My Neighbor Owes Money and They're Calling Me?

[merlinmagic4]

My husband answers the phone the other day and the person on the other end asks for me and that it is regarding "Susie Brown"'s invoice (or something like that). My husband says that he's not sure how my name is associated with her (she's our neighbor). They tell him she used me as a reference. Now, I am 100% sure (long story) that she did NOT and never would use me as a reference. So, my husband tells him that. He says we should give her the message and if she calls them back they can stop calling us!!!!!

I just cannot believe the nerve. My husband thinks they looked up her neighbors and called us! Is this a new tactic for bill collectors?

[d_m_n_n]

My MIL had this happen to her. A very nice lady called and asked her to deliver a message to a neighbor (this is a rural area, so this person lives 1+miles away, but you still do things to help them out). She didn't know what to say, so I called back and acted like I just dialed a wrong number...yup, it was collections. On many of the sites to look up phone #'s it lists specifically your neighbors and their #s as well...I guess they are always coming up with new ideas (especially since the invention of Caller ID).

[SBETigg]

I have no idea why they would call you, but it is illegal for them to disclose debt information to anyone other than the one who owes. That could be why they used the story that she used you as a reference, lending themselves more credibility.

[mickey&missy]

Something similar happened to us a few years ago. Our call was in relation to our last name though. I guess they searched Condon (our last name) and the NY area and called us. I answered the phone and a very nice women asked me if we knew the person, I can't remember what the first name was, and I said we didn't. She asked that I just double check with my DH to make sure the person wasn't a cousin or something and I didn't know them. But DH didn't. Whoever the person was owed a lot of money and the collector was about to file a lawsuit for the money. It was a last ditch effort.

Also, the person who had our phone number before we did wasn't good at paying her bills either. We got collection calls for her a lot in the first few years. One time the guy on the either yelled at me and told me I was her and I was a liar! DH took the phone and gave the guy a piece of his mind.

That's crazy that they would call a neighbor though! I can't imagine what they think, your going to go next door and say, "hi, your debt collector just called me. You owe them $20,000, please pay them." :shake:

[conwayjohn71]

If it happens again and you can record the phone conversation, my phone has a button you push and it records it all

just record the phone call and once they discuss the debt of a nieghbor or relative give the tape to the one that owes the debt

by the collections agent discussing this with anyone that is not the one with the outstanding debt, the debt is now null and void and with the tape the person can turn them in and the debt will be wipped clean since it is against the law and they do not want to go to court since you have tapped evidence, this is why they tape the call when they call you so they have back up to everything you say, works both ways as long as you have your own tape

I had a friend that had a $27,000 credit card debt wiped away in a similar fashion, he played his tape to the debt collectors manager and within 4 weeks he got a letter saying his debt was dismissed

[BMan62]

Next time you get a call a call like that, make sure you ask for the company name and number and their name. IF they give that information to you, call the number to make sure it is correct, then call you Better Business Bureau and report them.

You will probably find that the person will hang up on you before giving you their company name and number, as they know this practice is illegal.

[RenDuran]

We got a call several years ago where they asked for info on our neighbor. I pretended like I had never heard of her. Her car went MIA soon thereafter!

[thrillme]

I'd just tell them "I'm sorry but you have the wrong number" and hang up.

[SteveL]

If it happens again and you can record the phone conversation, my phone has a button you push and it records it all

just record the phone call and once they discuss the debt of a nieghbor or relative give the tape to the one that owes the debt

by the collections agent discussing this with anyone that is not the one with the outstanding debt, the debt is now null and void and with the tape the person can turn them in and the debt will be wipped clean since it is against the law and they do not want to go to court since you have tapped evidence, this is why they tape the call when they call you so they have back up to everything you say, works both ways as long as you have your own tape

I had a friend that had a $27,000 credit card debt wiped away in a similar fashion, he played his tape to the debt collectors manager and within 4 weeks he got a letter saying his debt was dismissed

Before doing this, you had best check the laws regarding taping a conversation without the other person's knowledge.
This is why you often hear the message that says "this call may be monitored or recorded".

