Need advice/info for debt collector calls.

[puma guy]

I'll try to make this as brief as possible. My wife received a call on her cell phone while we were driving to New Braunfels last week. The caller ID indicated it was from our residence. Thinking it may be my brother who comes by to feed the dogs and pick up mail she answered and was surprised by a male voice she didn't recognize. It turned out to someone from Evergreen Acquisitions. He wouldn't explain how he was able to route a call from him through, but he said he was calling in reference to a debt owed by her brother. My wife started helping her mentally ill brother about a year ago and got him into an assisted living home. She assumed it is a debt (don't know how old) he had that was sold to Evergreen for collection. We have no idea how they got our home phone number as it is unlisted nor how they had her cell phone number. The representative gave her some background and made threats that her brother was facing criminal charges for the debt, which from the info he gave her was a pay day loan. If she didn't pay it right then and there it would be increase by a thousand dollars. Once I figured out who was calling and the threats he was making I told her to hang up. Unfortunately, she instead told the guy to mail the information to our house or email it to her. Of course he never emailed anything.
Today (five days later) we returned from our trip and while unpacking the phone rang indicating it was my wife's cell phone. She was in another room so I answered it. It was Evergreen again and the idiot on the line kept insisting I was her brother. I demanded to know how he routed a call from her cell phone to our home phone and he said they have a system to accomplish that. I informed him I wasn't who he was seeking and to never call either my home or my wife's cell phone again. He kept saying he was going to arrest me (he still thought I was her brother) and all sorts of things. I got very angry, informed him we're filing a complaint with the AG and hung up. My first question: how is it possible to route a call like I described ? and my second question is : is it legal?

[SewTexas]

first question: I don't know....
second question: I'm pretty sure, not....and I'm fairly certain your threat is actually the right answer, however you really need the loan info so that they can go after the company.

[VoiceofReason]

To begin with it isn’t even legal to talk to anyone about a debt except the debtor.

Secondly it is against the law for them to call you once you tell them not to.

I worked for Bell Telephone for 15 years but that was a long time ago so I can’t answer your question about them calling you, but I will do a little research and see if I can help you.

Mean time file a complaint with the AG. Even if he doesn’t call back you might be saving someone else a lot of aggravation.

[Pawpaw]

First, the call wasn't "routed" anywhere. They have equipment that can spoof any CallerID they want.

The best way to stop them from calling is to get one of those little Freon powered air horns. When you realize who's calling, make their ears ring.

[bmwrdr]

The answer to the 1st question is simply of technical nature. In the U.S. there are no restrictions for transmitting caller ID. There are outbound dialers which simply send the called party number as a CLID and that is it. Banks, credit bureaus, collection agencies and other financial institutions outsource those kind of jobs to companies maintaining call centers.
The 2nd question may be answered by a lawyer.

[jmorris]

It's called caller-id spoofing. Used to be a bit difficult but thanks to the Internet and Voip it's much easier.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caller_ID_spoofing

[bmwrdr]

First, the call wasn't "routed" anywhere. They have equipment that can spoof any CallerID they want.

The best way to stop them from calling is to get one of those little Freon powered air horns. When you realize who's calling, make their ears ring.

I surely like that

[JALLEN]

The call was not routed through your home number. It was spoofed to appear as the calling number to get you to answer it, which worked. How they got it and the cell number, I can't say. They are sneaky rascals. With all the selling of information that goes on, they have matched them somehow.

Do you have an address for these bozos? Next time they call, get one. Then send a letter setting forth the truth, you are not who they have a claim against, and if the calls are not stopped, legal action will be taken. If they think they have a claim against you, file it and the court can decide. They are only interested in trying to get money, a lot of bark, not much bite.

There is a lot of bluff and counter bluff in this racket.

The key is to remain calm, cool and collected. Don't be baited into anything. When I got calls for someone else on my bat phone, I told them to call my lawyer. Nobody ever did.
You might set up a taping system to record such calls. You have to tell them the call is being recorded "for quality assurance" get that disclosure and their consent on tape first thing. Then, and only then, talk about whatever they have to talk about.

[The Annoyed Man]

First, the call wasn't "routed" anywhere. They have equipment that can spoof any CallerID they want.

