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In addition to what bosco said, you can also call the Attorney General in your state and report these calls. Give them the names, numbers etc of these collection companies. A partner I had in another industry years back also owned a collection company, so I ended up learning more than I ever realized existed about collection law (and she runs a very legit company).
I have never heard of this happening to the extent you describe, it's pretty bizarre. Your name and phone number must appear on the person's original credit application for them to even have that information. Chances are the original debt (since you say that these are tenants from some years back), has been sold to another collection firm so now the flurry of new activity as they retrace all the possible contacts for this person they're looking for.
In addition to what bosco said, you can also call the Attorney General in your state and report these calls. Give them the names, numbers etc of these collection companies. A partner I had in another industry years back also owned a collection company, so I ended up learning more than I ever realized existed about collection law (and she runs a very legit company).
I have never heard of this happening to the extent you describe, it's pretty bizarre. Your name and phone number must appear on the person's original credit application for them to even have that information. Chances are the original debt (since you say that these are tenants from some years back), has been sold to another collection firm so now the flurry of new activity as they retrace all the possible contacts for this person they're looking for.
I'd say the last 9 months and the number of calls remains fairly constant at 4 or 5 a week... about half are robo calls.
I also have had the same phone number for 28 years... so I'm sure my name and number are still associated with many past tenants.
Several calls have to do with current tenants that lost their homes or walked away from homes in the last 24 months... I know in CA, lenders are limited to the collateral on purchase money loans... all bets are off if you refi.
Under FDCPA, debt collectors may not communicate with anyone other than the debt holder about the debt. Not even a generic message for the debt holder to please call this 1-800 number. Not to a roommate or a family member residing at the same address, not to a landlord, and not to a past landlord. All they can ask is if you have, and are willing to provide, a current contact number for the debt holder.
As Bosco says, it is really important that you insist very clearly that they stop calling you. Don't just say, 'no sorry, that person's not here and I don't know how to reach them'. You have to address the fact that they are calling you, rather than addressing the information they are looking for.
Probably at this point, the debt collectors have shared your phone number with other debt collectors via the credit bureaus (by reporting your phone number to the bureau who then distributes it). So you should expect that getting the calls to stop may take a little while.
After you've told a few of them that you won't accept their calls any more, one thing you might consider is setting up a recorded message to intercept all incoming calls. You know "Thank you for calling Ultrarunner properties. Our office hours are.........." At the end of the message all callers could press 1 to talk to anyone, even if you are a one-man company. Probably your regular voicemail system could do it just by setting your phone on 'do not disturb' or some simple setting like that. ANyway, the point is that the message will prevent any robocalls from going through to you because they can't deal with recorded messages.
Under FDCPA, debt collectors may not communicate with anyone other than the debt holder about the debt. Not even a generic message for the debt holder to please call this 1-800 number. Not to a roommate or a family member residing at the same address, not to a landlord, and not to a past landlord. All they can ask is if you have, and are willing to provide, a current contact number for the debt holder.
As Bosco says, it is really important that you insist very clearly that they stop calling you. Don't just say, 'no sorry, that person's not here and I don't know how to reach them'. You have to address the fact that they are calling you, rather than addressing the information they are looking for.
Probably at this point, the debt collectors have shared your phone number with other debt collectors via the credit bureaus (by reporting your phone number to the bureau who then distributes it). So you should expect that getting the calls to stop may take a little while.
After you've told a few of them that you won't accept their calls any more, one thing you might consider is setting up a recorded message to intercept all incoming calls. You know "Thank you for calling Ultrarunner properties. Our office hours are.........." At the end of the message all callers could press 1 to talk to anyone, even if you are a one-man company. Probably your regular voicemail system could do it just by setting your phone on 'do not disturb' or some simple setting like that. Anyway, the point is that the message will prevent any robocalls from going through to you because they can't deal with recorded messages.
