Mark42
Fleet Admiral
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2003
- Messages
- 9,334
It takes a sleeze to catch a sleeze...
For the last week or so I was getting strange phone calls from people who wanted my birthdate, current address, etc. They would only identify themselves by a first name, did not say what company they worked for, and they sounded just like phone scammers. They kept telling me that they had a Chase card in my name. But would not mail it, needed to verify I was the proper owner, etc. After the third call (and they were asking for me by name) I just started hanging up, or let the answering machine take the call. Desperate messages about "time sensative matter" and "urgently request you call me back..." type stuff. <br /><br />I started to worry, figured it's not a bank, or legit card offer because no bank name is given, etc.<br /><br />So I googled the number that showed up on the Caller ID. Turns out the calls were comming from a COLLECTION agency. <br /><br />I got worried that maybe I had my identity stolen and people were taking out credit cards in my name, etc. So I did a free credit report online. I came out clean with nothing odd on my report. <br /><br />So now knowing who they are, and my credit is secure, I called these folks and confronted them. Got some rep on the phone, told him to pay attention very carefully, gave him my phone number and name and told him to call me back because I want to know why they are harrassing me and it will be on their dime, not mine.<br /><br />He gave me some smart *** reply and hung up. Five minutes later he calls. I figure it took him that long to pull up my file on his system. I asked why they are calling. He asked me if I was "Mark Mueller" I said no, it's close, but not my name. He asked if I lived in Asbury Park, NJ. I told him no. I also told him that if he had my phone number he knew my real name and my real address so why are you calling me? Some guy in Asbury Park named Mark Mueller has a deliquent Chase credit card. Somehow my phone number got associated with him or vice versa. I told him all the info he has is all he will get from me. No I will not give my SSN, my birthdate, or any other info. <br /><br />He said it was an obvious mistake and will remove me from the file.<br /><br />We will see what happens in the next few days.<br /><br />My only mistake was not writing down this guys name for reference if I get any more calls. Man, oh man, these people sound like sleezy scammers on the phone. You would think they would do better with a more professional approach. Maybe not. Maybe it takes a sleeze to catch a sleeze.<br /><br />PS, I realize that not all people who are in collections are sleeze. But a lot of them are!
For the last week or so I was getting strange phone calls from people who wanted my birthdate, current address, etc. They would only identify themselves by a first name, did not say what company they worked for, and they sounded just like phone scammers. They kept telling me that they had a Chase card in my name. But would not mail it, needed to verify I was the proper owner, etc. After the third call (and they were asking for me by name) I just started hanging up, or let the answering machine take the call. Desperate messages about "time sensative matter" and "urgently request you call me back..." type stuff. <br /><br />I started to worry, figured it's not a bank, or legit card offer because no bank name is given, etc.<br /><br />So I googled the number that showed up on the Caller ID. Turns out the calls were comming from a COLLECTION agency. <br /><br />I got worried that maybe I had my identity stolen and people were taking out credit cards in my name, etc. So I did a free credit report online. I came out clean with nothing odd on my report. <br /><br />So now knowing who they are, and my credit is secure, I called these folks and confronted them. Got some rep on the phone, told him to pay attention very carefully, gave him my phone number and name and told him to call me back because I want to know why they are harrassing me and it will be on their dime, not mine.<br /><br />He gave me some smart *** reply and hung up. Five minutes later he calls. I figure it took him that long to pull up my file on his system. I asked why they are calling. He asked me if I was "Mark Mueller" I said no, it's close, but not my name. He asked if I lived in Asbury Park, NJ. I told him no. I also told him that if he had my phone number he knew my real name and my real address so why are you calling me? Some guy in Asbury Park named Mark Mueller has a deliquent Chase credit card. Somehow my phone number got associated with him or vice versa. I told him all the info he has is all he will get from me. No I will not give my SSN, my birthdate, or any other info. <br /><br />He said it was an obvious mistake and will remove me from the file.<br /><br />We will see what happens in the next few days.<br /><br />My only mistake was not writing down this guys name for reference if I get any more calls. Man, oh man, these people sound like sleezy scammers on the phone. You would think they would do better with a more professional approach. Maybe not. Maybe it takes a sleeze to catch a sleeze.<br /><br />PS, I realize that not all people who are in collections are sleeze. But a lot of them are!
<br /><br />Seriously, I don't understand why it is ok for them to lie and harrass people. The ends do not justify the means.<br /><br />I think we ought to dress up bill collectors as bums and let people in Washington state throw cans at them!
