Location: NH, US
I have an old debt that was resolved over a decade ago. However, I still get calls on this, keep letting them know it was discharged in bankruptcy, “get removed from the list”, and then get calls again a week or two later. I’ve already informed my lawyer, but it doesn’t seem to be helping even with him sending notices out. Other companies keep picking it up and using annoying robocalls with ominous voicemails to take a swipe at it.
Out of absolute pettiness today – and after an especially rude person tried again to collect on this- I whipped out several cell phones and began bombarding their call center (the reason I have several phones should not be relevant to this post). Call, let them answer, stay silent, wait, and they hang up. I could hear a few of the repeat agents getting annoyed. At one point, I even reversed some of the speakers and mics so they’d be talking to each other. “Ohhh Melissa, what’s goin’ on with these damn phones?” So immature on my part, but it felt nice to turn the tables for once.
My question… What is the legality on this? Is it harassment if I just say nothing and simply take down their call center for a few minutes now and then?
Comments
Yes, this is illegal. It’s criminal harassment.
Are you going to get in legal trouble for this? Almost certainly not.
Is it a waste of everyone’s time, including yours? Yes. Does it potentially encourage you getting more calls every time you call and establish your number is active? Probably. It’s not a good idea to even answer these calls in the first place.
The law disfavors self help. In other words, the legal system prefers you let law enforcement and courts handle things instead of trying to solve problems yourself.
What you are asking is if someone is harassing you, is it legal for you to harass them back. The simple answer is NO, it is NOT legal. You are now both breaking the law.
That said, the odds of law enforcement getting involved based on what you are describing are low. Now if you escalate to threats or something else, the odds law enforcement gets involved go up.
So stupid.
Now they know your number is active- great job Einstein
Write and Cease and desist letter, registered mail demanding they stop calling you. Attach proof the debt was paid, if you have it. If you continue to get calls, you can sue them and get $1,000.
“turn the tables”
lol. That’s so cute.
Calling and harassing the minimum wage workers in the call center is a waste of time. The debt collectors couldn’t care less how you treat their almost surely outsourced call center.
If they notice it enough to care and their research finds the pattern, your numbers might end up in a nuisance call queue. I doubt they’d care enough about it to make any moves to call the authorities.
Of course, if you actually become threatening, that’s a different story.
Hey OP, I have a similar problem. I have somehow been flagged in private industry as someone with a huge tax debt. I get calls all day long from organizations saying they can negotiate on by behalf blah blah blah. I have NO tax debt whatsoever! If you ever find a reasonable solution to make these people stop then please DM with the details. Please. Appreciate it.