Call Kurtis: It's Not My Debt

A Grass Valley couple says the debt collectors have the wrong person... and they want the relentless calls they've been getting for years to stop.

They finally convince the debt collector the debt isn't theirs and the calls stop. Some time goes by and the calls start right back up, but only from a different company. Why does this happen?

Susan and Mike Perry like living in the peaceful setting of Grass Valley. That is, until the collectors start calling.

Mike recalls a recent conversation with a collector, "'How are you going to pay this $5,000?' And its like, 'I'm not.'"

The Perrys say they've been getting calls for the same debt off and on for several years. They say the debt belongs to a Mike Perry with a different middle name, date of birth and social security number, but the collectors don't seem to listen.

"I want the calls to stop," says Susan.

She says they've been told their number has been taken off the account multiple times. But the calls keep coming.

"I think they're going on the fear factor that they're going to find somebody scared enough to pay them, even if it's not their responsibility," says Mike.

"The debt collection industry is the number one most complained of industry nine years in a row now," says Consumer Protection Attorney Ron Wilcox.

He says under state and federal law, a collection company has to stop contacting you if you send them a letter saying so, even if you owe the debt. Mike and Susan don't want to give these people their address.

"I feel that if I give them any more information, they will use it against me in some way," says Mike.

And even if they do, the calls may not stop forever.

"That company won't close out the account. That company will typically sell that account to another debt collector who may then, call yet again," says Wilcox.

The debt stems from a loan from Beneficial, which no longer exists, and is part of HSBC. We've learned HSBC sold the debt this year to Atlantic Credit & Finance. It's now in the hands of The Law Office of John P. Frye. We contacted him and he says at the Perrys' request, a "do not call" note has been placed on their phone number.

So the calls will stop for now, but the couple is just waiting to see if this debt that isn't theirs will end up with yet another collector.

"If it goes for maybe two years without getting one, then I'll believe that it's done," says Susan.

Wilcox says often times, these things will go away with time. The older a debt gets, the less valuable it gets, and collection firms will eventually stop trying to collect on it.