[elbear]

This is one of the reasons we went with viatalk.com . You can access all incoming and outgoing calls and block guys like this by just clicking a box online. We love viatalk and it is so much less expensive and more reliable than others we tried. We can even take the free adapter they give you with us when we go north and it works there to get and receive calls. We were on the do not call list but it didn't always work so we searched to fix the problem.

[Ecuadog]

Originally Posted by spygirl

... My question is, can I sue these people? They're looking for someone who didn't live here, and I've been telling them to stop but they never listen.

You may have some legal recourse if it can be proved that the debt collector is using an automated dialing machine to call a cell phone.

[tcxr750]

I had this problem from a company called CBE group. I have caller ID so I kept an informal record. They sometimes called 3x per day. I never answered, because your advised not to. I then contacted the Attorney General's office here in Ohio. The calls stopped the next day! If you if you think they will give up before you do.....the calls had been going on for months...they won't!

[tcxr750]

Originally Posted by Ecuadog

We went through Hurricane Sandy in Long Island, NY, and for days, the only contact we had with the outside world was via the copper landline. Cell phones and VOIP were no good.

This is why we have a copper landline.

Cell sites are connected to a Central Office. Land Lines connect to the Central Office switching center. If a storm or disaster takes out Cell Sites you lose Cell Phone service. If the storm or disaster takes out the Central Office you lose the Land Lines and Cell Sites associated with it.

[buggyone]

The very best idea for unwanted calls from the same number is to use the call blocking feature on your phone. This can be done either on the phone features or on the service provided by your phone provider.

Put in that number and you will never hear from that phone number again.

[tcxr750]

[QUOTE=buggyone;900523]The very best idea for unwanted calls from the same number is to use the call blocking feature on your phone. This can be done either on the phone features or on the service provided by your phone provider.

Put in that number and you will never hear from that phone number again.[/QUOte
Collection agencies have hundreds of numbers to call from so it is difficult to block them all. You will be called by them even if you have no collection issues. If you are being called at a level considered to be harassing, keep a record of who called and when. I did this in Ohio and referred it to the Attorney Generals Office. The calls stopped the next day.
If you do a number lookup you can often find the calling company name. I also found information on the calling companies from their local BBB.

[tcxr750]

When I contacted the Ohio Attorney General's Office and the unwanted calls stopped, I received a letter from a Lawyer soliciting to take legal action against the Caller. Note: a filing with Attorney General becomes Public Record here in Ohio.

[Ecuadog]

Originally Posted by tcxr750

Cell sites are connected to a Central Office. Land Lines connect to the Central Office switching center. If a storm or disaster takes out Cell Sites you lose Cell Phone service. If the storm or disaster takes out the Central Office you lose the Land Lines and Cell Sites associated with it.

In our case, just the cell sites failed.

[NotGolfer]

In reading this post and the comments I had to ad my 2-cents too. We keep getting a call looking for _____and we don't know that person neither. I asked to be taken off their calling list and was told an expletive! Nice! (sarcasm intended).

I think I'll use the tactic of several here and given them a answer as in "they died" or "they're in prison". Thanks for posting AND the ideas!!