Prohibit any person or entity from transmitting misleading or inaccurate caller ID information with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain anything of value.
Subject violators to a penalty of up to $10,000 for each violation of the rules.
Exempt authorized activities by law enforcement agencies and situations where courts have authorized caller ID manipulation to occur.
What are the rules regarding caller ID for telemarketers?
FCC rules specifically require that a telemarketer:
Transmit or display its telephone number or the telephone number of the seller on whose behalf the telemarketer is calling, and, if possible, its name or the name and telephone number of the company for which it is selling products or services.
Display a telephone number that you can call during regular business hours to ask to no longer be called. This rule applies even to companies that already have an established business relationship with you.
What other tips can the FCC give consumers?
Don't give out personal information in response to an incoming call. Identity thieves are clever – they often pose as representatives of banks, credit card companies, creditors, or government agencies to get people to reveal their account numbers, Social Security numbers, mother's maiden names, passwords and other identifying information.
If you get an inquiry from a company or government agency seeking personal information, don't provide it. Instead, hang up and call the phone number on your account statement, in the phone book or on the company's or government agency's website to find out if the entity that supposedly called you actually needs the requested information from you.
What can I do if I suspect a violation of caller ID rules?
If you have caller ID and receive a call from a telemarketer without the required caller ID information, if you suspect that Caller ID information has been falsified, or you think the rules for protecting the privacy of your telephone number have been violated, you can file a complaint with the FCC.
Filing a complaint
You have multiple options for filing a complaint with the FCC:
File a complaint online
By phone: 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322); TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322); ASL Videophone: 1-844-432-2275
By mail (please include your name, address, contact information and as much detail about your complaint as possible):
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20554
Harassing calls from a debt collector? Here is what you need to know
4 Dec 2007
Debt collectors are highly motivated to convince debtors to pay the debt because they work on a commission. This business model has created the reputation for bill collection agencies that we know today.
The collector might engage in threatening behavior and harassment. However, like any other business they are governed by laws that prohibit certain abusive practices.
There are three reasons for a debt collector to contact you: your creditor has not received a payment from you within the time frame discussed in the contract; you are a victim of an identity theft meaning someone used your identity to obtain credit and didn’t pay it off; and finally, you might be contacted by collectors who are looking for someone other than you .
When contacted by a collector, take as much information as possible from the caller. Ask for the name of the company, address, the caller name, fax and phone number, amount owned, and the name of the creditor who passed your account to them. Also, tell them you expect to receive a notice in the mail concerning this debt. The last step is very important because you need to have proof of the debt in question in writing.
If you discovered that the debt is not yours, never pay it off simply to get rid of the collector. Also, never ignore the collector either. They will not stop contacting you, and may even file a lawsuit against you. If you are repeatedly being contacted by a collector looking for someone other than you, it may be considered a form of harassment. To stop this you need to send them a letter requesting to cease calls.
If you established that the debt is yours and you don’t feel comfortable dealing with a collector via phone, tell them you want all future correspondence in writing. You need to send this request via a certified mail and request a return receipt. If you want to allow calls only between 5pm and 6pm, tell them about it in the letter. By law collection companies are required to respect your privacy and will have to cease all phone calls to your home, relatives, neighbors, and work.
Once you have their claims in writing it’s easier to seek legal help, and keep records of your correspondence.
Send all your responses to bill collectors via Certified Mail. This way you will have proof of receipt by the addressee.
Remember that the amount they claim you owe is negotiable. You can negotiate the total amount due, number of payments, and the payment deadline. Once you worked out the payment plan, request it in writing.
What a debt collector CANNOT do:
Use deceptive practices. For example, threaten you with arrest or trick you into paying for collection calls.
Use obscene language.
Call you at work after you tell them that your boss does not approve these calls.
Deny you the right to receive a written notice (within five days after your first phone conversation) that would tell you how much you owe and the name of the creditor that says you owe the money. If you do not receive the notice within five days, call the collection agency and ask for its address and fax number. Then, send a letter to the collector noting its failure to send you the required notice. As a minimum, make a note in your file.
Refuse to give its name and the name of the collection company when asked.
Put a debt on your credit report if you file a dispute. It must validate the debt by obtaining a verification of the debt or a copy of a judgment from the creditor before continuing their collection efforts. The results of the investigation must be mailed to you.
For more information on Fair Debt Collection visit http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/fdc.shtm
These people called my neighbor, who I do not know, and left a number for me to call them. It is an attempt to harass and intimidate. They have messed with the wrong person. I do not even know why they called, when I tried to get information, she hung up on me two times. They tried to represent themselves as attorneys but could not give me a physical address. The number is 213-973-4088. I have never received a letter from this law office or even a call to my number and we all know how easy it is to get this information. As a matter of fact, they had to have my address in order to find my neighbor.
These low life's called my elderly neighbors and left a message. If they found my neighbors info that means they hwve mine. the only purpose had to be to intimidate me into giving them money.