billbenson
09-19-2008, 09:00 PM
I have a very uncommon last name (it ain't benson). I got a call from a bill collector threatening me. The only people with my last name I know of in the world are direct relatives.
Apparently, some company with a legal sounding name schmutz lopez and gardner as an example, used my last name as part of their company name. The bill collector left a threatening message. It was an odd caller id so I didn't answer the phone. I called back, got a messsage and left one. Bill collector called me back.
She rattled off a bunch of stuff to fast for me to remember, but I said "I have an unusual name, never heard of the company you are talking about, and live in Florida. She had mentioned IL and asked me if a street address was familiar. I said the only people that have my last name are direct relatives and are in CA and Washiington other than me in FL. I know who the bill collection agency is, but she rattled addresses off so fast that I didn't catch the rest of the useful info.
Bill collectors aren't know for being friendly. As soon as she figured out I wasn't who she was looking for she hung up. No "thanks for your help", just click.
So it sounds like someone is out there using our family name as part of a business name and is either going bankrupt or committing some sort of fraud. They may be in IL, but they could be anywhere.
I'll probably never hear anything more on this, but is there a way to get the bill collector to give me the information on who is using our name and what they are doing? I'd sure like to know who is doing what with our name.
Apparently, some company with a legal sounding name schmutz lopez and gardner as an example, used my last name as part of their company name. The bill collector left a threatening message. It was an odd caller id so I didn't answer the phone. I called back, got a messsage and left one. Bill collector called me back.
She rattled off a bunch of stuff to fast for me to remember, but I said "I have an unusual name, never heard of the company you are talking about, and live in Florida. She had mentioned IL and asked me if a street address was familiar. I said the only people that have my last name are direct relatives and are in CA and Washiington other than me in FL. I know who the bill collection agency is, but she rattled addresses off so fast that I didn't catch the rest of the useful info.
Bill collectors aren't know for being friendly. As soon as she figured out I wasn't who she was looking for she hung up. No "thanks for your help", just click.
So it sounds like someone is out there using our family name as part of a business name and is either going bankrupt or committing some sort of fraud. They may be in IL, but they could be anywhere.
I'll probably never hear anything more on this, but is there a way to get the bill collector to give me the information on who is using our name and what they are doing? I'd sure like to know who is doing what with our name.