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Weird phone call from a debt collector
Melinoe
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
This morning I received a phone call from Ohio (I live in California) and as I usually do with weird out of state numbers, I ignored it. They left a message that said something along the lines of "This message is for (my name), if you are not (me) please hang up... by continuing to listen you have verified that you are (me)" and then something about how they were a debt collector and to give them a call back.
Thing is, I don't really have debt. I have one credit card that I've never made a late payment on, my boyfriend and I have an auto loan that has also always been paid off on time, and all of the college classes I've taken so far have been covered by the BOGG waiver. I shred all of the pre-approved credit card offers that I get in the mail before tossing them out. So I don't really know what they could be talking about. Googling the phone number got me a website called whycallme.com, that had one comment left by an anonymous user that said this:
"Well since I filed a complaint they called again. They did not give me a chance to ask them to not call. This number is a cell phone so it goes against my minutes that I pay for. Please stop them! Thanks."
Which doesn't really tell me any real information, other than implying that the people calling are harassing and maybe not calling for a legitimate reason. My gut reaction is to ignore it, but my gut reactions are usually dumb, so what should I do? Should I be worried about identity theft or anything like that?
Thing is, I don't really have debt. I have one credit card that I've never made a late payment on, my boyfriend and I have an auto loan that has also always been paid off on time, and all of the college classes I've taken so far have been covered by the BOGG waiver. I shred all of the pre-approved credit card offers that I get in the mail before tossing them out. So I don't really know what they could be talking about. Googling the phone number got me a website called whycallme.com, that had one comment left by an anonymous user that said this:
"Well since I filed a complaint they called again. They did not give me a chance to ask them to not call. This number is a cell phone so it goes against my minutes that I pay for. Please stop them! Thanks."
Which doesn't really tell me any real information, other than implying that the people calling are harassing and maybe not calling for a legitimate reason. My gut reaction is to ignore it, but my gut reactions are usually dumb, so what should I do? Should I be worried about identity theft or anything like that?
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I checked my credit report from all three agencies and everything is as it should be, so I'm going to assume that they're a scam and not worry too much about it. Thanks!
I would under no circumstances provide them with any information at all until they'd established they were legit.
Yeah if they ask for your addy I'd ask them what they have on file, and just confirm or deny it.
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I wouldn't even necessarily do that.
If you credit report is clean then I would be highly suspicious of someone calling out of the blue. Especially if they are trying to get any sort of personal information. If it continues and you've verified you have no outstanding debts I'd see about contacting your local authorities to see if they would handle something like this or if there is a government agency as it's a form of phishing.
I get these calls quite often. I live in an apartment, and I can only assume the phone number i got when i connected service was reused by someone. My answering machine picks up these calls alot, and I just ignore them. If they get me in person i tell them that that person does not live here, and i dont know who it is, yet they keep calling. I've even tried to get them to give me a manager but they usually hang up when i start to get pissy.
Just ignore them. Good luck blocking them because they usually have an unlisted number, and for some reason even the stupid phone company cant block numbers that are shown as unlisted.
If you talk to them, tell them only to contact you in writing from that point on and to provide a written documented record of the debt. If they give you trouble over it by hemming and hawing, or by saying that if you don't handle it right now on the phone they will call the police and get you thrown in jail, Then its 100% a scam and they are trying to fear you into either giving up money or information.
As others have said, do not volunteer any information, ask them for what they have on file and be hesitant about even confirming/denying their information. If they have a legal debt, and you have not recently moved, they will have the information they need to contact you by mail.
But yeah, just tell them that you want all future communication in writing. If anything ever shows up, it'll tell you exactly what they think that you owe.
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I just got one of these calls two days ago, exactly the same as the OP. A debt collection agency from Ohio, "this message is for (my name), if you are not (my name) please hang up." The thing is, I actually do have an unresolved debt with my school, so I just assumed it was legit. I called them back, and the very first things they asked for were my name and SSN. Which I gave them.
They're probably a legitimate agency (I hope), but now I'm all paranoid that the records for my school debt got picked up by a scammer and I gave them my SSN..
I don't mean to thread-jack, but when I spoke with the rep on the phone, we talked about setting up a repayment plan and everything, and she said that they can set it up so that my checking account is billed automatically. I thought that sounded convenient, but didn't have my account or routing number, so I told them I would call them back when I had that information. Afterwords, I told my dad about it, and he told me that that was in fact a very bad idea and that I should be sending them money orders every month.
