There's a great little discussion going on over in the eBay boards, someone linked here, and I thought I'd let everyone know about it here so you can get some feedback. Here's the link: http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=1000155196&start=0 My personal favorite comment is from a former debt collector: "Has it been the same person calling each time? If so, do you remember his/her name? I used to be a collection agent, so you could really nail these people to the wall if you want. If the person(s) who called told you they were from a collection agency and/or that they were calling about a specific debt that is not yours, that's a violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and can get the collector(s) and the agency they work for in hot water. Should you decide you want to mess around with these people (now that I'm not doing it, I know it can be fun...heh heh), see if you can get them angry enough that they start swearing. Using any profanity or obscenity while working as a collection agent also violates the FDCPA and is punishable by a fine of $1,000 for each curse word they say. Also, take note if they use the words "liar" or "deadbeat". The use of either word in ANY context (even saying, "I'm not calling you a liar") while making a collection call is illegal and punishable by a hefty fine. And as far as giving them the correct number goes, I wouldn't do it personally. Every collection office has at least one skiptracer on the payroll whose job it is to find the correct number for their debtors. Make 'em earn it. If anybody has any questions about collection guidelines, loopholes, and/or violations, feel free to ask. It's been a few years, but I'll help out any way I can."
