Blocked, Unknown, Not Available Caller ID Assholes

Despite the national do not call list, 95% of the time my home phone rings, it is still from some prick with a "Blocked," "Unknown," or "Not Available" Caller ID. This is mildly irritating because I have to have a phone nearby or get up to know that there is no one I care about calling, but I have learned to begrudgingly live with it.

However, over the last few weeks, two different new numbers have begun calling. One of them started out by leaving automated, non-personal messages to return their call about "a very important business matter." I ignored them and deleted the messages, because some ass named Tommy Brown used to have my phone number and apparently defaulted on all kinds of shit. It took years for those calls to go away, but I thought they had. I assumed this was just that nonsense in new hands.

Today I got two different messages that used my name in the recording. I Googled the numbers and found that both were collection agencies but that both were notorious for harassing people without any real debts. I wanted to be sure, so I burned my annual free credit report from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Sure enough, there was nothing negative at all on any of the three reports (though they charge for the score itself, which is bullshit).

Has anyone else delt with assholes like this that scare you because they know who you are but don't have any real reason to be bothering you? I am leaning toward sending them both certified cease and desist letters so that I can sue them if it continues.

Do it.

Pay your bills then maybe you won't have debt collectors calling you. :P

Well I used to work for the FTC's call center and we used to take complaints on these kind of retards all the time. Really the only thing you can do besides filing a complaint with the FTC and BBB is to write them a cease and dessist letter. All the letter has to say that they don't have permission to call you anymore. Send it certified mail too because they will try and say they never got it. If you can sue em go for it.

I get calls like these ALLL the time. I did the same thing one day and checked my credit report and nothing, not a single blemish. I havent been late or failed to pay anything, so theyre just scammers.

Theres also one where Itll ask you to stay on the line, or press one or something, and it routes your call to mexico and they get you on BS charges, thankfull never fell for it and read up on it on the interweb.

Just tell them the person they're calling is dead. You'll be off the list in no time.

DNC lists don't cover a lot of shit, including debt collection, non-profit fundraising, and political calls, but you can still pull the "remove my name from all of your calling lists" thing. Call them once and try to reason with them. If the guy on the line is an asshole he might not oblige though and then you have to move to stronger action.

Seriously, play it nice at first, just tell them the person they're calling passed away a month or so ago. Act really uncomfortable and ask them why they're calling this specific person, be adamant about getting an answer to that one question. "No, I get that, but why (name,)" "because he passed away a few weeks back and I want to know why you're still calling for him at this number," "no, I get that you're sorry but it doesn't stop it from hurting now, so please don't call again."

You WILL be off the list, just be nice, because being a dick will only make them call a few more times just to fuck with you.

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Originally Posted by Yoshi

Despite the national do not call list, 95% of the time my home phone rings, it is still from some prick with a "Blocked," "Unknown," or "Not Available" Caller ID. This is mildly irritating because I have to have a phone nearby or get up to know that there is no one I care about calling, but I have learned to begrudgingly live with it.

However, over the last few weeks, two different new numbers have begun calling. One of them started out by leaving automated, non-personal messages to return their call about "a very important business matter." I ignored them and deleted the messages, because some ass named Tommy Brown used to have my phone number and apparently defaulted on all kinds of shit. It took years for those calls to go away, but I thought they had. I assumed this was just that nonsense in new hands.

Today I got two different messages that used my name in the recording. I Googled the numbers and found that both were collection agencies but that both were notorious for harassing people without any real debts. I wanted to be sure, so I burned my annual free credit report from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Sure enough, there was nothing negative at all on any of the three reports (though they charge for the score itself, which is bullshit).

Has anyone else delt with assholes like this that scare you because they know who you are but don't have any real reason to be bothering you? I am leaning toward sending them both certified cease and desist letters so that I can sue them if it continues.

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Yeah, I defaulted on a CC back in 2004 and paid it that year, but the calls never stoped coming, from agency to agency and even law firms. It's fucking frustrating, but as soon as one gets handled, another one appears. I've also noticed they use the caller ID name "Cell Phone."

my favourite is the scammers calling from 123-456-7890

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Originally Posted by Yoshi

my home phone

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Sup Gramps.