We’ve been getting a lot of calls to our home phone number in the last few months. We don’t really give out, or even use, our land line very much, so we’re always suspicious of who’s calling us when it rings. We typically think it’s a telemarketer, even though we’re on the Do Not Call list.
But recently it’s not telemarketers on the line. It’s collections agencies. And the people calling us are looking for someone that owned our house 2 owners prior to us. That owner last lived here about 8 years ago. Based on the conversations we have with the callers they seem to think we are covering for the person they’re looking for. These discussions are a lot of fun. They usually go like this…
Amy B: Hello?
Caller: Hello. Is Mr. So and So there?
Amy B: No, Mr. So and So doesn’t live here.
Caller: Is this the phone number for 123 Main Street?
Amy B: Yes, this is the phone number for 123 Main Street?
Caller: And Mr. So and So doesn’t live there?
Amy B: No, Mr. So and So doesn’t live here. He lived here 8 years ago, but has since moved away.
Caller: Well, can you give me his new phone number?
Amy B: No I cannot. I don’t know Mr. So and So.
Caller: How can you not know him? He lived at this address.
Amy B: He lived at this address 2 owners before me. I’ve never met him, don’t know where he lives now and have no contact information for him. Is there something I can help you with?
Caller: No, thank you. *click*
We’re getting these calls about twice a week. They’re annoying. It bothers me that the person on the other end of the phone always thinks I’m hiding Mr. So and So from them.
Have any other readers had this issue? I guess I shouldn’t be complaining. The collections people haven’t started knocking on our door looking for him. Yet.