Ask Slashdot: How Would You Stop a Debt Collection Scam From Targeting You?

An anonymous reader writes "I'm currently being targeted by an overseas debt collection scam. My landline rings every 10-15 minutes all day every day. I considered getting a blacklisting device to block the incoming calls, but the call center spoofs a different number on my caller ID each time, and it's gotten to the point where I've just unplugged the phones. I'm already on the Do No Call Registry and have filed a complaint with the FTC. Aside from ditching my landline, changing my number, and/or blowing a whistle into the receiver anytime I actually pick up, are there any real solutions out there? Has anybody had luck with a blacklisting device?"

Fax machine

[Anonymous Coward]

Plug in a fax machine.
If they're using anything decent it will detect the fax signal and remove you from the calling.

You want a whitelisting device.

[Anonymous Coward]

What you want is a whitelisting device, not a blacklisting device so that it rejects any number not part of your known contacts.

Is it really scam?

[DarkOx]

Are you so sure its a scam? Are you sure you were the one being scammed? That sounds like an awful lot of persistence and effort for some confidence man to go thru.

I would think by now the nominal scam-er would have determined you are not being taken in by it and moved on to try their grift on some other mark.

If I were you I'd get a credit report and make sure someone had not stolen my identity and opened a bunch of other credit lines that these guys are now trying to collect on because some other fraudster used your name.

Leave the call open

[smist08]

I tend to just answer, and then say "Just hold on a sec..." and then put the phone down and continue watching TV. Like someone else said that then costs them time/money. If my father in law is visiting, I just hand him the phone and he can tell stories from his childhood endlessly. He loves an audience.

Make them spend money

[Planesdragon]

Pick up the phone. Ask them who they're calling from, have them spell your name specifically, state you "do not recall" such alleged debt. If you can, record the call. ("It's for my own records" if they ask.) Don't ever give them ANY information. If they insist on collection, ask them to send you a physical claim. If such arrives, find a defect and tell them about it when they call back. (unless, of course, they have an actually-toll-free number, which they have to pay for.)

Oh, and always, ALWAYS make them repeat themselves. Repeat yourself ad-naueum, as well.

Just don't make any false statements, or agree to the validity of any debt you are not willing to pay.

(Honestly, though, I'd expect a scam to drop at "I'm recording this call, and your name is?")

Re:Pay the debt

[superwiz]

The main reason for this is how unrestricted the legitimate debt collectors are. When there is an unchallenged predator in any environment, there will always be those trying to masquerade as one. The only way to stop this is to make it illegal to have debt collectors outside of the jurisdiction of the callee. But that's not going to happen. Local police can always verify that a certain so-and-so is a private detective. Why shouldn't they be able to verify that a certain so-and-so is a legitimate debt collector? As it stands, even the mob can get into this business. As long as the callers are outside of the jurisdiction, there is no way to challenge them in case of abuse. This is why many people feel vulnerable enough to submit to such scams.

Re:You want a whitelisting device.

[nurb432]

I call that an answering machine. :) If you don't talk to it, and i don't know who you are, i wont even bother getting off the couch.

Re:Next few times they call

[Anonymous Coward]

#1 is wrong. Don't ever make a verbal contract that you agree you are in debt to the person.

Re:Need more information

[Anonymous Coward]

Spoken like someone who's never used (or rather tried to use) one.

Re:Need more information

[Alioth]

The snag with doing this, this also wastes my time too. I don't want to be tied up on the phone talking to these jackasses.

Re:Need more information

[Krojack]

My guess is they are using hacked Asterisk servers. My servers get hit on a daily bases from all sorta of IPs, most from China er I mean East Asia.

Re:Need more information

[duke_cheetah2003]

No, usually the people on the other end are just poor souls with a lousy job. They are often not the ones running the scam.

Actually, they are running the scam, it's pretty much irrelevant if you think they're just a cog in the machine, they are a cog with a choice. They don't have to choose to try to scam people. So I say belittle and shame them to your hearts content. They're just as responsible for perpetuating this junk as anyone else.

On the original topic.. I'd just change my phone number personally.