[merlinmagic4]

Before doing this, you had best check the laws regarding taping a conversation without the other person's knowledge.
This is why you often hear the message that says "this call may be monitored or recorded".

I think that's exactly what I will say, "Do you mind if I tape this phone call?"

I just found it amazing that they can call a neighbor and imply that if we wanted them to stop calling us, we had better give her the message!

[magicofdisney]

I think that's exactly what I will say, "Do you mind if I tape this phone call?"

I just found it amazing that they can call a neighbor and imply that if we wanted them to stop calling us, we had better give her the message!
I thought this type of harassment was against the law, in general. I'm pretty sure collection agencies are not allowed to contact you at work. How is contacting a neighbor any different? Just wondering...

[RenDuran]

I know that by law collection agencies are supposed to stop calling if you ask them to. Wouldn't the same thing apply if they're calling regarding your neighbor? How could they threaten to keep calling you if you tell them not to.

[MNNHFLTX]

Something similar happened some years back when a debt collector called our house regarding money owed by my husband's estranged sister. Apparently they did not have her current phone number and must have been calling all the people in the area with the same last name (my mother-in-law also received a call later). My husband told the person on the phone that we were not going to be involved in any interactions between the collector and the person they were trying to contact and they were not to call again. By law (in Florida at that time, anyway) they are not allowed to call back.

[thrillme]

Did I mention too that with the invention of Caller Id...I don't bother answering the phone unless it's someone I recognize?

I'll let the answering machine handle it. If I hear that it's Publishers Clearing House calling to award me my million I'll pick it up IMMEDIATELY.

[ayeckley]

I had this happen about 20 years ago, except with a different twist. In this case it was a series of calls from someone claiming to be from the New York State Attorney General's office (we live in Ohio). Apparently my neighbor had written many bad checks, so this was more than just a collections agency. They asked me to relay messages to the neighbor. I refused each time he called, indicating that I had no relationship with the neighbor. Eventually he (the caller) threatened to charge me with obstruction of justice, at which point I started to get angry. I asked why this wasn't being handled via a local law enforcement agency, and the reply was something along the lines of "we will if you don't do this".

I'm not a lawyer, but I know enough about law to know that I can't be legally compelled to do something against my will on behalf of a government agency in a different state. Something smelled really fishy here.

At that point in the conversation, I asked for the caller's BAR association number, and got it. I mentioned that I would be writing a letter to the NY BAR association office of professional conduct describing the illegal threat that he'd just made against me. He asked me if I was an attorney, and I refused to answer the question. He never called back after that, and I never wrote the letter.

He may have really been who he said he was, but I'm confident what he was doing was against the law in NY and OH. It was probably just a bill collector trying to meet his quota.

[2Epcot]

Years ago I had a debt collector calling me about someone who had the same last name, and a first name that matched my initial. At that time I was only listed by the initial of my first name and my last name. The caller was looking for a female who owed money and was sure they had the right number. Over several weeks I got many calls by different people looking for this person. Eventually they stopped though I had to keep saying there is nobody who lives here with that name.

[Bethis26fan]

We had the same thing happen & my parents that live next door to me did too. The woman that use to live next door to me, her mtg company call about 3 times trying to get in touch with her. I was never home so it was on the answering mech. I just ignored it, it's not my place to collect their bills.

[merlinmagic4]

Did I mention too that with the invention of Caller Id...I don't bother answering the phone unless it's someone I recognize?

I'll let the answering machine handle it. If I hear that it's Publishers Clearing House calling to award me my million I'll pick it up IMMEDIATELY.

Seems like a no brainer but I have voice mail so can't hear the message as it is playing (and pick up) and we were fielding lots of phone call from doctors regarding my son's health so we had to pick up.