Strange telephone numbers in my caller ID.

[Quagmire]

During the past 3 weeks, I have been getting unknown local telephone numbers listed in my caller ID. Is this something new that collectors are doing? Hoping that I will pick up the phone when I receive a call listed in my caller ID as “California Call” or “Cellular Call” or “Wireless Caller”? I know the only collectors that have been trying to contact me in the last 3 weeks with local calls is “G C Services” (which they call me from 2 different numbers, with G C Services listed in my caller ID each time). Yet whenever I plug in these local telephone numbers (I get from my caller ID) in a Google search, they do not show up as a public like number (i.e. “800notes” or “who calls me” or “who called us” or as a business telephone number). I only noticed these calls when “G C Services” started calling me during the past 3 weeks, and I have not gotten a wrong number on my landline personal home number in over a year . . . so it seems strange that I would all of a sudden in the past 3 weeks be getting at least 3 different local telephone calls from strange telephone numbers that I do not recognize , and the caller never leaves a message. Yet I am guessing if it is a collector, they can have any type of name that appears in a caller ID as long as they identify themselves as a collector "if" whoever they are calling actually picks up the phone to answer the call?

Your thoughts?

Quagmire

[Dougie011]

When I was ignoring calls that I thought were creditors because they were all long distance calls, I answered a local call and it was a creditor also. The more I ignored the calls the more I would see other local numbers. They are trying to get a hold of you and will try just about anything to get you to answer the phone.

[Quagmire]

Thanks Dougie011. I appreciate your input.

Since I am not getting a hit on any of those numbers via a Google search, other than the option to pay to find out who's number belongs to someone, I am wondering if collectors are taking advantage of those endless supply of free computer telephone numbers (for people that use Magic Jack, Skype, Google Voice, a computer phone, etc.), thus making it harder for people to track or figure out that they are collectors and are calling from one of those type telephone numbers?

Quagmire

[keepinitreal]

During the past 3 weeks, I have been getting unknown local telephone numbers listed in my caller ID. Is this something new that collectors are doing? Hoping that I will pick up the phone when I receive a call listed in my caller ID as “California Call” or “Cellular Call” or “Wireless Caller”? I know the only collectors that have been trying to contact me in the last 3 weeks with local calls is “G C Services” (which they call me from 2 different numbers, with G C Services listed in my caller ID each time). Yet whenever I plug in these local telephone numbers (I get from my caller ID) in a Google search, they do not show up as a public like number (i.e. “800notes” or “who calls me” or “who called us” or as a business telephone number). I only noticed these calls when “G C Services” started calling me during the past 3 weeks, and I have not gotten a wrong number on my landline personal home number in over a year . . . so it seems strange that I would all of a sudden in the past 3 weeks be getting at least 3 different local telephone calls from strange telephone numbers that I do not recognize , and the caller never leaves a message. Yet I am guessing if it is a collector, they can have any type of name that appears in a caller ID as long as they identify themselves as a collector "if" whoever they are calling actually picks up the phone to answer the call?

Your thoughts?

Quagmire

If it's a number you don't recognize, and they don't leave a message, just forget about the call as if it never happened.
If it's important enough, and they're legit, they'll leave a message.

[GoingDown]

Thanks Dougie011. I appreciate your input.

Since I am not getting a hit on any of those numbers via a Google search, other than the option to pay to find out who's number belongs to someone, I am wondering if collectors are taking advantage of those endless supply of free computer telephone numbers (for people that use Magic Jack, Skype, Google Voice, a computer phone, etc.), thus making it harder for people to track or figure out that they are collectors and are calling from one of those type telephone numbers?

Quagmire

I would not be surprised if they have figured out that with 1800notes, etc., their old numbers can easily be googled, and so they are starting to use a new number with every call from the endless supply of free numbers out there.

But even if it is a new local phone number, you can always tell that it is not someone you know and therefore not someone you want to talk to, and so caller I.D. is still a great screening tool.

[wonderingrov]

Yes, caller id is great. Even post-filing (not having to worry so much about collection calls) I have a very simple rule - if I see a number that I don't recognize, or doesn't have a legitimate name or company that I might be expecting a call from, I don't answer it. If it's something important, they will leave a message.

[treehugger1]

I've had this happen a number of times. I simply call the number back and ask WTF is going on? Then again, after years of dealing with these jokers I have no fear of their bullying. I often call them for pure entertainment. If they call me, leave a phone id, but leave no message, then i definitely call the number and jump in the middle of their shit. I make it clear that I think they are cowards. I do all of this quite calmly and deliberately.

Keep in mind that many collection "agents" probably work from their homes. While they may have access to 800/866/etc number technology, they might also simply call from their own "number" that may or may not be available to ID, may be temporary, etc.

For all you know there is an autodialer in place that is dialing for several collectors at the the same time. Perhaps they think if you see a local area code, then you are mor elikely to answer the phone. Then again, when I answer and noone is there, I get really p*ssed off.

[Dougie011]

I've had this happen a number of times. I simply call the number back and ask WTF is going on? Then again, after years of dealing with these jokers I have no fear of their bullying. I often call them for pure entertainment. If they call me, leave a phone id, but leave no message, then i definitely call the number and jump in the middle of their shit. I make it clear that I think they are cowards. I do all of this quite calmly and deliberately.

Keep in mind that many collection "agents" probably work from their homes. While they may have access to 800/866/etc number technology, they might also simply call from their own "number" that may or may not be available to ID, may be temporary, etc.

For all you know there is an autodialer in place that is dialing for several collectors at the the same time. Perhaps they think if you see a local area code, then you are mor elikely to answer the phone. Then again, when I answer and noone is there, I get really p*ssed off.

What I hate even more the answering the phone and nobody there, is answering and then a recorded message says please hold until an available agent (or what ever they call themselves) is available. If nobody was available to talk to me, why even call?

[doni49]

What I hate even more the answering the phone and nobody there, is answering and then a recorded message says please hold until an available agent (or what ever they call themselves) is available. If nobody was available to talk to me, why even call?

+1

I always hang up on those calls immediately. Even before there was ever a need to avoid collectors. Out of curiosity, I waited once. It was a telemarketer. I told him to add my number to the do-not-call list and hung up on him (he was in mid-sentence).