I've been receiving non-stop calls from various banks, credit unions, and debt collectors looking for a woman named Melinda, and no matter how many times I've told them they have the wrong number, the calls keep coming. They promise to add my number to the do-not-call list, yet I still get several calls every day, often from new numbers that I can't block. Is there a way to officially register my number to stop these calls, or other methods I can use to make them stop? Simply stating that I'm not Melinda hasn't worked at all.
6 Answers
You should familiarize yourself with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act! Keep records of all the calls as it could help you if you decide to take action. Some people have won big even because collectors broke this law, so don’t hesitate to stand up for your rights!
I used to have the same issue and just ignored calls from numbers I didn't recognize. Honestly, I've completely stopped answering those calls and it’s been so much better!
Honestly, it could be a scam. If you're super bothered, your best shot could be changing your phone number entirely. It’s drastic, but it might be worth it if they won’t stop calling.
You might want to collect their info when you do answer. Get the office number and ask to speak to a supervisor. Tell them to remove your number from their records and request written confirmation. If they don’t, you can consider small claims court for the harassment.
You should try Googling some of the numbers they’re calling from; that’s often a first step to determining if it’s a scam. If it is, definitely block those numbers!
It's actually illegal for them to keep harassing you like this! The Federal Trade Commission has a whole page about your rights as a consumer. If you keep a log of each call, including date, time, and who called, you can report them if they don’t stop. You should also send them a letter asking them to stop contacting you, and mail it with delivery confirmation. If they ignore it, you might even be able to take legal action against them! Check out the resources on consumerfinance.gov for more info.
Thanks for the info!