I am at a loss for what to do

[LilithFair]

Does anyone have any personal insight into this situation? I am at a loss of what to do.

In late August or early September, I started getting telephone calls from a woman. It sounds like the same woman every time she calls.

At first, she said she needed to "verify my Social Security number" in connection with an old loan.

Of course, I refused to give any information. I just said "no" and hung up.

She has called back now at least 5 times since then. Before today she has never given her name or what entity she supposedly represents. But each time she calls she reveals a bit more information. WHat has come out is that she wants to know my SSN so that they can "verify I am not the person who is in default on a Guaranteed Student Loan"

I have mostly just kept hanging up on her. But the last time she called (about a week ago) I decided I had had enough. I told her that, while I would verify NO information for HER, SHE needed to verify some for ME. I asked her to tell me what loan specifically she was referring to, the name on the account, the dates, where I went to school, who administered the loan, etc etc etc. She became very flustered and said that she didn't have to verify anything for me, but that if I didn't verify my SSN for her that "the Government would be taking action to prosecute me". I just laughed and hung up on her again.

Then, I looked up and called the actual Government Agency that administers the records for GSL's. I told them my problem with this lady, and they took my info and looked up my account. And certainly I was NOT in default on any loan. Its been paid off, well, forever. And, to boot, the name she is saying I have the loan under is my married name... its not the name I had my loan under, and I have never been even registered in school under my married name! They told me to just continue hanging up on her, or to call the police and report her as harassing me.

I then looked up and copied my credit reports from the 3 major bureaus. Nothing bad on there. Everything fine.

So I called the cops. They took my info, but said that unless she gives a name, where she works or a phone number, they couldn't help me stop the harassment. I can get a "tracer" function on my phone from Bellsouth, but she has to call 3 times and I have to trace her back to the number (MYSELF) 3 times and give them that evidence, before the cops can act. They advise me to #1 tell her clearly to CEASE and DESIST (because if I do, and she calls again, she is breaking the law...like, so what? They can't enforce it!) and #2 then just hang up.

So today I get home from volunteering at my kid's school for 3 hours, and there's actually a message on my message machine from this woman. I recognize her voice by now! She leaves a message with her name (supposedly) and says she works for a debt collection agency and needs me to call her. She leaves a 1-888 number and a 4 digit extension.

I looked the company up online she claims to represent...they are a MAJOR company who specialized in buying old debts and then trying to collect on them. SO I decide to call her back and tell her to CEASE and DESIST (for all the good it will do me) but the number is BOGUS!

So I do a "reverse number search" on the number she left and its not a number in use by anyone. I try to "auto redial" it but its BOGUS.

WHAT SHOULD I DO?????

[Jerry]

Sounds like you did everything right.  Did you see Mickey's post on how to deal with telemarketers?
Take a look, maybe it will work.
oh yes, what about the FBI?

[Kittyzee]

I wouldn't correspond with her AT ALL, she may be trying to "break you down", so many debt collectors try that tactic.  Please, don't give her ANY information.  When she calls, hang up, if you can identify her on caller I. D., don't even pick up.

[jclements]

There's a huge scam happening on campus right now. People are calling individual offices saying they supply toner and ink cartriges. As you know, UF has contracts with specific suppliers. They've called multiple offices offering many types of additional supplies. We've been instructed to document certain details about these calls and forward them to purchasing, who is detailing everything for some sort of law enforcement agency.

I don't know, maybe change your phone number??? That's a huge PITA, but maybe that will keep them from harassing you!

[Teresa]

Do you have either caller ID or privacy director on your phone line?  If you have caller ID you can get the number she's calling from just by looking at the little box or your phone.  If you have privacy director you can block all calls from anyone who won't reveal their number/name to caller id.  She simply won't be able to get thru to you.

Sounds like a scam.  I had a woman calling here wanting to collect on a loan she said I'd defaulted on.  It took several calls before she finally told me the name on the loan and it wasn't mine.  I assured her that I was not that person and had no loan and she stopped calling.

[EagleEye]

Lilth,
Sounds like you are doing everything right. I guess if it keeps up I would consider getting one of those phone taps like you were told about, but in the mean time she has to know that you are in control of this situation, not her. Which you are doing.
BTW, thought of you today, I was in  a greenhouse and they had a lot of bromalaids. Even took a couple pics. Beautiful blooms. In my dry house they wouldn't have a chance. (wood heat)
Good luck with the PITA,

Steve

[MikeW]

Lilith -
Not exactly an answer to your problem, but I have discovered that law enforcement in this country is beyond useless. Unless you have a photo of the "alleged" perp doing the deed, well, they just seem unable to help.

We had a neighbourhood kid running pot sales around here, and the resulting influx of undesirables. Nothing the cops could do - and believe me I  tried. Eventually, I slipped an old local guy some cash to beat up the kid (not too badly) in front of his own house. Then the parents called the police, who swarmed in droves ( OK, three squad cars). We local home owners all turned up to demand they arrest the complaining party, and that was the first time the kids parents took it seriously. He has not been seen since - military boarding school in Virginia we believe.

Anyway, I am not specifically endorsing vigilantism, but today, one gets a lot more bang for the buck from a direct expenditure, rather than relying on the authorities, who, on your dime, are defending the scum from punishment.

Ok, I am an angry guy, but I have had enough. Good luck exposing / ending this scum.

Mike

[PondmaninAL]

If you have caller ID, use it. If you haven't got it but can get it, do so. If it's not available, get the tap ASAP. These people need to learn their lesson.

MikeW, I thought all South Africans were angry people.

Scott

[Esther]

Keep a police whistle by the phone. Tell her you are going to blow the whistle in the phone every time she calls REAL LOUD. And if she keeps talking, do what you said you'd do. The next time she calls, don't warn her.

[LilithFair]

I do have caller ID. It comes up "unknown name" every time she calls. I have tried to block people who have "unknown name" but they seem to get through anyway. This is the first time she has been blatant enough to actually leave a message, but I am betting the name is fake, that she doesn't work for the major corporation she claims to, and I already know the phone number she gave was bogus.

If she thinks she's going to wear me down, she's in for a big, big surprise. I do like that whistle idea, though! I passed Mikey's "how to prank a telemarketer" on to my husband (he thought it was a real hoot too) and he said too bad we can't do that to her!

I ought to run a big prank on her...if she calls again I should act like I am a dungeon mistress with a client..."Hand me that cat o' nine tails! I said GROVEL!!!!!!! NOWWWWWW!!!! Oh excuse me, you were saying something about a loan??? I didn't catch that...."

[Mikey]

I don't know what state you live in but in California it is illegal to make annoying telephone calls.  Most police departments here will require the victim to request the phone company to trace the calls.  The penal code for California is on-line and it's possible that it may also be on-line for your state.  Do some quick research on Google for illegal phone calls in your state.  I'd be very surprised if they don't have such a law.  I'd also do a search of the laws in your state relative to identity theft.  After doing your research I suggest calling the cops again and insisting they send a unit out.

[frloplady]

Tell her you will go get it out of your purse...put the phone down and don't come back for an hour!!! 

I think you are doing abut what should be done now already.  I do agree the whistle idea is good.

A friend had a telemarketer call once asking for the lady of the house...he said just a minute and put down the phone.  Now he's divorced and lives alone    He came back to the phone 5 minutes later and said, sorry can't find her.  She musta moved out 

[FrankJScott]

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