Collection Agencies Harrassment SOS

This is my second SOS post regarding the harrassment by so-called Collection Agencies. Previously, on September 17, 2011, I wrote an article, Collection Agencies Harrassment SOS. At that time, I detailed numerous collection agencies who were calling for a particular person who had my phone number before me.

It was a tedious experience trying to get all these different agencies to stop harrassing me. Well, it seems another company has gotten the collection record for the latest person who used to have my phone number.

Julie Ann Brady and her cat Boots give a lick!

I keep getting calls from 800-580-8615; despite having asked them to remove me from their list, they persist in calling me. Today, at approximately 2pm EDT, I called 800-580-8615 and finally got a person who didn't seem pleased to be talking with me. When I told her I was not the person they were seeking and please remove my number, she said OK. I then asked her what number are you removing. She said, "we have your number." Yeah, I have yours too!!

I also took some time to send a message through Syncom's online contact form asking them to remove my phone number. The form wouldn't go through without my email; now I'll probably be getting spam emails!

There is a Chanel S. person in Jacksonville, Florida that is being sought by Synergetic Communication (Syncom) -- the latest agency who keeps calling me. I had already told one of the previous people calling me from Syncom to please remove my phone number from their calling list since I was not Chanel S. nor did I know who she is. And, I don't know anybody that knows her! But, I can Google that woman and probably tell you where to find her!

I just went back through my caller ID to chart how many times Syncom has called me from 1-800-580-8615:

1. 4/30/14 - 1:11pm
2. 4/25/14 - 10:50am
3. 4/22/14 - 12:36pm
4. 4/17/14 - 7:50pm
5. 4/16/14 - 7:37pm
6. 4/15/14 - 4:13pm
7. 4/14/14 - 4:54pm
8. 4/11/14 - 12:10pm

There are two other phone numbers that have called me a couple of times in one day:

1. 386-233-3552
2. 630-318-4762

I'm not sure which of those numbers is connected to the strange message that you hear when you answer the phone; "please hold for an important message." And, then you will hold and hold and hold waiting for a live person to come on the line.

Have you been hounded by collection agencies phone calls meant for somebody else? Oh boy, I have had more than one person's share! I'm thinking it is about time that I got a phone call telling me I won the Publisher's Clearing House $2 Million Sweepstakes with $10,000 a month for life!

UPDATE: At 3:07pm on April 30, 2014, I received a reply email to my online contact submission:

Good Afternoon Julie,

We do apologize for the inconvenience, We have removed your number and you will no longer receive calls from our agency.

Thank you,
Rachel Y. Sutton
Invoicing Specialist & Reports Coordinator
Synergetic Communication INC.
Phone: (866) 793-5401

Let's see if I get any more phone calls from Syncom!

Collection Agencies Harassment SOS

Good Saturday morning readers and interested parties. May I first say that these phone calls I am about to report as harassment, are not FOR me. The variety of bill collection agencies who have called me repeatedly, are calling for OTHER people who happen to have their first names begin with the letter "J" like mine.

Since I was granted a final divorce in November 2010, I had to establish myself in a new residence with new telephone service. That is when the calls started coming! You see, I opted to do as guided and that was to list my phone number with just an initial. Perhaps that was to try and protect my identity? Or perhaps to protect the fact that I was a female? Well, I don't think that has really worked as aren't people smart enough these days to consider that somebody with an initial for a first name is most likely a female? I'd say in the majority of cases, YES.

During the last week I realized that the calls had turned the corner to a level of harassment and that the collection agencies are OUT OF CONTROL for sure. To illustrate SOME of the phone calls I have been receiving, I went back through my telephone log and recorded the most recent phone calls. Take a look; tell me what you think; have any of these people called you too?

972-217-8329 – West Asset Management – 8/22/11 3:22pm; 8/20/11 10:42am; 8/19/11 6:54pm; 8/19/11 3:52pm; 8/19/11 9:36am
917-793-5694 – The Debt School – 8/26/11 9:29am
703-656-9956 – NCO Financial 8/29/11 4:53pm; 8/29/11 11:05am
813-283-3864 – Unipoint Services – 8/29/11 5:53pm
800-373-1577 – Enhanced Recovery Collections – 9/6/11 10:39am
412-282-1421 – Portfolio Recovery Services – 9/10/11 8:36am
312-625-1467 – Portfolio Recovery Services OR Prize Distribution Headquarters, Chicago, IL – 9/11/11 9:14am
914-513-0163 – Portfolio Recovery Services – 9/11/11 2:29pm
443-313-1381 – Portfolio Recovery Services OR Sunrocket – 9/12/11 8:30am
303-317-8523 – Integral Recovery – 9/15/11 4:13pm; 8/26/11 12:31pm
866-315-4996 – PFG Medical – 9/16/11 8:38pm; 9/15/11 12:55pm; 9/13/11 11:38am; 9/9/11 2:58pm; 9/8/11 11:31am; 9/1/11 2:44pm; 8/27/11 11:38am
800-860-0644 – Portfolio Recovery Services – 9/17/11 8:33am

I have taken time to actually call back the people from the numbers who have called me the most. I think it was West Asset Management who actually read off a list of people ... "Are you Janine, Jill, Jim, James, Joe, Joseph??" etc. "Do you know Janine, Jill, Jim, James, Joe, Joseph??" etc. "No, I am not Janine, Jill, Jim, James, Joe, Joseph and for that matter, I don't know any Janine, Jill, Jim, James, Joe, Joseph."  Looking at the series of phone calls after that, I do believe West Asset Management has finally stopped calling me.

NCO Financial had been as aggressive as West Asset Management with their phone calls. Before I had my telephone number changed to the current one, NCO called me 3 times on a Sunday ... I believe it was for a Janine. I called them back and asked that they stop calling me.

Hey, now I see Portfolio Recovery Services is the leading contender for the harassment award. I've called them twice in the last week! They're still calling for a Jill. Hey, that's not me!  Also, they are apparently rather sly with their telephone methods, changing phone numbers and actually trying to pose as somebody else with the caller name that shows on the ID.

I'm wondering about the series of phone calls from ITT Tech Ins. They are calling for a Joseph ... not sure that they are trying to collect money or to sell education services.

Do you owe money? Oh, never mind, that's too personal of a question. I don't seriously owe anybody at this point in my life; and should not be getting any bill collection agency phone calls. But, my ex DOES owe me and I am seriously waiting for him to cough it up.  It surely seems that being newly divorced and establishing myself all over again, that I am going to have to contend with harassment.

Good Grief! The divorce was stressful enough ... what I've learned with this bologna? I should NOT have kept the ex's last name ... you wouldn't believe just how many people with his last name SEEM to owe money! I will say a little prayer for the people with my last name who are seriously trying to recover and pay their bills. Oh, I will not be including the bill dodgers.

P.S. Judging from the phone calls coming my way, less than 1 in 12 is for me. Perhaps it's time to cancel home telephone service? I got to think about that.  And, something else!!  I am on the Do Not Call Registry and have been taking time to submit complaints along the way.  It surely seems it doesn't help to deter Collection Agencies Harassment; you know?  Got similar issues?  Tell me about it!

UPDATE: It is September 2014 and I am back to add a quick update. I started getting those bill collection agency calls again for that same gal with the initials C.S. What the heck is going on? Did the collection agencies sell their records to another agency and not bother to correct the wrong phone number for Miss C.S. ????