Phone Assault

Apparently the fellow that used to have my current cell phone number wasn’t much for paying bills. Which means that I, almost a full year later, am still receiving calls for him from collections agencies. Usually I just don’t answer because they show up on caller ID as the ominous “Unknown”, but today I decided to nip it in the bud. I answered, listened to the recorded response, “this is XYZ collections agency, call us back at 866… your reference number is x”, then hung up and immediately picked up my desk phone to make the call. After a few rings, I was issued the standard greeting by (c’mon, we all know your name isn’t Kyle) Kyle who *I think* asked me what I needed.

“Well, Kyle, I need for you to please stop calling my cell phone, because the gentleman you are trying to reach is no longer at this number”.
“Okay, we won’t call again. Have a nice day.”
“Um, wait, don’t you need my number, or a reference number, or something?!” (Mind you, I’m on the land line at my office, so it’s not like he had any way of knowing who was calling).
“Oh, yes.”
“Okay, which one?”
“Yes”
“Yeeeah. Here’s the reference number: JLT474”
(I’ll spare you the multiple exchanges spent trying to communicate that little code).
“Okay, we won’t call you again”.
“Can you tell me who it is that you were trying to reach?”
“John”.
“Riiiight. Okay, thanks Kyle”
Click.

I have a sneaking suspicion this is not the last I’ll be hearing from XYZ collections.

Thanks John (or, as the electric company that also calls for you often refers to you, Jose). I hope you’re enjoying your financial irresponsibility while I fend off your creditors.