Is there a reason to be so skeptical of these debt collectors that you shouldn't even let them know you have a checking account? I just want to get this resolved as easily as possible, because I'm getting married next year and I really don't want to fuck anything up financially before I even really get my life started.
/thread-jack
Are you certain the unresolved debt had already been sent to collections? Had you previously been in contract with a collection agency? Is there any way to follow the trail to the current debt holder and verify whether you were in fact communicating with them?
Be on high alert for identity theft until you figure that shit out. Sounds like all you need is additional debts incurred using your info.
It is a bad idea to give out your SSN to anyone calling you out of the blue. It is downright "holy crap do not do this" bad to give them access to your banking information. Your dad is right, assuming you fully confirmed that this debt was from your school (from both your school and the rep), do not give them access to your bank account.
Never ever ever give out important personal information like your SSN or bank account details over the phone.
Ever.
EVER.
This, so much, altho they are getting even sneakier in Canada now, they'll use a nearby number, we've called back the number on occasion, and it's some random dudes house that is both shocked, and then very angry that his number is being used for this, and wasn't a one off, thing, I've begun calling back the number every time now) they are hijacking local numbers here, so that your neighbors number and shit will show as the number calling you
but ya, I'll echo the give them no information/don't even answer it people, it'll just get more of them after you. If not a blocked number, have you tried calling it back?
And yes, even when it is a legit debt you don't want them to have your bank info if you can avoid it, in case they decide to start making you paying back faster than you can afford.
Can do the shorter one online at any of the credit agencies and they say they'll pass it on to the others.
Here's Equifax: https://www.alerts.equifax.com/AutoFraud_Online/jsp/fraudAlert.jsp
Also specifically to anyone calling you - don't give out any info to anyone, ever. I got a little pissed at the agent from one of my cards because they called me and she was trying to get me to confirm address & account info. Not her fault, but very bad company policy to encourage customers to give out info over the phone.
If they're a legit agency, they will have everything they need. If they don't, you don't need to be helping them.
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I've found this to be the best course of action for me. It's a LOT of hassle depending on the company involved, but better than than giving out information to a number I don't recognize.
The only problem with doing this with a debt collection call is that a lot of the time the people they are "calling on behalf of" list the issue as resolved because the debt was sold and that means they don't have to care anymore, and voluntarily calling a debt collector and giving them my information seems like just about the last thing I would ever want to do. Even legitimately hired debt collectors are often shady, shady companies.
Also, once you agree to a payment plan, IN WRITING, do not miss or be even a day late on a payment. That will invalidate the entire contract and they can renegotiate at that point.
Just want to add some agencies can get their records electronically and these things can slip past, but generally yes, it costs more sending mail/paying people to call you than what they would get back so companies tend to write off certain amounts.
It was not a scam, it was on my credit report and I payed the buck and change to get it removed. The IRS has also sent my old man a bill for less than a dollar before. Computerized debt collection systems can send this shit out if there's no lower limit set.
^ This needs to be re-emphasized ^
Most debt collection agencies are in no way attached to, say, law enforcement (even though many of them register business names that make it sound like they are). They are in a very risky business: paying-off debt to larger companies and gambling on their own ability to basically bully the previous debt holder to make back their money + profit (sometimes by charging the previous debt holder interest, sometimes by buying the old debt 'on sale', for lack of a better word, and then collecting the full amount from the previous debt holder). It's very important to understand that while these companies can, in theory, go through legal channels to try and force repayment (just like the original company could have), in practice they are often just a private party trying to get money from you with no backing from the state, and more importantly, no oversight.
There is zero reason to hand such an organization any personal details, and depending on where you live there may be laws against these companies harassing you over the phone / pressing you for any information they do not need. They don't need to know where you live, what your SSN is or what your banking information is to set-up a payment plan - at most, they need to know when,you can make payments and how much each payment will be for. Anything you provide beyond that just gives them extra leverage over you.
Debt collectors also don't "gamble" by buying debt for cash - that is a nearly extinct practice - but work on the legal assignment of debt for a commission. Most of the time, your contracts with your providers stipulate you will pay all collection costs, plus principle (which is why those tiny debts are collectible - minimum contractual collection costs)
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1. Never call them back.
2. Log their calls for record purposes.
3. Don't admit the debt is yours.
4. Don't believe what they say, instead request them to put everything in writing.