HOW Do I STOP These Calls??? HELP!!!

We have lived in this new city for going on 2 years. Since we've had this phone number, we've been getting phone calls for "James Ward" from CREDITORS!!!

The problem is, ALL of the calls are AUTOMATED!!! So it's not like I can pick up the phone and tell them that he's not at this number anymore.

HOW DO I STOP THESE CALLS?

Do I have to actually call these people??? I don't think that should be my place? Should it???

This is so frigging frustrating!

Funny thing, when we first got married in 03, we moved to a different city for just a little over a year and had the SAME PROBLEM! Different phone number of course and different people being called by different creditors, but the same problem! LOL . . . we fixed that one though because they were REAL PEOPLE calling! Hubby just answered & said . . . this isn't thier number anymore!

Anyone else have this problem ever???

Making me MAD!!!

They cal 100 times a day . . . even on the weekends & Sundays! They start at 8 in the morning and go until 9 at night!!!

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Help!

My best advice is get a new number. It's an inconvenience to inform all your acquaintances, but in the long run, one week-end of calls to your significant others will stop the hassles of those annoying calls to a stranger! Good Luck.

Register your number in the do not call list

https://www.donotcall.gov/

There is more information on the site

Call them back and tell them to stop calling. That's probably going to be the only way to stop them.

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Originally Posted by Cat's Meowm

My best advice is get a new number. It's an inconvenience to inform all your acquaintances, but in the long run, one week-end of calls to your significant others will stop the hassles of those annoying calls to a stranger! Good Luck.

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I don't see how this will work . . . we'll just get another number that someone else has changed because they've fled creditors. :rolleyes: Know what I mean? This is our SECOND new number that we've had in THREE years!

The do not call won't help because they are allowed to call people that owe them money and thats the number they have.

You can either get a new number or call them all back.

The phone company may also be able to help you out.

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Originally Posted by Jessika

Register your number in the do not call list

https://www.donotcall.gov/

There is more information on the site

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We've done it . . . 2 or 3 times. We're not being hasseled by telemarketers. It's creditors. The Do Not Call List does not keep Creditors from calling people that are not paying their bills. If that were the case . . . :eek:

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Originally Posted by gemini9961

Call them back and tell them to stop calling. That's probably going to be the only way to stop them.

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I was afraid you'd say that. :(

I keep telling hubby . . . If they REALLY want this "James Ward" . . . Why don't they have a REAL PERSON call???

Geez, even if I were him, I probably wouldn't even call! LOL

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Originally Posted by christa

They call a 100 times a day . . . even on the weekends & Sundays!

They start at 8 in the morning and go until 9 at night!!!

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:eek:

Now THAT's illegal!
I'm pretty sure a Collector is only permitted to call you ONE time in 24 hours.

Call your Telephone Company and ask for the Security or Annonymous Call Dept.

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Originally Posted by Cinder & Smoke

:eek:

Now THAT's illegal!
I'm pretty sure a Collector is only permitted to call you ONE time in 24 hours.

Call your Telephone Company and ask for the Security or Annonymous Call Dept.

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I'm not saying it's the same collector, LOL. Evidently, this guy changed numbers for a reason.

You do need to call them and let them know that this is no longer his number. Otherwise they'll just keep calling, and have the legal right to do so.

Ya that is with me at my house they call and call anc call like 50 times a day from like 5 in the morning and my mom gets mad soo much they call and have different numbers all the time. If its like a real person I just have fun and talk in spanish becuase they don't speak it it's fun and they stop calling well...that number and there is like 50 of them.

Christa, I've had a similar problem with a phone in my barracks room. I finally called each company that was calling, informed them the person no longer had that phone number, and told them that continued calls would result in a complaint to the state AG. They ended quickly.

Pick up the phone and tell them that you are they have the wrong number,
Your name is Montgomery Ward....


Or pick up the phone, wait untill you get a person then tell them that YOU are a credit agency.

OR

Pick up the phone, wait for the human and then tell them to wait...