The best way to stop them from calling is to get one of those little Freon powered air horns. When you realize who's calling, make their ears ring.

I like it. Also, you can give them a taste of their own medicine: http://fdcpa-attorney.com/

[maintenanceguy]

There is really nothing you can do.

The Federal Trade Commission receives thousands of complaints like this every day and they can not possibly keep up with the complaints. It's illegal for the caller to continue to call after you tell them not to but there is no way to enforce that law.

The best you could do is file a police report and then take them to small claims court. If they're in a different state, they just won't show. You could sue them in their state if it's worth the flight and hotel room. They they will stop calling.

But they will have already sold the debt to another company who will continue to call.

[DocV]

Caller ID spoofing is very easy. There are some FCC rules regarding such things but I am not conversant with those rules.

I suggest you follow up and call the Texas AG's office - (800) 621-0508 - and ask to talk to their Consumer Protection Division. My, possibly incorrect non-lawyer, opinion is the debt collector's spoofing phone numbers may be considered to be a deceptive practice. Threatening arrest without proper court proceedings is also a potentially illegal action.

[JALLEN]

It goes without saying that nobody can arrest you for non payment of a debt. It is shocking to hear that anyone is stupid and crude enough to try it. If you can get that on tape, it's gold.

[bmwrdr]

There is really nothing you can do.

The Federal Trade Commission receives thousands of complaints like this every day and they can not possibly keep up with the complaints. It's illegal for the caller to continue to call after you tell them not to but there is no way to enforce that law.

The best you could do is file a police report and then take them to small claims court. If they're in a different state, they just won't show. You could sue them in their state if it's worth the flight and hotel room. They they will stop calling.

But they will have already sold the debt to another company who will continue to call.

Right, there is no way to catch them inflagranti but if you can get them to answer some questions while you are on an active call you may get some information about the caller. Elsewise I think you have no legal way to stop any of those calls. If you use an Android cell phone you could install an inbound firewall (most likely for free or really cheap) and block your own number (who actually calls his own number) and get the free known blacklist with it.

[JALLEN]

I did some snooping. Have a look at www.egacq.com.

Also look at www.800notes.com regarding experiences others are reporting. The phone number used was 202-545-7100.

[Taypo]

I'll try to make this as brief as possible. My wife received a call on her cell phone while we were driving to New Braunfels last week. The caller ID indicated it was from our residence. Thinking it may be my brother who comes by to feed the dogs and pick up mail she answered and was surprised by a male voice she didn't recognize. It turned out to someone from Evergreen Acquisitions. He wouldn't explain how he was able to route a call from him through, but he said he was calling in reference to a debt owed by her brother. My wife started helping her mentally ill brother about a year ago and got him into an assisted living home. She assumed it is a debt (don't know how old) he had that was sold to Evergreen for collection. We have no idea how they got our home phone number as it is unlisted nor how they had her cell phone number. The representative gave her some background and made threats that her brother was facing criminal charges for the debt, which from the info he gave her was a pay day loan. If she didn't pay it right then and there it would be increase by a thousand dollars. Once I figured out who was calling and the threats he was making I told her to hang up. Unfortunately, she instead told the guy to mail the information to our house or email it to her. Of course he never emailed anything.
Today (five days later) we returned from our trip and while unpacking the phone rang indicating it was my wife's cell phone. She was in another room so I answered it. It was Evergreen again and the idiot on the line kept insisting I was her brother. I demanded to know how he routed a call from her cell phone to our home phone and he said they have a system to accomplish that. I informed him I wasn't who he was seeking and to never call either my home or my wife's cell phone again. He kept saying he was going to arrest me (he still thought I was her brother) and all sorts of things. I got very angry, informed him we're filing a complaint with the AG and hung up. My first question: how is it possible to route a call like I described ? and my second question is : is it legal?

Without getting into detail, is your current address on your DL? If so, they've got it. If that address is on file with the phone company, they've got your phone number. Chances are with one of those pieces of information, they'll get your cell. With the advent of call blocking on cell phones, they've had to come up with a way to make sure you answer the phone. Hence the VoIP spoof to ensure its not a number that you'll ever block.

If you want to see something truly scary, pay a couple bucks to run an instant background check on yourself online.