How can I answer calls yet keep them from calling next of kin/neighbors???

[lalap123]

Hi,
I have 7 credit cards and am almost 3 months behind on almost all, so the calls are pretty bad. I've been trying to answer most of the calls and tell them something, anything, but I have three kids so of course realistically I can't answer all of them plus as I'm sure you all know it's very exhausting to talk to these people.

My question is, if I only answer their calls every other day or even once a week will they start calling others to verify my identity? Even if my phone states my name? If I called them at the beginning of each week to "report in" would this keep them from pursuing others as long as they are talking to me once a week?

[catleg]

You have to remember this is a form of legal harassment, it's a pressure game.
They try to keep the pressure on you until you crack. At least you only have 7 cards, I have around 30 including my wife's. I literally don't have the time to waste with them. So I had to get Verizon call intercept service which allows me to block 25 numbers. I think they will call neighbors or family to harass you regardless of what you do, it is just part of their playbook. What really annoyed me is that somehow they got my work cellphone number, that has me a little puzzled how they got it.

[BigJohn]

You have to remember this is a form of legal harassment, it's a pressure game.
They try to keep the pressure on you until you crack. At least you only have 7 cards, I have around 30 including my wife's. I literally don't have the time to waste with them. So I had to get Verizon call intercept service which allows me to block 25 numbers. I think they will call neighbors or family to harass you regardless of what you do, it is just part of their playbook. What really annoyed me is that somehow they got my work cellphone number, that has me a little puzzled how they got it.

The problem with original creditors and collection agencies is they can do just about anything they want to because very rarely does anybody ever really complain.

I had one original creditor who claimed he was going to call every day about a bill that was disputed. I got sick and tired of his calls and told him so. When he called back again, I answered the phone and told him "This is it". Sure enough, he stopped calling after he received an Injunction for Harrassment. After one year and the Injunction for Harrassment had just expired, the company he worked for sent me a check for over payment. I believe the amount was $.23. Never did figure out what that was all about and never did cashed the check.

[BigJohn]

I wished some of my creditors would have called some of my relatives such as my Mother-in-Law. I can hear here now talking about somebody from the US calling her (She lives in the Far East). She doesn't understand much English so it would be interesting to know what both parties would say. HeHeHe.

[AllBankRupt]

So my student loan debt collector has been calling my 16 year old's cell phone about my debt even when she is in school. She came home from school today and told me that today they called her and told her if I do not contact them by a certain day, they were going to contact the County! (I have know idea why they would tell her that) They know the phone number they called is hers, because they have my number as well and even call my number. This has started in the summer and has been continuous.

They have called my father as well, told him that they knew me and needed me for a reference on their personal loan application but did not know how to contact me!

[BigJohn]

This person went overboard. Does the cell phone have a record of that phone number and is the number valid?

A threat of that nature warrants a call to your local police.

[flyinbroke]

Check out the TCPA; there are specifics to calling cell phones and collectors are getting snagged on them.