Debt Collection Agent Flooding our PBX!

SouthSeaPirate

We have an east Indian debt collector flooding our PBX. Before you can even hang up, he is already dialing in. So much so, customers cant even get through. They have asked for someone that we have already stated has been terminated; becomes silent and calls back. He is extremely vulgar and has threatened multiple employees (receptionists directly). In complete violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Im sure more considering it has nothing to do with this company. FCC and FTC were no help.

We are in week two of four hours a day; imagine our poor receptionists.

Anyone ever experience this? How were you able to get rid of them?

Ill take any ideas at this point.

MSP-IT

You'd think he would get the picture after a few days.

Bokeh

Do they have a US office, or are they just using a US number? I wonder if they have an office if you can contact them directly, maybe provide a letter of termination to show them look, the guy isnt here!

GAngel

From a tech standpoint you can block the number on the pbx.

Bill3rdshift

GAngel wrote: »

From a tech standpoint you can block the number on the pbx.

+1

The procedure of blocking by common patterns with FreePBX and asterisk | Remsys

What type of PBX? Proprietary or Asterisk-based?

kevozz

Air horn. Works well.

Faygo

Blocking them on your PBX is normally the best. I used to do this with recruiters at the last company I worked for. you can also file a complaint with the ftc. your phx will have records of the calls coming in.
Also working with your telco will work. call them and let them know the issue. A lot of time with will track back to the other companies telco and loge a complaint,

SouthSeaPirate

We have already stated she is terminated due to these phone calls, the reply is 'You better unterminate her!" Followed by... Click. Ring.

We will send you papers showing so, "What is your address?" Reply is a hang up or I dont care or don't want your f***ing papers. Followed by... Click. Ring.

Its so damned strange; sometimes they wont even talk or stop talking. This is 80% of the time.

Im not sure even if blocking numbers will help. Most numbers we have info on and will only state a couple to show you the randomness; 1. Landline in Texas, 2. Cell Phone in Nevada, 3. Cell Phone in Cali. They have used the same numbers many times, but now, as of this morning, they are now using a number in our area code. Each day seems to follow with one or two new numbers.

We have tried blocking following some documentation provided with our NEC sv8300 VoIP system (sorry not PBX); but nothing has worked so far. Does't seem its something natively supported. NEC wants to charge $150 an hour (even though we are under contract). If any one out there has any experince with this system, any ideas welcome!

Complaint has already been logged with the FTC. They added the numers to their database (even stated these numbers look familiar) and then were told to call someone else. DB is used for enforcement agencies, except it seems no one actually does anything.

Thanks for the idea all. Keep 'em coming.

SteveLord

When I managed a PBX, I went to this site for a lot of help from pro telecom guys. They have an NEC section

NEC: PBX solutions Forum - Tek-Tips

SouthSeaPirate

SteveLord wrote: »

When I managed a PBX, I went to this site for a lot of help from pro telecom guys. They have an NEC section

NEC: PBX solutions Forum - Tek-Tips

TY sir, I have posted there. Hopefully I can find someone who has some experince with this system.

paul78

Hmmm - I probably would have just setup a mailbox and transferred that person to it.

BTW - if you are in some states in the US, I wouldn't suggest that you discuss termination of an employee with an outsider. You may just want to say that person doesn't work here.

I have received calls in past from debt collectors who are seeking to tattle on employees. It's a way to somehow shame or embarrass the debtor by informing their employers. I personally find it incredibly distasteful. I usually entertain the calls but I would never discuss the occurrence with the employee or others.

SouthSeaPirate

paul78 wrote: »

Hmmm - I probably would have just setup a mailbox and transferred that person to it.

BTW - if you are in some states in the US, I wouldn't suggest that you discuss termination of an employee with an outsider. You may just want to say that person doesn't work here.

I have received calls in past from debt collectors who are seeking to tattle on employees. It's a way to somehow shame or embarrass the debtor by informing their employers. I personally find it incredibly distasteful. I usually entertain the calls but I would never discuss the occurrence with the employee or others.

The person isnt terminated, simply to get them to stop calling (which obviously isnt going to work).

