Old, old stuff?

[wincrasher]

Got an interesting call today. Some collection company called Portfolio something or other. Don't know how they got my cell number.

Seems that they were calling to give me the "opportunity" to settle an old debt. They claim I had a delinquent bill from Southwestern Bell for $550! They'd be happy to settle today for $204.

Wow. Not only had I never had an account with Southwestern Bell, I've never, ever had a phone bill for more than a $100. To top it off, this supposed debt is from 1998!

The nice lady said they'd send me a letter to start the "dispute process". Sigh - another waste of my time I suppose. I asked if they had any documentation at all. Course not. I did point out the statute of limitations - she said that that is just so they won't sue me. So I responded with, so then I'm free to sue you then, if I want. Silence.

Bill collectors don't have much of a sense of humor.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Ha-ha. (Hope you don't mind my laughing.) A bill collector called here twice (so far) --only got the answering machine first time. They are trying to collect a debt from someone whose name is similar to mine and who lives in the same state. They were rude, as I understand these people often are. However, they are grasping at straws to think I might be the person the are seeking.

They were so rude that:

If they call back, I would like to tell them one more time that I am not who they are looking for. Then I'd like to cheerfully invite them to please waste their time calling me each and every day as many times as they'd like. I'd tell them I'll spend as much time as they like on the phone with them. We can play chess over the phone. Or maybe scrabble. I would just love to waste their time. Really I would. I could make it my frequently indulged in hobby.

[wincrasher]

Update -

Got a letter from these guys. Says they looked into my dispute and decided to close my file. They also said they will remove any references on my credit report.

Very strange. They never sent me forms for the "dispute process" nor was there anything on my credit report other than their hard inquiry about a month ago.

I may attempt to get the inquiry taken off. Don't know if that is possible.

[briandownie]

Update -

Got a letter from these guys. Says they looked into my dispute and decided to close my file. They also said they will remove any references on my credit report.

Very strange. They never sent me forms for the "dispute process" nor was there anything on my credit report other than their hard inquiry about a month ago.

I may attempt to get the inquiry taken off. Don't know if that is possible.

Did you ever try calling them? I wonder if they were even legit at all. More likely some scam artist playing you by making you think you were getting off easy. Lots of people would jump at the chance and pay a debt they never owed in the first place.

Brian

[EEinNJ]

The old zombie debt collector scam. I've had this happen a couple of times, too. I learned to NEVER volunteer ANY information. DON'T answer ANY questions, you will only give them ammunition. Instead, ask THEM the questions. Feel free to be rude, aggressive, even threatening (nothing violent or illegal, of course..) Ask how they got your name and number. Ask them to validate the debt, to prove you had the account, etc.

These people are scum, and what they do is illegal.

[bjl584]

I had a debt collection agency calling me a few years ago right after I got a land line phone. Apparently, whoever had that phone number before I did had multiple debts. I had a heck of a time convincing them that I was not the individual that they were looking for. That person cancelled his phone number to get away from the debt agency calls. I just wish that the phone company would have left that number dormant for a while before issuing it to me.