]

I have had my phone number for 5 years and I still get calls for some guy named Brian. People even leave messages about job interviews for him. This guy should have updated his info by now.

[Kluch]

Why not change your number? My wife just changed hers online and it was easy and didn't take long.