# No, I DON'T know the Smiths! Stop calling me! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 22, 2006, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-dont-know-the-smiths-stop-calling-me/345642 "2006-02-22T16:16:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-dont-know-the-smiths-stop-calling-me/345642/41 "2006-02-24T09:44:08Z")
> [@waterj2](#): > > Perhaps they’re preparing for when the Shoplifters of the World Unite? Jesus. Bigmouth Strikes Again. Thanks alot. We’re going to have to find a whole new meeting place now. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-dont-know-the-smiths-stop-calling-me/345642/42 "2006-02-24T16:07:38Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > Guess who called today? Well your Nobody called today She hung up when I asked her name And I wonder Does she think she’s being clever? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-dont-know-the-smiths-stop-calling-me/345642/43 "2006-02-24T17:01:24Z")
Damn, **NCB** , Sylvia! _There’s_ a blast from the past. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-dont-know-the-smiths-stop-calling-me/345642/44 "2006-02-24T18:34:53Z")
> [@Apricot](#): > > Those are usually debt collectors. Doesn’t make it any less irritating, though. Makes it even more irritatting, as it’s likely illegal. Next tiem they call, 1st get a call back number, than ask to speak to a supervisor. Explain to them that their illegal method of debt collection will be reported. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-dont-know-the-smiths-stop-calling-me/345642/45 "2006-02-24T19:00:17Z")
[Trying to locate a debtor (skip tracing) through a neighbor is perfectly legal.](http://www.autoremarketing.com/ar/newsmag/story.html?id=1238). What they are hoping is that you will blab about where their debtor is to them or help them find them or somehow get you to put pressure on the debtor to pay them. Skip tracers do have to state who they are and who they’re trying to find. They cannot tell you that they are trying to collect on a debt, but they do have to state the reason for their call. They aren’t, however, allowed to call you over and over if their info is wrong. Likely they know where their debtor lived at one time, get the phone numbers for everyone on that street or within a few houses and call them hoping to strick gold, as it were. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-dont-know-the-smiths-stop-calling-me/345642/46 "2006-02-24T23:02:35Z")
> [@niblet\_head](#): > > [Trying to locate a debtor (skip tracing) through a neighbor is perfectly legal.](http://www.autoremarketing.com/ar/newsmag/story.html?id=1238). > > What they are hoping is that you will blab about where their debtor is to them or help them find them or somehow get you to put pressure on the debtor to pay them. > > Skip tracers do have to state who they are and who they’re trying to find. They cannot tell you that they are trying to collect on a debt, but they do have to state the reason for their call. > > They aren’t, however, allowed to call you over and over if their info is wrong. Likely they know where their debtor lived at one time, get the phone numbers for everyone on that street or within a few houses and call them hoping to strick gold, as it were. Right- so as I said- what _this_ debt collector is doing IS illegal. They are allowed to call you ONCE and ask if the Smiths still live next door. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-dont-know-the-smiths-stop-calling-me/345642/47 "2006-02-24T23:22:29Z")
You know, as I thought about my response as today wore on, it did occur to me I may have misinterpreted your post. In my own defense, however, you didn’t really make it clear if calling neighbors _itself_ was illegal, which is how I initially read your post. Oh, well. Let’s at least hope that there are lurkers out there who now know more about their rights!! ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-dont-know-the-smiths-stop-calling-me/345642/48 "2006-02-24T23:31:22Z")
So, when you say you’re going to quit phoning now, when exactly do you mean? ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-dont-know-the-smiths-stop-calling-me/345642/49 "2006-02-24T23:58:29Z")
When we first moved in, we kept getting these really old voices on the phone asking for a Mrs Foley. I think we got Mrs Foley’s phone number when she died. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-dont-know-the-smiths-stop-calling-me/345642/50 "2006-02-25T00:11:30Z")
> [@sturmhauke](#): > > Do you hear that, Mr. Anderson? That is the sound of inevitability. That is the sound of your death. Goodbye, Mr. Anderson. I have an idea. How about I give you the finger and you give me my phone call! ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-dont-know-the-smiths-stop-calling-me/345642/51 "2006-02-25T03:46:46Z")
I think you should tell them that, indeed, you do know the Smiths and what a fine family they are. Then you should tell them the entire history of the Smith family, up to and including the fact that the cousins married each other, that Granny Smith could make one hell of an apple pie, that the Smith daughter had a real talent for decorating and could have been the next Martha Stewart if only she hadn’t gone and gotten pregnant while she was still in high school. You should spend about 20 minutes acquainting the caller with the complete background on all the Smiths you ever knew, or heard of. And conclude the conversation with “but the last one around these parts died back in 1987.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-dont-know-the-smiths-stop-calling-me/345642.md?page=2)