Collection Agency call does not release phone line

[Royal Wulff]

I am getting automated calls from a collection agency seeking payment from the person who used to live in my apartment.

I cannot hang up on the calls. Even if I hang up, the call is still there if I pick up the phone after 30 seconds.

What's up with that? Surely that's against law.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Tell the callers the new number is (fill in Washington number of Rat senator or congresscritter here)

[HiTech RedNeck]

So, take consolation in the fact that as long as you don't hang up your line, they can't call out on that line, either (and that costs them money). Of course, you can't get any more phone calls, either.

RW, try and see if "flashing" the hook or button (depressing it briefly for less than half a second) will give you a dial tone. If so, call the FBI, then "flash" again and listen to the two connected parties while mashing the mute button.

[HiTech RedNeck]

[RW, try and see if "flashing" the hook or button (depressing it briefly for less than half a second) will give you a dial tone. If so, call the FBI, then "flash" again and listen to the two connected parties while mashing the mute button.]

Note -- your local telco may charge you something like 75 cents for the 3-way call.

[jellybean]

I've called the number they've left (repeatedly) on my voice mail and told them they had the wrong person.

Get a cell phone for personal calls and give that number out to those you want to talk to. Then use call forwarding to forward all other calls to the phone number they gave you. Just think how much fun that would be!

[Carolinamom]

Because our local golf course published a brochure w/my telephone number rather than theirs, I got callers wanting to make reservations at the golf course for over 3 years. Even after 2 trips to the golf course management to complain, the calls continued from golfers still using the old brochure.

A friend who had had a similar problem getting calls from people who thought they were calling a dog grooming shop, she suggested to me to use the tactic she had successfully used.....tell the caller that the shop had gone out of business. LOL

[lowbridge]

You're scary...

Only on my good days :-)