Debt collection agencies

Matthew · 02-01-2015, 14:28

I was given my telephone number when I joined Virgin just under a year ago. Only recently have I fully moved in and started using the phone to which I am getting 5+ calls a day from debt collection people for someone who I presume had the number before me.

Any easy way of stopping these? I keep telling people when I do answer but there never seems to be an end to it.

dilli-theclaw · 02-01-2015, 14:31

If you've only recently stated using the number I'd ask virgin for a new one.

weenie · 02-01-2015, 15:20

As dilli has suggested you could phone VM and see what they can do in regards to this problem. Another option would be to also ask the debt collection agency to remove your number from their contact list (it's worth a try) the secret here is be nice and explain that you know that they are just doing their job but this is your private number and not the person who they are looking for number and you don't think this is a unreasonable request for your number to be removed from their system, who knows that might work.

techguyone · 02-01-2015, 15:24

Good luck with that, I'd go with option #1 (dilli)

devilincarnate · 02-01-2015, 15:37

Can we just have some clarification if possible?

1, You were given the number a year ago?
2, You have only just moved in?
3, You have just started to use the number?

alanbjames · 24-01-2015, 12:42

Matthew ive had this number since 2006 and i still occasionally get calls for the lady who had the number before me not as many as i was getting as Virgin, LloydsTSB, the Debt Agency and The police all got together and ironed things out that i wasnt the person who they were looking for and the address on the ladies account with the debt was the other side of Swansea.

djfunkdup · 24-01-2015, 17:21

if you call VM they will give you a new number free of change ..they do this once then if you want it changed again its 25 quid ...

i was getting the exact same problem ...when i got a new number it was fine for about 6 weeks then the calls started again,though granted its not nearly as bad this time as it was with my previous no ..

---------- Post added at 17:21 ---------- Previous post was at 17:17 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanbjames

Matthew ive had this number since 2006 and i still occasionally get calls for the lady who had the number before me not as many as i was getting as Virgin, LloydsTSB, the Debt Agency and The police all got together and ironed things out that i wasnt the person who they were looking for and the address on the ladies account with the debt was the other side of Swansea.

The police ?

Matthew · 24-01-2015, 17:24

I've ended up moving to Vonage for my voice, few quid a month but a brand new number. I did speak to Virgin and they said if they gave me a number number it could make it worse with them all been reused.

DABhand · 28-01-2015, 02:09

If a debt agency calls you up for someone elses debt, explain to them first about you are new to the building etc. If they persist, ask them to prove they have the authority to ask you for the debt money in your name. They obviously can't and most agencies will tell you ok sorry to have bothered you and it ends there.

Some are more persistent, next time they call and you have said the above, tell them again and request written confirmation from them, and advise them if they call you again without sending that written confirmation you will contact the police as it would be harassment. Covered by the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

raefil · 30-01-2015, 08:27

Not often but we still get calls. from debt agencies, for the people who lived here before us. Weve been here for 18 years!!

Milambar · 02-02-2015, 07:45

I had the same issue when I first got a VM fixed phone line several years ago (technically it was an NTL fixed phone line, it was that long ago). Most debt companies were reasonable, when you explained you just inherited the number from Virgin Media and stopped calling.

Some were a bit resistant and demanded you provide proof that you weren't the person they were looking for, but eventually gave up.

There was one though, that called 3 or 4 times a day, and refused to believe I wasn't the person they were looking for. It took me having to start legal proceedings for harassment against them, before they stopped. They apologized and dropped the issue as soon as my lawyer served them with the legal papers, so it never needed to go to court...

But yeah, some debt companies can be a real pain up the proverbial to get rid of when they are convinced you are the one they are looking for.

randomguy · 03-02-2015, 08:40

I had the same issue years back with Virgin phone numbers I moved to BT got a new number and never got a single call. I think Virgin reuse their phone numbers too quickly. I think in some instances a month after its disconnected.

There should be some database that all companies use that when someone disconnects a number they are notified and any contacts with that number against their name can be removed.

You could always register with TPS that's another option.