Collections calling my dad

[Liaah]

My dad told me tonight that Wells Fargo called him and asked for my brother. He told the lady that he didn't live here and he was tired of them calling and he has given them his number numerous times but will give it to them again and to please not call anymore as he is trying to watch a TV program. The lady said, Well I think this is more important than your TV program, at which my dad said, no it's not, it's not my debt. She started getting real snippy with him and he said you are a real smart a** and she said well this person owes us over $700 blah blah blah.

Are they allowed to give out that kind of information and to harrass my dad in that fashion? It really makes me mad. He is elderly and has a hard time hearing to boot.

[lrprn]

If your dad doesn't have it already, get him caller ID and an answering machine. Explain that unless he sees a number or a name that he knows, he is NOT to answer the phone. The ID might show the collections company name but it typicaly will say "Private Caller".

His talking to those vermin does no good whatsoever! Some of them actually get paid for the amount of time they can keep you on the phone! If he answers and it's them, he should just hang up, even if they are still trying to talk to him.

Sorry your dad is caught up in this - it's really hard when elderly parents get sucked into the collections pit of slime

[HRx]

The person responsible for the debt needs to write and mail out a C&D letter to all the creditors that keep calling your father. And if/when collectors keep calling your father needs to keep the call extremely short, and tell them they have the wrong number...he will need to keep telling the creditors this for a few weeks for them to stop calling. It may or may not help to obtain the name and contact number each collection agency, and report them various governing bodies.

Most collection agencies are relentless, and will simply keep calling to harrass and annoy people. When they know very well they will not be able to collect the debt owed. Collection agencies are paid retain a percentage of teh debt collected, If the calls are extreme, and constant, and continue for several months, and are simply disruptive to his life. Your father may want to look into changing his number to an unlisted number.