topic Re: CA calling hubby ... please help! in Rebuilding Your Credit

CA calling hubby ... please help!

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:02:23 GMT

Okay, hubby just came home for lunch and told me that he got a strange call (one of those "This is not a sales call" kind). They are calling on his cellphone and it WAS auto-dialed. In all fairness, though, we do use cells exclusively instead of a landline. If that matters.

They left no message other than to call back. Hubby has one unpaid MEDICAL collection circa '05 and one MEDICAL that ALMOST went to collections, but we made a payment plan deal with the OC. He does have an old VISA that went to collections, but we paid it off several years ago (and no longer have the proof). Arrow pops up every once in a while and harasses us about it.

What do we do? Hubby ALWAYS answers his cellphone (he uses it for work and has never kept track of those who are SUPPOSED to be calling him). I am terrified that he will unknowingly answer the phone and not know how to deal with the CA.

Should I call and ask what it's regarding? And let them know that they're calling a cellphone? I know well enough not to admit to anything, but I would like to know WHO it is (didn't even leave a company name) and what it's for (to **bleep** any other collections in the bud before they report).

Please help!! Much thanks in advance!!

Re: CA calling hubby ... please help!

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:35:48 GMT

*shameless bump, please?*

Re: CA calling hubby ... please help!

wahmom — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:53:25 GMT

Wonderin can put the telephone number that shows up on the caller id into google and you should find some info on who the number belongs to. I did that just recently and found a site called phoneowner.info where people post who called them from certain telephone numbers.

I would try that route before I actually call the number back. I hope it works for you. Let me know.

Re: CA calling hubby ... please help!

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:07:20 GMT

@wahmom wrote:
Wonderin can put the telephone number that shows up on the caller id into google and you should find some info on who the number belongs to. I did that just recently and found a site called phoneowner.info where people post who called them from certain telephone numbers.

I would try that route before I actually call the number back. I hope it works for you. Let me know.

I tried that and no one's put an entry on that number that identifies the company.

I'd let it go and just wait for the initial letter from them (if it's a new CA account), but our mail sucks and I can't just rest on the possibility that I'll receive notice. We get about 30% of our mail at any given time.

I think I need to call them and see what the situation is. Hopefully, my time here with all of you wonderful people has taught me what to say and what NOT to say!!

If the debt's SoL, I can have them stop calling, I think. The cell phones are all in my name and I'd think that if I told them to stop calling MY phone, they'd have to!!

But most of all, I don't want to risk them calling hubby and having him admit to the debt or make payment arrangements out of fear for his credit.

Re: CA calling hubby ... please help!

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:19:44 GMT

It might be a long shot, but if you can post the number here, I may have it on one of my lists. I've been tracking all of the unknown/private/800/etc calls we have received over the last 3 years or so and have a 7 page list!

Re: CA calling hubby ... please help!

llecs — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:31:32 GMT

Optimistic08 wrote:
It might be a long shot, but if you can post the number here, I may have it on one of my lists. I've been tracking all of the unknown/private/800/etc calls we have received over the last 3 years or so and have a 7 page list!

Wow! I started doing the same last September. I have a call log of every single incoming unknown call. Thankfully, it has been fairly quiet.

Re: CA calling hubby ... please help!

llecs — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:39:54 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

@wahmom wrote:
Wonderin can put the telephone number that shows up on the caller id into google and you should find some info on who the number belongs to. I did that just recently and found a site called phoneowner.info where people post who called them from certain telephone numbers.

I would try that route before I actually call the number back. I hope it works for you. Let me know.

I tried that and no one's put an entry on that number that identifies the company.

I'd let it go and just wait for the initial letter from them (if it's a new CA account), but our mail sucks and I can't just rest on the possibility that I'll receive notice. We get about 30% of our mail at any given time.

I think I need to call them and see what the situation is. Hopefully, my time here with all of you wonderful people has taught me what to say and what NOT to say!!

If the debt's SoL, I can have them stop calling, I think. The cell phones are all in my name and I'd think that if I told them to stop calling MY phone, they'd have to!!

But most of all, I don't want to risk them calling hubby and having him admit to the debt or make payment arrangements out of fear for his credit.

Here's what I do, Wonderin-

I take the number and I call via my fax machine using the fax feature (only good from outside any number the CA may have). The fax has a speaker phone feature where I 'll dial. I hear what they are saying (Joe-bag-o-donuts CA, How may I help you?) but the only thing they hear is the fax gurgle-whine, for a lack of a better term.

