Consumers can protect themselves from debt collectors' errant calls Tampabay.com
These days, more and more people report getting "robo-dialed" by debt collectors looking for people with similar names, similar phone listings or similar addresses.
It's annoying, irritating and — when a collection call jolts you awake late at night — sometimes downright frightening.
Take Ted Gibson, a retired government economist in Sacramento, Calif. The phone directory lists him as "T. Gibson," which means he's frequently called by collectors looking for folks with similar initials.
Although he says he and his wife pay off their bills, do not run up credit card charges and have clean credit histories, "We receive five to six calls a week from various collection outfits" for other Gibsons whose first names start with T. Many of these other Gibsons appear to have multiple outstanding debts, Gibson says, "So there are a least a dozen different bill collectors hounding us night and day."
Federal officials say debt collection calls — including those to the wrong person — are increasing. Last year, the Federal Trade Commission logged 140,000 complaints about debt collectors, everything from calling the wrong person to leaving threatening messages.
Debt collectors using 'sick' tactics
CNN's Jim Spellman reports on debt collectors using high pressure sales tactics on hospital patients.
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