Beware of Meddling Liars: 866-846-9964

So, I’m working today, minding my own business…when someone calls the house phone. I answer. (Mistake number one, I should NEVER do that while trying to work.) The lady on the other end asks if I know the neighbor down the street. I don’t.

She wants to know if I can get a message to her. I say, “That depends, what is your company?” She says she can’t give out that kind of confidential information. (Hmmm… but she wants me to carry messages for her down the block?) I asked how she got this number. It was “listed” as a neighbor contact, she says. I think that maybe my significant other knows something about this that I don’t, so I continue the call.

I told her that the kids knew her kids, but before getting them involved, I needed to know if they were attempting to collect a bill (I just had that feeling). She said no, that she is not collecting a bill, she’s unable to verify references for this neighbor and is trying to help her. She says it’s really important.

I said, “So you have THIS number, but you don’t have a number for the neighbor you are trying to reach? And none of her references are verifying?” She said, “Yes.”

I asked, “Did she give you THIS number?” She said, “No.”

I asked how she got it. She said she looked it up.

I said, “Ohhhh, so you looked her up online and are calling based on our geographic proximity to her?” “Yes,” she finally admitted, “but it’s imperative we get in touch with her.”

I take the name, extension and number and then tell her NEVER to call here again and hang up.

I look up the number she gave me, it’s (best I can tell) a collection agency. I also look up the number on the caller ID (865-687-8993 – Divis O). Apparently that’s not a name, it stands for “Operations Division.”

I have to wonder if having neighbors spy and give messages and information out is a legal (I know it’s not a moral/ethical) way to get information to collect a debt.

Geeze!

For more information on these jokers, check out these sites:

(Image courtesy of morguefile.)