Buzz
I’ve kept the same phone number since 2003, and my father had it for at least five years before me. As far as my identity goes, this number is more significant than my first AOL Instant Messenger handle, though not quite as vital as my Social Security number.
For the past decade or so, I’ve been receiving calls meant for a couple I’ll call Dee and Donny. A quick search of the last name mentioned during these calls reveals that they live across the state from my hometown in Pennsylvania, are probably in their sixties, and at some point, they had quite a bit of debt. I get calls from debt collectors asking for Dee or Donny at least once a month.
Their names even pop up when I buy cat food at PetSmart and give my phone number for discounts. 'Dee?' the cashier asks every time before I correct her. I’m not Dee. Even if Dee had this number before it was in my family’s hands in the mid-90s, how could it still be in debt collectors' systems, not to mention at the pet store?
Each time, I inform the caller that Dee or Donny has 'never been reachable at this phone number.' But I’ve often wondered if there’s a better way to stop these calls for good.
I shared my situation with David Reischer, a lawyer and CEO of LegalAdvice.com.
None of the debt collectors calling for Dee or Donny have broken any laws protecting people from collection calls. According to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, collectors can’t call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. They don’t harass me. When I tell them they have the wrong number, they apologize.
Reischer pointed out that I still have consumer rights that might be helpful in this situation, 'But your options are limited by the reality of having to explain to each collection agency that you are not the person responsible for these debts.'
He gave me this template for replying to calls seeking payment for a debt owed by someone else:
I do not owe this debt. I am not the person you're searching for. This phone number is mistakenly linked to the individual who actually owes the debt. Kindly refrain from calling me again.
You can also follow up with a written letter. If you ask for the contact details of the debt collection agency that called, you can send a letter repeating what you mentioned on the phone and requesting that no further calls be made to your number. Reischer advised referencing Section 1692c(a)(C) of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, which allows you to request, in writing, that a debt collector cease trying to contact you. After confirming your request, they cannot reach you again unless they are taking legal action, such as filing a lawsuit.
'The agency should stop calling you even though you are not the debtor,' Reischer explained. However, you still need to send a written request to each debt collection agency that mistakenly contacts you—there is no one-click 'unsubscribe' option.
Even placing myself on the Do Not Call list won’t stop debt collectors, Reischer pointed out, since that registry was created to reduce telemarketing calls, not debt collection efforts.
Answer, correct, send a letter, repeat. It’s a practical approach to handle daily calls, but it doesn’t resolve the bigger issue.
Phone numbers are frequently recycled, often assigned to new accounts. When you first get a new number, it's common to receive numerous calls for the wrong person. Twenty years ago, this might have been a minor inconvenience, but today, since our phone numbers serve as a form of identity, whether it's for online two-step verification or accessing loyalty rewards at the store, the experience can make you feel exposed.
I’m still curious about who Dee and Donny were and how their lives ended up so connected to my phone number.
I’ve tried calling every phone number linked to the couple that I found online, but all were disconnected, except for one. The active number led to a voicemail with no name mentioned in the outgoing message. I left a message, but haven’t heard back yet.
