My husband and I recently married, and as an older couple (well past retirement ages), our past and present lives with regards to our personal finances, addresses, telephone numbers, and so forth are entirely separate. My husband was divorced by his first wife 9 years ago, and she got their house. Apparently, his ex-wife immediately defaulted on the loan back then, and Midland Credit Management bought the bad debt recently. The property and the ex-wife are both in Washington state.
I have lived in Colorado for 25 years, and have had my current telephone number for 17 of those years. The ex-wife apparently gave Midland Credit Management MY Colorado telephone number for collection, and now I am getting calls continually from Midland Credit Management on this matter. I do not know anything about the case, and have made it perfectly clear that it is inappropriate to ring my number for anything to do with this matter, or to ask for my husband or his ex-wife through my number. Neither my husband nor his ex-wife are authorized to use my telephone number, and I am not their secretary for any mutual business of theirs (I have, occasionally, gotten calls from their adult children by mistake, and will direct the children to the correct numbers. This means that I will ask who is calling if I think that I recognize the voice - they have sickly grandchildren, and it could be an emergency). However, I continue to get calls, as many as 2 in a 3-hour period from Midland Credit Management. It is not appropriate for me to get a new telephone number, as I have a 90-year-old mother in poor health, and my number is rampant throughout the health care agencies that provide for her, and other critical aspects of her life. Midland Credit Corporation's continual calls to my telephone number may actually be jeopardizing my mother. She has had multiple heart attacks and strokes, and I am the primary caregiver and the durable power of attorney for her.
Yesterday, I contacted the Colorado State Attorney General on this matter, and sent a registered Cease and Desist letter to Midland in my name (they have many times validated that they have absolutely NO business with me), and have advised them that I will bill them $1000/call plus attorney's fees and punitive damages if this continues. I am also aware, now, that they are violating certain Fair Credit Act stipulations because they have never used this so-called Mini-Miranda rule when they call to identify themselves. I have to endure verbal abuse from them (some of the agents have extremely foul mouths) until I can determine that it is Midland, at which point I tell them that they have the wrong number, and I then hang up. I have been advised to get a whistle and use that instead of hanging up. I hate to do this to someone but, after 6 months, I am a wit's end.
Midland Credit Management's actions are nothing short of vile, profane, harrassment of the wrong person. But, more noteworthy, their insistance on tying up my phone line for something that has nothing to do with me could lead to severe consequences for my mother, including her death, if I cannot be reached in a time of emergency.
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