Put the phone under a pillow for five minutes. ;)

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Originally Posted by Lady's Human

Christa, I've had a similar problem with a phone in my barracks room. I finally called each company that was calling, informed them the person no longer had that phone number, and told them that continued calls would result in a complaint to the state AG. They ended quickly.

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This is the best advice so far, and make a log of who you call, what time and what date.

We changed our number this past summer and have had the same problem. What I do is answer all the calls. If they're automated and leave a call back number, I call it back, tell them they cannot reach "Andrea" at that number and they take our number off the list. If it is automated but you can press "0" or something to speak to someone, I do that. We got about 20 calls a day for awhile and now it's down to MAYBE one a month. It sucks and it's a pain in the butt, but it does cut down the calls and you don't have to go through the pain of changing your number and risking having the same thing happen with that one.

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Originally Posted by RICHARD

Pick up the phone and tell them that you are they have the wrong number,
Your name is Montgomery Ward....


Or pick up the phone, wait untill you get a person then tell them that YOU are a credit agency.

OR

Pick up the phone, wait for the human and then tell them to wait...

Put the phone under a pillow for five minutes. ;)

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hehehe.........Richard, your suggestions remind me of that Seinfeld joke, the one where he asked the telemarketer for their home phone number and when they won't give it to him, he tells them that's how he feels about being called at home! (Obviously, Seinfeld tells it much better than I do :rolleyes: )

I get the same thing. There is a call for "Stephaine T***" (I won't put her full name here....) every few days. I don't get it as often as you do but I'll get it several times in spurts periodically. I also get her calls from some dentist or doctor. I've told them she doesn't live here but they said that's the only number they have for her. I hope it's not important because she's missing a lot of appointments!

I used to get calls for someone else too about their child in school. Apparently their son had behavioral problems. I tried and tried to explain to the secretary and principal that he wasn't my son - I don't even have any kids! It took forever but they finally realized I wasn't going to come in and discuss "my son's" behavorial problems. I hope they finally got a hold of his mother because I feel quite sorry for the teacher; I got those calls several times a day!

Christa,

I used to get phone calls for someone in my apartment building after I allowed him to use my cellphone to call an ambulance. I got calls from the ER, the ambulance company AND the doctor's office for collections.

I'm now getting phone calls from someone who says it's an important business matter (the call is for me) but they won't tell me what it's about unless I give them my address first. I flatly refuse and just hang up. I told them many times I'm not giving out that information unless they tell me what it's regarding.

Some people just don't give up!!

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Originally Posted by moosmom

I'm now getting phone calls from someone who says it's an important business matter (the call is for me) but they won't tell me what it's about unless I give them my address first.

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Sounds EXACTLY like a call that I used to get on our machine and my parents got too. I think that one was a scam. Yout have to be careful about giving out your info over the phone! :eek:

I know how you feel, it happens to us, too! :mad:

I want to answer it next time and say I will get you for harrassment if you don't stop calling!!! :mad:

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Originally Posted by moosmom

I'm now getting phone calls from someone who says it's an important business matter (the call is for me) but they won't tell me what it's about unless I give them my address first. I flatly refuse and just hang up. I told them many times I'm not giving out that information unless they tell me what it's regarding.

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If it was THAT important, then they would already have your address :rolleyes:

It must happen to a lot of people, and I would think the phone company has a department to deal with this.

Call them - it's THEIR phone system and they ought to have some way of dealing with it!

Isn't that annoying? I suggest you call them during the day and speak to a person and get them to remove your number right there while you're on the phone with them, if it's possible.

We had a similiar problem.. but the police kept coming to our house looking for some teenager who used to live here. Apparently he was into trafficking drugs..

You might call your phone company and inquire about a service called "call blocking"

For a monthly fee - they provide a service on your line. When someone calls and you do not want them to call you again - you dial a quick number such as *69 and they will not be able to call you again.

However, it may not work for toll free numbers.

It would seem that the phone companies could do something about this - but I was told "we are a telephone company" - in the business of providing phone services. If no one is breaking the law - and they are paying the bill - the phone company will do absolutely nothing about it.