The person doesnt have a phone or mail box. Which it does matter anyway; they are calling our receptionist, so much so that she cant even accept any other calls. We would simply pay someone to forward this call and as the caller will not stop.

They are not even trying to get ahold of her superiors or HR; so I dont think there is any shame in these people especially when they tell our receptionist to suck their .... Yes, its that bad.

paul78

Wow - that kinda floors me.

You mentioned you have contacted FTC and FCC. Have you tried contacting your state Attorney General's office? What you have described is actually doesn't sound legal from what I see here: Debt Collection | Consumer Information

It sounds like you can actually sue the debt collector for up to $1,000 - assuming you can identify them. If your company has in-house general counsel, you may want to seek a legal recourse.

SouthSeaPirate

paul78 wrote: »

Wow - that kinda floors me.

You mentioned you have contacted FTC and FCC. Have you tried contacting your state Attorney General's office? What you have described is actually doesn't sound legal from what I see here: Debt Collection | Consumer Information

It sounds like you can actually sue the debt collector for up to $1,000 - assuming you can identify them. If your company has in-house general counsel, you may want to seek a legal recourse.

We are floored too. Now you see why we are at wits end.

The FTC did refer us to the AG office as well as the page you linked. We informed them they are violating at least four of the off limits items. This is why I cited the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

We have not been able to identify the company unfortunately. As soon as we ask for any information, they stop talking of hang up. Which is followed by another call.

cruwl

What happens if you call the number(s) back?

SouthSeaPirate

cruwl wrote: »

What happens if you call the number(s) back?

Dead lines or not available mssg.

jibbajabba

SouthSeaPirate wrote: »

As soon as we ask for any information, they stop talking of hang up. Which is followed by another call.

Pretend you are the guy with the debt, ask for them to send you all the relevant paperwork to settle. Bang, there are your details.

MrAgent

jibbajabba wrote: »

Pretend you are the guy with the debt, ask for them to send you all the relevant paperwork to settle. Bang, there are your details.

I was about to suggest this!

SouthSeaPirate

jibbajabba wrote: »

Pretend you are the guy with the debt, ask for them to send you all the relevant paperwork to settle. Bang, there are your details.

Good idea, however, she has already talked to them. She already told them to stop calling here and had given them all other details; no avail.

MrAgent

So doesnt she have their details?

gorebrush

Has been a good few years since I've done anything with PBX's

Is there anyway of blacklisting the telephone numbers he is dialling in from?


That would solve the problem rather easily.

SouthSeaPirate

Attorney General office said they are not first responders; call the FTC... AGHHHH!

Get on the do not call list, LMAO. We are Government, so we are already on it; they obviously dont care.

Hypntick

Doesn't sound like a legitimate attempt to collect a debt, it sounds more like a scammer of some type.

joehalford01

Hypntick wrote: »

Doesn't sound like a legitimate attempt to collect a debt, it sounds more like a scammer of some type.

I'm with Hypntick on this one, it sounds like he is trying to harass you until someone gives him a credit card over the phone, your only bet is to get info out of him by asking him to fax details, if he won't do that, I'm not sure he is legitimate. They could be using a service to mask the phone numbers so they look local, this can be done by big companies and by individuals. It is illegal in some cases and if you can identify the service he is using, they might stop letting him use their service.

SteveLord

Hmm...in my experience the scammers don't continue to call the same place after someone has answered and turned them down. It's a waste of their time (which is precious) when they could be spending it on other potential victims.

MrAgent

This still going on?

SouthSeaPirate

SteveLord wrote: »

Hmm...in my experience the scammers don't continue to call the same place after someone has answered and turned them down. It's a waste of their time (which is precious) when they could be spending it on other potential victims.

This x2

MrAgent wrote: »

This still going on?

No calls as of today. Sure to start sometime this week.

jibbajabba

SteveLord wrote: »

Hmm...in my experience the scammers don't continue to call the same place after someone has answered and turned them down. It's a waste of their time (which is precious) when they could be spending it on other potential victims.

Not if the callcenter monkeys get paid by the call. Calling numbers which are known to be non-go'er is still good to keep up the call statistics ... Just a theory anyway.