Anyone Change a Phone # to Help and It Worked

I have that same problem with the folks who used to live in my house. I don't think changing the number will really help. They use a reverse directory and look up the street address and get the phone number associated with that address. The one thing I have done is start actually taking the calls, advise that I do not know the person and then get their information. I then make it perfectly clear that they are to note their records that that individual does not live here, I do not know them and they are not to call my number again looking for that individual. That's worked pretty well - we are down to only a couple of calls a month now!

Busy:

Nope. Don't change your number. The hassles for that would be a HUGE task...

Family
Friends
mortgage/landlord
lien holder for car(s)
renters (if landlord)
any credit cards you have
any day care providers you have
SCHOOLS
Doctors
the list keeps going.

Instead - why not BLOCK the calls - write the numbers down that are still frequent and block them? That's what I would do.

If the companies are harassing you, then report them to the Do Not Call registry.

The new number will have the same issues. Trust me. :(

I had to change mine last year because someone started a fake business and used my home number. When I started getting credit card apps in the business name at my home address I requested the change.

Anyway new guy apparently didn't change his number so not only do I get a million bill collectors but I also get his doctors offices which no matter how nice I am won't change the freaking number!!!@! Could you maybe at least ask him next time he comes in because this is the third appointment you guys have called about!!!

Yeah, getting a new number solves nothing.

I had that problem with my new cell -- I FINALLY got thru to the bill collectors and they've stopped calling, but the guys friends keep texting me. So I mess with them. Text them back really random, stupid junk. Eventually they realize their mistake. Had some fun with it tho. Also if they call me in the middle of the night -- I make sure to call them back first thing in the morning! I ask them how they like to be woken up when they're sleeping.

I politely disagree with Cheryl O. - we had to change our number, not because of the situation you are in, but because when we switched from Cox to Verizon apparently Cox "owned" our number (or something weird like that) We could've chosen to stay with Cox. But we switched and got a new phone number. It was no big deal. I really only let friends, family and my kids' school know that it was changed. I didn't need to tell my credit cards, etc. They have my current email if they want to get in touch. I did eventually let all of those types of companies know, when it was convenient (example, I was calling them anyway for some other reason and said "Oh by the way, we have a new phone number) But I like Cheryl's answer because I actually didn't know you could write down numbers that call you frequently and block them! I had no idea! I'm going to do that. So, your question indirectly helped ME! Thanks :)

I did and to me it was worth it. Our number was one digit off a local radio station. I finally had enough when someone called at 2:00 a.m. asking "did I win". I said "hell yeah, come on down and get your prize" and hung up. Next day, I called AT&T and got a new number. Yay!!

We had a horrible experience w/ a new number... they were all automated calls BUT it was for a seasonal rental so all of our weekly renters were getting the calls and we had no idea!!!

They were paying us $$ to rent and then getting calls from Chase Mgt.,student loans, AZ police dept. etc. I didn't know until the end of the summer when I checked all the messages that no one had picked up. Hmmmm... I wonder why none of those people ever rented from us again!!!

I came back to the house the following spring to find another boat load of messages and I called right then to get a new number. We only get one call now on that line and it is for a debt consolidation outfit. It sounds generic enough so I haven't redone our number again.

Ouch - the statute of limitations on debt for your state is between 6 and 10 years, depending on the type of debt. You are already 2 years in; I'd stick with that number, rather than risk starting over again.

Also, make sure you ask to be put on the INTERNAL do-not-call lists for individual companies, even if you go with the National Registry. Some collectors may be considered calling on behalf of previous business associations with that number, and may not check the Registry, since that could be considered an exempt situation.. No guarantee that it will help, but it can't hurt.

We had the same problem when we moved two years ago. The guy before us had what seemed like a million debt collectors after him, and to make matters worse, he and my husband share the same first name (what are the chances??). When we finally figured this out, we started asking are you looking for "John X" or "John Y" and could then tell them they had the wrong people, etc.. Eventually the calls stopped. But it went on for close to two years. Now, my parents, on the other hand, moved around the same time, got a new number, and also started getting collections calls for the previous owner (apparently this is the new reason people change numbers...to avoid collectors). They got tired of it, switched numbers, and started getting them for the previous owner of their new number. Needless to say, they've given up the idea that changing numbers will help the problem.