I didn't realize this was so common. I got some too, on my answering machine. The voice was computer generated and I couldn't understand the first name. I called the company, gave the id number they'd left and they said they'd take my number out of their computer system. That worked for a few days, then they started calling again. I just deleted the messages. It is unfair that the burden falls on you to stop the calls, but that's all part of what this guy has done - dumped his responsibilities on other people. I hope he doesn't have pets!

This is slightly off topic, but I'll tell you anyway.

A few years ago, we used to get the occasional fax from various telemarketers, and of course others did too. This guy John knew, had had enough one day, and wrote a long letter to the company. He sent it by fax after closing time - one word on each page. I can just picture the mountain of paper on their floor the next morning. :D

As far as I know, he never got anymore faxes from them.

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Originally Posted by Randi

This is slightly off topic, but I'll tell you anyway.

A few years ago, we used to get the occasional fax from various telemarketers, and of course others did too. This guy John knew, had had enough one day, and wrote a long letter to the company. He sent it by fax after closing time - one word on each page. I can just picture the mountain of paper on their floor the next morning. :D

As far as I know, he never got anymore faxes from them.

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Oh! What a wonderful suggestion. We get lots of unwanted faxes at work and found out that there was nowhere to complain about them or stop them. As with the phone calls, the sender is paying for the service and so it is allowed. However, each company is using our paper, our ink and our time. I'll see if my boss will let us try this method of one word, one page. :D

On the same type of topic, I tried to stop the junk mail coming to my house but was told by U.S. mail that since the vendors paid for the mailing service, the mail has to be delivered. In fact the post office were annoyed with me for even suggesting I didn't want the mail - do they like junk mail!?

Just put up a sign stating you don't want ad-address mail or junk mail & to toss it into the pail supplied below :) hehe

I filtered out junk mail for my customer PO Boxes, it was fun, cause anything on the list they made for me (what was considered junk mail) I got to open it or keep the magazins hehe from this free service I did, I had 4 times the amount of PO box customers :) I even ran out of Boxes & some people just paid for pretend PO boxes (I would collect their mail & they would collect it once a week) My way is how to make $$ & show customers you care :)


When I was living with Rob we use to get chinese & indian people calling us at all hours of the night!! Turns out one of our #s was a diget off from a calling card company :rolleyes:


Isn't it considered harassment if you tell a company to stop calling you & they still do it? I would fight using that argument with the phone company

Ugh I feel your pain - There for a while we kept getting messages on our machine for 'Elizabeth.........' (I won't say the whole name). These messages were mean and nasty and even got threatening! I called the guy and told him no Elizabeth at that number and he got worse! Sheesh, I certainly wasn't going to pay 'Elizabeth's' bill! GRRRR :mad:

I can relate to this too. For over a year, probably close to 2 I have been getting calls for a "Raymond Best". Never heard of him, have no idea who he is. I have received several messages on my answering machine asking that he return the call. I have called (the same agency) numerous times and politely asked that they remove my number from their files as it is not his number, has never been his number (I've had the number over 25 years) and that I have no idea who he is. Well, I got another call for him the other day. I was so mad. :mad: :mad: I called them and threatened them that I would report them to the Better Business Bureau if they ever called again. Probably didn't do any good, but I felt better venting at them. ;)

Again, if calling and informing the company that the person they are looking for doesn't have that phone number doesn't stop the calls, file a complaint with the state AG. Most state AG offices have sections devoted to telecommunications enforcement.

For those who do not want to be on mailing lists, here's a link to a "do not mail" list.

http://www.dmaconsumers.org/offmailinglist.html


The USPS is required by law to deliver all mail to the person/business it is addressed to. What consumers call "junk mail" in postal jargon is either standard mail or Bulk Business Mail (BBM). There is nothing the carrier can legally do with it other than deliver it.

Jessika,

That's exactly what I was thinking!! If it's SOOOO important, they should have all my information. I got 3 calls again today.

