Consumer Law

Debt collectors and wrong numbers: how to handle a case of mistaken identity

By Sam Glover

Debt collection is something that everyone has to deal with. Case in point: a debt collector just left a message on my mom’s answering machine, where I have not lived for eleven years. My credit report is squeaky clean–I just checked–but apparently there is another Sam Glover out there who has worse luck.

Every time you get a message from someone about “an important business matter,” it is most likely a debt collector trying to get in touch with you. When this happens, you should return the call, but be careful. If the debt is not yours, you want to avoid further calls, not to end up in the debt collector’s Rolodex.

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Full post as published by Caveat Emptor on February 05, 2008 (boomark / email).