Stop Bill Collectors!

Ah, nothing like the good ole’ switch-a-roo to stop bill collector calls! I mentioned in a previous article that the best way to stop creditors is to get a prepaid cell phone (read this article to find out why prepaid cell phones will stop bill collector calls dead). This method, the good ole’ switch-a-roo, will cost you only a few bucks a month (isn’t that worth it for peace and quiet?).

If you are like me, then you have had debt collectors calling your house 3, 4, even 5 times per day (and sometimes not within the legal times).  For a while, I was used to it.  I just wouldn’t answer the phone and let it ring.  The ringing became second-nature to me and I learned to phase it out as background noise. But then, things changed.

The day came that I was to have a few guests over for a cocktail party.  Sadly, I completely forgot about the debt collectors, and soon enough guests were asking me who was calling so much and why the phone wouldn’t stop ringing.  Embarrassed, and not wanting to say they were bill collector calls, I stumbled over my words to make up excuses.  The night went well, but I vowed to never let a debt collector ruin my good time again.  It was time to put an end to the calls once and for all!

The Stop Bill Collector Calls Switcheroo

I went out and bought a prepaid cell phone from T-Mobile.  The nice thing about prepaid phones is that you can “top up” your account at any time, allowing you to pay as you go in regards to minute usage.  No contracts to sign, no hassles to deal with.  I put $50 on my cell phone and immediately started giving out my cell phone as my home phone.  As far as I was aware, my cell phone was the only phone that I had.

I changed my phone number with every person and company that was important to me: my work, my relatives, my nuclear family, and girlfriend, among others.  Basically, you want to make sure that you give your cellphone out to people who are guaranteed not to share it with anyone else.  Also, make sure to tell each person that you give your number to that they should always call you and ask your permission to give your number out to others.  This way, if a bill collector calls your neighbors or relatives (a common but illegal tactic), they know to keep your number private.

Remember that you can still give your real home phone number out to people who you don’t want to lie to but still don’t want to talk to, such as bad first dates or other bill collection agencies. When a friend or relative calls you at home, tell them you’ll call them back on the land line (to save cell phone charges).

And for the grand finale: turn off your phone ringer!  Finally, no more calls from collectors and telemarketers.  No more calls from unimportant people.  And best of all, no more annoying ringing in the house. However, the bill collectors will still think they have the right phone number, so they won’t go looking for another way to contact you.

The freedom I felt was amazing.  I could have cocktail parties and dinners with guests without having to worry about the phone ringing off the hook or hearing a telephone ring in my sleep.

I promise you that this is one of the most relieving feelings that you will ever have if you struggle with debt collectors who call you.

The next step: Making the bill collectors think you live somewhere else.

Related posts:

1. How to Stop Creditors Phone Calls
2. Got Bill Collector Calls? Don’t Fall for This Despicable Trick!
3. ID, Please! How to use the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act to Outwit Bill Collectors.
4. The Free and Easy Way to Stop Bill Collectors’ Harassment
5. Debt Collector Harrassment: Craig Cunningham’s Secret Weapon

This entry was posted on Saturday, October 24th, 2009 at 6:23 am and is filed under General Info, Stopping harassment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.