I didn't realize how wide spread this was as I have only come across it once before (thankfully). Certainly makes sense in terms of technology being used to outwit technology.

At least as far as phone calls go, I'm not sure that the collectors have the upper hand as there really is nothing imploring a debtor to actually pick up the phone. From an intelligence perspective however, hands down collectors win that battle.

Overall, what disturbs me a bit is that they have used the name and number of a nationally recognized company instead of a 'made-up' personal name.

Anyway, I emailed the privacy officer at my cable provider and asked whether they were not following their own privacy rules, or whether they were aware that another company is using their name for their own business purposes. We'll see what happens..

That’s pretty common nowadays.

It’s a war between intelligence and counter intelligence and collection agencies will always have the upper hand because their pockets are deeper then yours.

It all started with call privacy features from our phone companies, so collection agencies now have technology that “spoofs” your call display hoping they might get you to answer.

Lets say you grew up in Sudbury Ontario but now live in Toronto. I wouldnt be totally surprised if the agencies are using the earliest known address on your credit report and then randomly generate a call from a local Sudbury exchange with your same last name or maiden name on your call display.

Very sneaky stuff, but a collection agency would argue so is not paying a bill.

So for most of last week, I was receiving phone calls 2 or 3 times a day from what my call display identified as my cable provider - I googled the 800 number and it came up same. They never left a message until Friday afternoon.

When I finally got around to listening to the message, lo and behold, they wanted to talk to my SO (who is not on the cable account and they would have no knowledge about), and the message provided a very different 800 number to call about a "very impt business matter that had been escalated to their office"... typical collection talk. I'm almost impressed with the deviousness of it all.

I have seen this once before where an agency spoofed a number and made up name from my hometown in the hopes that someone would pick up. I wasn't home to get that call but but when I googled the number on the call display, all sorts of weird comments came up.

Anyone else ever come up against this?