I also get calls from pranksters. I just hang up on them.

Ok in the automated messege does it say stay on the line you and you will be put through to ....... if so stay on the line i had the same problem

This is a link to the Canadian Do Not Call directory.

It is free and will block addressed junk mail, faxes and phone calls.


http://www.the-cma.org/consumer/donotcontact.cfm

While we are ranting and raving here - someone mentioned getting faxes that you do not want.

This is a HUGE pain to me. They send them in the middle of the night - so I don't find them until the morning. AND the little buggers no longer put their phone number on the top, so you cannot tell who it is coming from.

Some of them have numbers you can call to stop them from sending you faxes. I have called (all electronic) and punched in my fax line so that they would remove it. Very next day - another fax comes in - but at the bottom they have yet another phone number to call if you don't want to receive them.

I run a report on my incoming and outgoing faxes.....but those junk faxes never have any number listed on the report.

The phone rang as I was sitting down to my evening meal, and as I
answered it I was greeted with "Is this Karl Brummer". Not sounding
anything like my name, I asked who is calling. The telemarketer said he
was with The Rubber Band Powered Freezer Company or something like that.
Then I asked him if he knew Karl personally and why was he calling this
number. I then said off to the side, "get some pictures of the body at
various angles and the blood smears", I then turned back to the phone
and advised the caller that he had entered a murder scene and must stay
on the line because we had already traced this call and he would be
receiving a summons to testify in this murder case.
I questioned the caller at great length as to his name, address, phone
number at home, at work, who he worked for, how he knew the dead guy and
could he prove where he had been about one hour before he made this
call.
The telemarketer was getting very concerned and his answers were given
in a shaky voice. I then told him we had located his position and the
police were entering the building to take him into custody, at that
point I heard the phone fall and the scurrying of his feet running away.
My wife asked me as I returned to our table why I had tears streaming
down my face and so help me, I couldn't tell her for about fifteen
minutes. My meal was cold, but it was the best meal in a long, long
time.

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Originally Posted by gini

The phone rang as I was sitting down to my evening meal, and as I
answered it I was greeted with "Is this Karl Brummer". Not sounding
anything like my name, I asked who is calling. The telemarketer said he
was with The Rubber Band Powered Freezer Company or something like that.
Then I asked him if he knew Karl personally and why was he calling this
number. I then said off to the side, "get some pictures of the body at
various angles and the blood smears", I then turned back to the phone
and advised the caller that he had entered a murder scene and must stay
on the line because we had already traced this call and he would be
receiving a summons to testify in this murder case.
I questioned the caller at great length as to his name, address, phone
number at home, at work, who he worked for, how he knew the dead guy and
could he prove where he had been about one hour before he made this
call.
The telemarketer was getting very concerned and his answers were given
in a shaky voice. I then told him we had located his position and the
police were entering the building to take him into custody, at that
point I heard the phone fall and the scurrying of his feet running away.
My wife asked me as I returned to our table why I had tears streaming
down my face and so help me, I couldn't tell her for about fifteen
minutes. My meal was cold, but it was the best meal in a long, long
time.

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I love this, serves them right. I've had the same problem, a couple of times it's been actual people. Once I even had one argue with me when I told them that person was not at this number. They kept insisting that I owed the bill thinking I was lying to them about who I was since the person they were looking for was female. I finally got completely annoyed and hung up on them, then called the company back and spoke to a supervisor...needless to say I never received another call from that company. ;)

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Originally Posted by Lori Jordan

Ok in the automated messege does it say stay on the line you and you will be put through to ....... if so stay on the line i had the same problem

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My messages never say that. I've tried that. They just keep looping around . . . I think they'd repeat for days. :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by christa

My messages never say that. I've tried that. They just keep looping around . . . I think they'd repeat for days. :rolleyes:

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I always try hitting "Zero" - it will often get you through to an operator - a.k.a. a real live human being!

and for those of us who truly loathe the automated answering systems you get when you call a company to tell them to stop calling you:


http://gethuman.com/