Strange Phone Call

[Yellow Shoes]

Every day for the past week I have been getting a recorded phone call--"This is not a sales call. I have a decision to make that affects you. Please call Mr. Shapiro at xxx-xxxx."

I'm getting annoyed by the calls and decide to find out what's going on.

I dial the number,
"Yeah--this is Harry."

"I've been getting recorded messages for a week to call Mr. Shapiro at this number."

"Shapiro isn't here. I'm his associate."

"Fine!! What's going on."

"Let me confirm your name. Are you "Terry Jones"? (Now this is my husband's name, but it is an androgynous one, so I can safely answer for him)"

"yes"

"And the last 4 digits of your Social Security number are 1234?'

"no"

"You ARE Terry Jones?"

"yes"

"Do you live at 789 Main ST?"

"no"

"Your name is Terry C. Jones?"

"no"

"You just said you were."

"That's not my middle initial."

"OK--do you live at 456 Pine St?"

"yes"

"OK looks like we've got the wrong person."

"Have you ever lived at 234 Maple?"

"no"

"Do you have any relatives named Terry Jones?"

"no"



I did not give him my husband's SSN, but he seemed to pull our correct address up pretty quickly.

I'm a little un-nerved by this.

Any ideas as to what this was??

 

[Pioneer Hall]

If you are really worried I would contact the police. Something doesn't sound right about that and I would have it looked in to. I wouldn't want anyone to even be guessing at what my social security number is.

 

[pinkrose]

I'd also contact your phone company.

 

[Yellow Shoes]

Mystery solved!!

I put the phone number into google.

It is a collection agency in Philadelphia.
They specialize in student loans.

 

[Debbie]

I hate that stuff. I recently had a collections guy call here for my neighbor. How he got my name I'll never figure; my house is under my maiden name and the phone is under Don's name.

 

[tigsmom]

I received a phone call once a day for almost a month looking for someone with the same last name. Everyday I explianed that I didn't know them. I got so sick and tired of them that I finally called back & asked to speak to the person in charge. It was a collection agency for defaulted school loans, too.

I told him about all the calls and you know what he told me...well, you live in the same town & have the same last name so you must be related. Tell us where he is and we'll stop calling you! I got a little crazy then and yelled..."So everyone with the last name of "Smith" is related! Are you insane!"

I gave them a number...my lawyer. He told them if they called again they would be sued. Never heard from them again.