Bill Collector Calling-Not Ours!!!! What to Do??

Question

Here is the deal, beinging on Monday we've been getting calls from Lobel Financial. Problem? They are not our bill collector! They are looking for our neighbor, the first time they called they even said they are calling for a neighbor, that they can't get in contact with. They said they put the address in the computer, and our number came up as the closet address. How can they do that? Is it even legal to call someone when you KNOW they have nothing to do with it? I've filed a complaint with the National Do Not Call Registry, spoke with the supervisor of the company and told them I filed a complaint. The guy was so rude to me, and made me feel like I owe him money. I have a feeling I will be getting more calls from them. What else can I possibly do?

Answer 1

Along with following the advice given by other answerers, I highly suggest that you ask your neighbor to call them back. The quickest way to make the situation go away is for the person who owes them money to get in contact with them.

Answer 2

"Verbally abusive?" In what way? Most collectors are monitored quite closely in accordance with many laws. Your version of verbally abusive probably isn't as bad as you make it sound. I worked in a collection agency for 34 years and never once heard anyone on the calling floor swear at a debtor or anything like that. And I had good ears too. Seriously though, just cool off. Pay the bill. Its not the end of the world. Stop being such a baby.

Answer 3

if they call again. do not talk with them. tell them that u need to get the telephone number and address for the company. once u get it. tell them that they have the wrong person and u have already instructed them not to call you, and if they call again, you will file harrasment charges against them. write a letter regarding the same. keep it as documentation. I had a similar problem years ago. after about 2 weeks of the crap, i had an attorney buddy write a letter. remember this is probably a 3 person office of high school dropouts harrasing you. dont roll in the mud with a pig. good luck

Answer 4

It is not right for a collector to call up your neighbors looking for you - the fact that they told you your neighbor is in debt with them could be a violation of confidentiality/security. Call the Better Business Bureau, or one of the state departments. If they continue to call, take down the date and time of each incidence and keep track, you may want to write a letter to the company so you can prove due diligence in trying to stop the calls. You do not need to tolerate or involve yourself in this situation, other than to stop the harassment you are receiving as a result.

Answer 5

We had a similar situation with one of our neighbors. We simply stopped answering the phone. We have caller ID and I just don't pick up those calls anymore. If I feel like venting, and I see that it's our old neighbor's creditors calling again, I scream in the phone at them. I have also been plagued with creditors of someone else on my cell phone. Again, I just stopped answering the calls, unless I feel like hollering at someone... then I let them have it when I pick up the phone. One of these seems to have worked as no one calls my cell for that wrong number and the creditors calls to our home number seem to have stopped. Also, I began reporting the calls to this site, whocalled.us.

Answer 6

This is harassment. If he calls again, get his name, his telephone number and the name of the company and file a complaint with the police. They need to prove this is yours, anything else is harassment.

Or if you have some pent up anger you would like to vent, nail the ba$tard and he still can't touch you. It's not your debt.

Answer 7

I use to get calls because my cousin owed a phone company money. I asked why they were calling me and they said because our number was the "emergancy" contact number. I called the phone company and told them that seeing how I didn't owe them money that if their collection agency called me again I would be contacting my states officials and reporting them...haven't had a call since

Answer 8

Forget calling the police. You need to get the company's name and a supervisor's name, tell them you are contacting your state attorney general's office, then do it. Once the attorney general's office contacts them, trust me, you will not get any more calls.

Answer 9

i had the same problem a few months ago...they were calling for a "lori woods"...i had never heard of this name and told them so the first few times they called...after they persisted in calling..instead of getting mad, i imitated the guys accent....he asked..."may i speak to a meez lody wudes pleace?" and i said in the same middle eastern accent..."thank you for calling Juan's house of good loving! Would you like some loving sir??"...he laughed, replying "whut sir?!"..we both laughed and i hung up. I assume they removed me from the calling list because they haven't called since...it was a cell phone too!! so annoying!

Answer 10

You say this : "You are hereby instructed to cease and desist any and all calls to this number. If you do not comply, we will inform the department of consumer affairs and the telephone company. This call and future calls will be recorded. Thank you."