Blocking Annoying Cell Phone Callers?

RobertB-DC asks: "Twice a week, for the past several months, I receive a call on my cell phone, from a 'Restricted' number. It's always the same: 'Please hold for an important non solicitation message.' It then tells me to call 1-800-842-0640 for further instructions. When I call (from a CID-blocked work phone), all I can get from them is the company name: NCO. They won't tell me more about their company unless I tell who I am. Verizon says they can't block the caller. Short of exposing my own identity to someone I don't know, how can I get rid of these annoying calls?" Are there cell phone carriers who are progressive enough to offer call blocking services of some kind?

Comments

Lie!

[DavidYaw]

all I can get from them is the company name: NCO. They won't tell me more about their company unless I tell who I am.

Short of making up a social security number, I see nothing wrong with making up all the personal info you give them.

Apparently

[Anonymous Coward]

You're not alone.

Maybe you need to pay something?

[Lshmael]

That could be the case if this is the "NCO" that is calling you.

Re:Maybe you need to pay something?

[Anonymous Coward]

I had a credit card company leave a message on my (unlisted) home phone saying "We don't understand why you don't pay us the $19,000 you owe us!"

If you live in the US and that happened, you would have had a massive lawsuit on your hands. Otherwise, you're likely lying (as were all the people that said *I* did that to them, when i worked for a collection dept at a credit card company).

It is a violation of the Fair Debt and Credit Practices Act (FDCPA) for a company to leave any information whatsoever, other than their name and phone number, with anyone other than the verified party or their spouse (depending on the state). No nature of a debt or anything like that my be disclosed to a 3rd party.

An answering machine is consdered 3rd party since anyone could listen to that message, and thus privacy is given away.

I'm not saying it coudln't have happen, just that it is far from likely because no debt collection company would risk getting their ass sued off; especially when an answering machine took the message, as that is proof of their law violation that could be used in court.

Okay, I just called them

[Anonymous Coward]

They're a credit agency .

Collections

[Greyjack]

NCO is a collections company. Odds are they're calling to collect on an outstanding bill; have you tried giving 'em your cell# (since they obviously already have it) to try and find out what the hell they're calling for?

Also, keep in mind, they already have your cell number -- it's not like it'd be all that hard for 'em to get your name anyway. After all, you gave your credit card info to your cell provider, right? Yes? Well, your info's already in the system, then, so quit worrying about what *might* happen, 'cause it already *has*.

Give Verizon a call

[ReverendRyan]

Dont ask that they kindly block the number, but instead report it as harrassment and threaten leagal charges. Have Verizon put a trace on the calls (you'll have to work with them on that one) to figure out where they're REALLY coming from, then contact the BBB and your state's Attourney General.

As far as I know, making unsolicited calls to a cellphone is illegal since YOU are paying for them to do this to you. Next time they call you, call that 1-800 number and tell them to remove your information from the database and that if they sell it you will press charges.

I know I'd be really pissed if I were in your position.

Symbian call blocker

[yelvington]

Owners of smart phones running Symbian OS can install call-blocking software:

http://www.pdabuyersguide.com/software/nokia_365 0_ software.htm

There may be similar software for other phones.

Or you could install one of those Microsoft phones and be free of all incoming calls.

hey there

[XO]

As everyone says:

NCO is a collections agency.

This means that you owe them money (because someone else you owe money has transferred that to them).

This means that you have a business relationship with them (because your debt was transferred from a company that you did have a business relationship with) and they can call your cell phone.

Note: Verizon cannot block the call because it's not CID available. If it were to show on CID, it could quite probably be blocked at the service level - but it can't.

On the other hand: If it is NOT you that they are looking for (I got to deal with this quite a bit when I first got my new cell phone, with it's new #), such as in the case where you have just received a new cell number, then they don't have a right to call you, however, you need to identify yourself to them before they can discover that!

So, if you're not identifying yourself to them because you're trying to avoid the collections agency, you're gonna continue to get phone calls. If you're not the person that they are wanting to collect from, then you have to identify yourself to them, so that they will stop calling you.

I had every utility company in this state calling my cell phone trying to reach the guy that used to have the number.. and it took a good 3 or 4 months of sending calls to voicemail, with a message saying "This is NO LONGER THE PHONE NUMBER FOR -former owner's name-. If you are looking for him, please do not call back." .. probably 3 or 4 calls a week.

Fight fire with fire

[the_other_one]

The problem caused by one unpaid bill is easily solved with a second unpaid bill.

Don't pay the phone bill.

To deal with collection agencies....

[poofmeisterp]

Very good information to help you deal with collection agencies at:

Freeadvice.com

This is a link to the forums. You can find decent credit and collections-related information off the main site, as well.

Collection Agency Practices

[Kane Skalter]

Perhaps you should use the following to get them to cease communication via your cell phone. I am convinced that accruing minutes on your cell phone (I know some plans are unlimited, but most aren't) would be tantamount to causing you to incur a charge. In English, that means it's your dime, not theirs. You are paying out money to accept their call. If it was a landline and you were not limited on minutes of usage, it would be an entirely different story. Perhaps you should return their call and insist on alternate means of communication. If it is a collection agency for a debt that you do owe, then you should communicate with them. If you do not owe the debt, then you should notify them verbally and in writing of a dispute.

Here's what the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act has to say about it.

808. Unfair practices [15 USC 1692f]

(5) Causing charges to be made to any person for communications by concealment of the true propose of the communication. Such charges include, but are not limited to, collect telephone calls and telegram fees.

Why you should talk to them...

[Tintivilus]

If it's NCO the collections agency, and *YOU* are the debtor they're after, you've probably got them nailed.

Third-Party collections agencies (professional debt collectors) are bound by federal law called the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). This stipulates that they cannot disclose any debt to anyone but the debtor and the creditor; hence, the stonewalling until they find out who you are. Even telling somebody that they know who you are can be a violation, since how would they know you if you didn't have a debt in collections?

This is, however, beside the point. The kicker is that the FDCPA prohibits a collector from incurring expenses to the debtor in attempt to collect the debt -- more to the point, they cannot call collect or on a cell phone. I've done work for collection agencies before and they're very careful to make sure they never contact a debtor on a cellular phone, since that allows a debtor who knows "the act" to create a legal morass that's more trouble than its worth.

You might as well tell them who you are. If you're not the one they're looking for, they'll take your number off the account and leave you alone. If you *are* the one they're looking for, you can make a stink and they may write off the debt as uncollectable.

It is an extortion racket

[wildzeke]

I called the number and some guy calling himself McBride said I owed him $699.

Thanks for your help! (from submitter)

[RobertB-DC]

Thank you to all for your help! Here's my action plan:

* I know I didn't have any unknown outstanding debts on my record in April, but there are some medical bills that may have been added since then. I'll get a new credit report and see what's been going on lately. I used myFICO once before, but their price seems to have gone up... I'll have to look for an alternative. Fortunately, I've been turned down enough times while looking for new home financing, that I should be able to get a free report. :)

* If nothing shows up there, I'll follow up on the company name that this AC managed to get out of the 800 number. NCO Credit Services has three numbers and several emails listed on their "Contacts" page... someone should be able to tell me if they have a gruff-voiced robot that calls and leaves "non solicitation messages".

* Once I feel like I have a clue who's calling, I'll be more comfortable telling them who I am. Your information has been very valuable, especially the part about collection agencies in the US being barred from costing me money when they collect. That implies that these folks *will* care that they're calling on a cell phone.

Thanks again, everyone, for your help. Good luck, and God bless!