How do I get bill collectors who call about people I know to stop calling me?
In recent days, I've had bill collectors calling me about a former room mate of mine, and its getting rather annoying, (he never even lived at this location, or had my phone number). Is there any way I can get this people to leave me alone? I really don't want to get in the middle of my friend's personal business.
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www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre27.pdf if you are in the US
Look at section 805 and 805 about how they may contact you and what they are and aren't allowed to do.
You can simply send a Certified Mail, Return Receipt (CMRR) letter explaining you have no part of it, and that they are not allowed to contact you by any means other than in writing from this point forward.
Then you can either put return to sender on the letters (it costs them money) or open them and delete anything you don't need.
If they really won't stop calling you, just waste their time. Usually the best thing I do to telemarketers (the ones that constantly call even through I've told them to stop) is to say "oh yes, I'm interested I'll just get a pen" - put them on hold and keep them on hold.
Do it every time they call and soon they'll get the idea that you're a waste of time.
I had a similar situation, except the debtor had no connection to us whatsoever, other than holding our phone number previously.
We tried going through channels to deal with it, and had no success. At the end of the day, I was very abusive to the people calling, and forwarded the number to a very irritating destination.
I agree about not wanting to get into your friend's personal business, and it's a scummy bill collector that repeatedly calls friends or family to track down a debtor.
On the other hand, at least he's made it obvious he's calling about a debt as opposed to pretending to be tracking down your friend with some other pretext.
Nevertheless, you want the calls to stop. Here are two suggestions:
Perhaps, a small fib: "The creep owes me money too! Grrr! Let me know when you find him!" The bill collector probably won't call you again :-)
Or, if you're like me and uncomfortable fibbing – even to a scummy bill collector! – then here's a more truthful yet direct approach:
"I told you already it's not my debt, it's none of my business, and that I want you to stop calling me. You have no right to harass me and if you call again I will involve the police. There will be no other warning."
Then have the phone company block the bill collector's phone number from calling you.
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