WWMD: old college friend pulling some shady shit

[tex1230]

Mrs. Tex got a call today from a collections agent. They were calling my home number (where I have been for less than 2 years) asking for my college roommate or his wife. I haven't spoken to the guy in over 15 years, and we are not facebook friends. I did see him on the linkedin "who looked at your profile" page a few weeks ago, but thought nothing of it.

I called the collections company and informed them that this was not his number. But how much farther should I go? I don't think he has stolen my identity, but I'm pretty pissed off about this.

What steps would you take?

[toast2266]

Track him down if you can. Send him an email or call him. Say something along the lines of "hey, this is weird, someone called my house looking for you, so I looked you up."

Be friendly about it. College guy will likely be dismissive about it, but stop using your name / address. If he doesn't stop, send him a less friendly message.

[back bowl]

Something like this happened to me not too long ago. Not even a friend, but a kid I knew in college listed me as a reference on a loan and all the sudden I was getting phone calls from a collections lawyer. Just ignore. You bear no responsibility. It's shady, for sure, to use someone's name on a credit application, but it is ultimately of no consequence...

[sidewall]

That's pretty creepy. I'd check with Equifax regarding identity theft.

[RootSkier]

At least pull your free credit report and make sure nothing shady has happened.

[Theodore]

I agree with above, pull your credit to verify everything is actually yours. If it is, carry on with the leave me alone message. If it isn't... damage control and suit.

[Viva]

Fuck that shit! Acquire nekked pictures of this guy's wife and then post.

[bcd]

It could also be a collection agency pulling sneaky shit. They're trying to track him down, and they found a connection between you and him in the past. So they called you, simply because they're calling everyone he knows/knew.

Or he listed you as a reference on a loan. References are supposed to be a contact in case you “fall off the face of the earth”. He was planning on defaulting on the loan, so he put you down because he knew you'd have no idea where to find him.

[Pow4Brains]

Fuck that shit! Acquire nekked pictures of this guy's wife and then post.

Gald to see the heart of the Padded Room still beats.

[userA]

Gald to see the heart of the Padded Room still beats.

GALD dam rite

[Benny Profane]

It could also be a collection agency pulling sneaky shit.

This/\/\/\

[boarddad]

It could also be a collection agency pulling sneaky shit.

This +1

I had the displeasure of having a collection agency call me late one Sunday night. I have a fairly uncommon last name and that was enough for the douchebag sitting in a cubicle in Florida to "connect" me to a guy across town who had moved and left his power bill unpaid. I wasn't about to give the fucker any of my personal info, so instead I called the utility company (yes, they did answer the phone), cleared it up with them then had them call the collection agency.

Google your friends name. I bet your name comes up before you get to the second page of results.

[Garth Bimble]

Might have listed you as a "personal reference" on his student loan exit interview form and now he's not paying up.

[jfost]

Gald to see the heart of the Padded Room still beats.

see, I was going to suggest Der Poopenhausen for the second time today - but now it seems trite.

[hev]

I am on the call list for some loans that a former roomate of mine defaulted on. I honestly have no contact with him anymore but still get a call ~1 per year asking if I do. Generally the operator tells me it's being recorded and is polite but it's for sure a hassle.

[irul&ublo]

see, I was going to suggest Der Poopenhausen for the second time today - but now it seems trite.

Sometimes tight, but never trite

[Chainsaw_Willie]

GALD dam rite

Aww, give the guy a break. He has Pow for brains, after all.