I have been thinking about upgrading the phone system... the one I have is from the 1980's
It certainly appears the callers are very loose in the best sense of following the law.
The last one I actually spoke with said, "I have an urgent matter for Mr. Smith... "I said I do not know any Mr. Smith... he then said "It's urgent we contact Mr. Smith by the close of Business otherwise we will have no choice other than starting legal action that may affect you and Mr. Smith."
I then asked him if Mr. Smith was looking to rent an apartment?... "He said, records show that you are associated with Mr. Smith who resides at xyz address... we require you to either provide Mr Smith's contact information or forward our contact information to Mr. Smith. If we do not hear from Mr. Smith at the end of business today... we will be unable to help him..."
I told him not to call me again and said good-bye.
In addition to what bosco said, you can also call the Attorney General in your state and report these calls. Give them the names, numbers etc of these collection companies.
Good catch. If you have a very consumer orientated AG and/or they have received multiple complaints, this can be pretty effective. You can also file a complaint with the ACA if the company calling you is a member. Rumor has it they tend to be proactive in reeling in their members who step outside the law.
The last one I actually spoke with said, "I have an urgent matter for Mr. Smith... "I said I do not know any Mr. Smith... he then said "It's urgent we contact Mr. Smith by the close of Business otherwise we will have no choice other than starting legal action that may affect you and Mr. Smith."
Oh, I would have LOVED to hear them explain away how they intended to drag you into Mr. Smith's legal issues. That would have been REAL funny.
I have been thinking about upgrading the phone system... the one I have is from the 1980's
It certainly appears the callers are very loose in the best sense of following the law.
The last one I actually spoke with said, "I have an urgent matter for Mr. Smith... "I said I do not know any Mr. Smith... he then said "It's urgent we contact Mr. Smith by the close of Business otherwise we will have no choice other than starting legal action that may affect you and Mr. Smith."
I then asked him if Mr. Smith was looking to rent an apartment?... "He said, records show that you are associated with Mr. Smith who resides at xyz address... we require you to either provide Mr Smith's contact information or forward our contact information to Mr. Smith. If we do not hear from Mr. Smith at the end of business today... we will be unable to help him..."
I told him not to call me again and said good-bye.
Tell him you require him to stop calling you or you will have no choice but to proceed with legal action. lol
While it's a pain in the butt to do so..you can get the name and address of the company and send them a certified letter demanding that they stop calling you. They have to comply with that.
I'm not a landlord to my next door neighbors, although we share the number on the street, they are A and we are B. I have been getting collection calls about them for years and years. I've also been getting calls concerning the adult son of my husband's ex-wife's husband who has never lived in this state, nevermind our address. Last name's don't even come close.
But I have no problem insisting and demanding that the person calling identify him/herself and company. And never once have I understood the name of the company. Thank goodness for caller ID. I am old-fashioned and I don't even admit that I'm a real person, not the person they are looking for, or am myself until I hear the person's name and company - even though I have the company (usually) on caller ID. If they have it blocked, they must spell their name, the name of the company and then I will tell them whether I am the person they are calling. I love to be a PIB. Since I am hearing impaired, and their speech is usually faster than superman, this can take 5 or more minutes.
Anyway, the collector ALWAYS tells me it is a collection call and it generally takes me 10-15 of these calls before they temporarily remove my phone number from their file. One of these days I will proceed with the threats against them. I have told the collector that if I get even one more call from him/her or his/her company, I will be looking up their phone numbers (since I have their name) online and calling them AT HOME during breakfast since they called during MY mealtime (usually around dinnertime). But I promise them that if their spouse answers, I will pretend I am the lover of the person and I'm sure their spouse/mother/child will not like the conversation I will be having.
Surprisingly, that doesn't always work to get my number removed from the "contact" list. I have asked for "supervisor" and that NEVER works but now I wonder if I could make some money off these calls. $1000 to have me not report them. hmmm.
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