# Bill Collector Harrassment **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 11, 2013, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-collector-harrassment/646891 "2013-01-11T19:27:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-collector-harrassment/646891/1 "2013-01-11T19:27:36Z")
A few weeks ago, I began getting several calls a day from a collection agency – starting early in the morning. (GRRRR!) What they do is have a machine call you and leave a message on your voicemail to call them back. The message just says that this is “the corporate office” and leaves a number. Well, I hate being woken up early in the morning, so I got right on the phone. Apparently what happened is, some guy whose name I have never got clearly went to a check cashing center and got a payday loan. I guess he pulled a phone number out of his ass to give them, and it happened to be mine. So I told the person on the phone that it wasn’t me, I never heard of this guy, and please stop calling me. The next day I had the same conversation with another person. The third day, with a third person. Finally, they did stop calling me, but now they are sending multiple texts to my phone – “ITEM RETURNED UNPAID CALL XXX-XXX-XXXX.” So: I want to know two things. One obviously is how to get them to cut it out; but even more importantly, I’m wondering if this debacle connected with my phone number is going to screw up my credit somehow? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-collector-harrassment/646891/2 "2013-01-11T19:43:33Z")
Since this involves legal advice, let’s move it to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-collector-harrassment/646891/3 "2013-01-11T20:00:26Z")
Send them a cease and desist letter. Once received, they can no longer contact you by phone, mail or any other means. > [@](#): > > [Date] > > [Your Name] > [Your Street Address] > [[City, State Zip Code] > [Name of Collection Agent] > [Collection Agency] > [Street Address] > [City, State Zip Code] > > Re: Collection Letter, [Date], Acct. #[Account Number] > > Dear [Collection Agent]: > > I am disputing the validity of the debt referenced in your recent [PHONE CALL/CORRESPONDENCE]. > > Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 15 USC 1692g Sec. 809 (b), I am > directing you to CEASE AND DESIST from any contact with me by telephone, US mail, > private delivery service, email , text message or facsimile regarding this debt. > > You may only contact me one more time expressly and exclusively for the purpose of > acknowledging this letter and your compliance with it. If I am contacted for any other > purpose by any means, including, but not limited to, the collection of this debt, I will not > hesitate to exercise all legal remedies allowed under the Fair Debt Collection Practices > Act. > > Sincerely, > > [Your Name] ---
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-collector-harrassment/646891/4 "2013-01-12T00:12:56Z")
Wow, thank you, **Fear Itself!** I shall endeavor to discover a mailing address for these guys. That is very useful information. Does anyone know if this could affect my credit, simply by associuation with my phone number? Obviously, all the other data associated with this debt would be different – name, DOB, SSN, etc. But I know your phone # is an integral part of your profile. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-collector-harrassment/646891/5 "2013-01-12T00:22:07Z")
> [@brujaja](#): > > Wow, thank you, **Fear Itself!** I shall endeavor to discover a mailing address for these guys. That is very useful information. > > Does anyone know if this could affect my credit, simply by associuation with my phone number? Obviously, all the other data associated with this debt would be different – name, DOB, SSN, etc. But I know your phone # is an integral part of your profile. You’d have to pull your credit report to see if there’s anything erroneous. But yeah, here’s more about [Fair Debt Collection Practices Act](http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0149-debt-collection). They can call you once to see if you know the guy, and if you don’t, they’re supposed to knock it the fuck off.