Early Morning Calls

Discussion in 'Credit Talk' started by Tuit, May 25, 2001.

  1. Tuit

    Tuit Well-Known Member

    Lately I have let the answer machine pick-up my calls only answering before 9 a.m. and after 9 p.m.

    This morning at 8:15 a.m. I get a call from a woman requesting verification of my address and other information. I let her know I had not a clue who she was and refused to answer her questions. She gave me her name and said she was updating files for an old account I had in 1994 with xxxx. She said "your probably not familiar with that account are you", I said no I am not and if she would give me some information and her phone number I would check my files and call her back. She stated she was on some type of phone system where I could not call her back and she just needed to verify the information she had was correct. I told her I would not answer her questions and hung up.
    How much information am I required to give a person who makes this type of phone call if they won't tell me exactly why they want it? But I feel I probably should not have hung up on her.
    She did not say she was trying to collect a debt for xxxx but just updating their files. The call was very different, anyone else get these kind of calls?
    tml
     
  2. chrisb

    chrisb Well-Known Member

    First off, I believe they can only call your home from 8 AM to 9 PM your local time so the 8:15 call was legal. How much information are you required to give the person, NONE! Before I moved and unlisted my phone number I got harassing phone call after harassing phone call. They can call all they want, but there is no law anywhere that says that you have to give them any informaion. Just tell any creditor type caller that you don't do business over the phone for security reasons, insist that if they want any information or cooperation from you to send you something in writing. I would guess that the call was a collection agency that just bought the long since charged off debt and was prepairing a BS "Pay us NOW" letter for you. Just remember, NEVER agree to pay anything, admit the debt is yours, or volunteer any information over the phone. Make them deal with you through the mail ONLY! That way they probably won't do anything illegal, they can't re-age it, and they won't weasle out of any deal.

    Just my $.00023 worth

     
  3. NanaC

    NanaC Well-Known Member

    Great advice, Chris!
     
  4. dlo64

    dlo64 Well-Known Member

    I agree. Never give out any information over the phone. If you are disputing information on your credit report, it could well be the CRA being lazy and rather than verifying through a creditor, they are unwittingly trying to trick you into verifying the info. Just hang up, pull the phone cord out of the wall. If it is important enough, let them request info in writing.

    On the other hand, it could be someone attempting credit fraud or identity theft. Better safe than sorry.
     
  5. GEORGE

    GEORGE Well-Known Member

    I DON'T ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THE PHONE FOR ANY ACCOUNT...I SAY PUT IN WRITING AND MAIL IT TO ME.
     
  6. Tuit

    Tuit Well-Known Member

    Thanks Chris
    I also got an unlisted # creditors were calling me from 6 a.m. til after 10 p.m., couldn't think straight. They always wanted payment over the phone and I found I couldn't say no. Finally had to do something when they started trying to get me to "post date" checks so I got an unlisted #. The peace only lasted about two weeks, and the phone calls started up again. One collector told me I could not hide from her, that she could get my unlisted # no matter how many times I changed it, so what's the use. Anyway the new phone books just came out and there sits my "Unlisted" phone # complete with home address, no wonder it didn't help! Anyway thanks for answering. Inside I thought the answer was NO for the very reasons all of you give...but they have a way of making you feel wrong. Again many thanks.
    tml
     

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