Before using that, I would call the unknown number, wait to hear how they answer, and I would say something like "I am calling today about our exciting deals on printer ink and toner. What is the model number of the printer you most use in your office?" They will always either hang up on you or say that you probably called the wrong number.

Legally, they have to send you a written notice any day now. You could always wait for that.

Re: CA calling hubby ... please help!

wahmom — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:00:30 GMT

llecs wrote:

Here's what I do, Wonderin-

Legally, they have to send you a written notice any day now. You could always wait for that.

Oh My Goodness llecs, That is such a good idea! You guys are awesome! I would have never thought to do something like that!
I've got to write that one down so that I can remember.

You deserve an award for best idea of the day!

Re: CA calling hubby ... please help!

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:03:06 GMT

Thanks, you guys!

Well, I know WHO it is ... Wahmom hollered at me in a PM offering to call them and ask (so's to remove the temptation for me from talking to them for REAL) and she found out that it's a CA called CSI. She said they seem to mainly handle medical debt (which fits, since we pay all our other bills ... medical bills just seem to ... well, not make it through the mail system!).

I'm still on pins and needles, though, not knowing WHAT medical bill this is about. Like I said, we have one bill that we started a payment plan with the OC and THEN received a CA notice for (they crossed in the mail, I think). And another is circa '05 and is, in fact, already on his CRs.

I'm terrified that it's the CA for the bill we've made arrangements with the OC on. :/

But my BIGGEST worry is the fact that hubby gets oodles of calls from "weird numbers" (his clients don't always seem to use the same phone each time when they call him), so he naturally answers the phone every time. This one time, though, he was already on another call and let it go to voicemail.

I just don't know how long he'll remember to monitor the phone and NOT answer weird numbers. And I really don't want him to feel trapped and like he can't answer his own cellphone, you know?

Another weird thing is that I checked his CRs yesterday and no one's done a pull on his CRs (except for creditors we've apped for cards with). Wouldn't a NEW CA pull his reports? Just to see if he's worth going after?

*sigh*

Sorry for being so dramatic over this. Hubby's just gone through a lot here lately (my FIL passing away this time last year, my stroke, busted knee, his mom's getting loonier, etc) ... I just feel so awful for him. He's such a good guy and all the credit problems are MY fault, but he's paying for them.

Again, thank you so very much ... you have no idea how much ya'll's support and encouragement means to US ('cause hubby knows I spend almost every waking moment here!!). I hope you realize ya'll are just like family!!!

Hugs, hugs, hugs!!!

Re: CA calling hubby ... please help!

Anonymous — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:49:54 GMT

Wonderin,

You may have already done this but I figured it is worth a thought.

Can you save the number on his phone under some crazy name so that if they call again from that number he will see the name and know not to answer? I have started saving numbers on my phone that call a lot (usually sales calls) so I dont waste my time or cell minutes anwering. It may not stop the calls but alteast he wont say something he shouldn't. (hopefully they dont use 100 different numbers

Sorry I don't have any better suggestions

Re: CA calling hubby ... please help!

wahmom — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 02:02:31 GMT

I actually have a really crazy ringtone for any call that comes in from a number not listed in my address book. It makes me stop and think before I answer the call.

Re: CA calling hubby ... please help!

Anonymous — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:45:26 GMT

love2golf wrote:
Wonderin,

You may have already done this but I figured it is worth a thought.

Can you save the number on his phone under some crazy name so that if they call again from that number he will see the name and know not to answer? I have started saving numbers on my phone that call a lot (usually sales calls) so I dont waste my time or cell minutes anwering. It may not stop the calls but alteast he wont say something he shouldn't. (hopefully they dont use 100 different numbers

Sorry I don't have any better suggestions

I used to do this under simply 'collection agency' or 'bill collector'

Re: CA calling hubby ... please help!

Anonymous — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:47:06 GMT

wahmom wrote:
I actually have a really crazy ringtone for any call that comes in from a number not listed in my address book. It makes me stop and think before I answer the call.

good idea! I need a new phone so I can do this...

Re: CA calling hubby ... please help!

Anonymous — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:48:35 GMT

Well, I know WHO it is ... Wahmom hollered at me in a PM offering to call them and ask (so's to remove the temptation for me from talking to them for REAL) and she found out that it's a CA called CSI. She said they seem to mainly handle medical debt (which fits, since we pay all our other bills ... medical bills just seem to ... well, not make it through the mail system!).

is this CSI as in Credit Services, Inc, in Michigan?