... can include

Real or possibly legitimate collection agency calls

... meaning agencies trying to reach you concerning a real debt. (This may or may not be bona fide debt or that the collection agency is following the law; that's another matter.)

Real collection agencies calling the wrong number

This could be either an old telephone listing (now yours) or a reverse lookup to an old address (now yours).

Frauds and scams

Credit collection could be a legitimate activity. If they are attempting to politely address the issue, that's one thing, and this can generally be addressed in a polite manner. Many tend to be less than polite, or are a telemarketing scam.

What This is About

This isn't about dodging credit collections. There's enough on the web about that. This is directed to handling impolite collection agency personnel, who as often as not either have the wrong number or are telemarketers calling under a false pretext.

Legitimate Collection Activity

Collection agencies can use the post and telephone to reach collection debtors. If post is unavailable, due to, for example, uncertainty as to the correct address, the first step should be to properly identify the party.

Generally this can be done with a telephone message stating unambiguously the purpose of the call and the nature of the debt. While some information must be kept confidential, it should be possible for the person in question to identify the legitimacy of the call.

Particularly in the case of credit agencies calling non-current phone listings or reverse telephone number lookups from non-current address listings, one should expect basic courtesy.

Is the Call Legitimate?

Generally, a message left on an answering machine would state their business. If in doubt as to the true nature of the business, check the number on the web.

If an explanation that they have the wrong number (or if they have the correct number, a request to "Please do not call me again" is not comprehended, then give them what they want:

• Let the calls go unanswered.
• "Hillary is at work. She can be reached at ____. Ask for her because it's her boss' number.".
       My favourite are payphones and overseas numbers on the North American Numbering Plan (NANP).
• If you know it's a wrong number, of course your options are much broader.
• If you have a mailboxing answering machine you can flag their number to whatever machine conversation you want to provide to them.

site first posted 3-Nov-1996; This page first posted 29-Sep-2007
rev 09-Oct-07. copyright 2007, S. Protigal

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