The woes of recycled cell phone numbers

[StevenA]

I just got my Verizon wireless service a couple of months a couple of months ago. For the first month everything was fine, but in the past few weeks, I've started getting phone calls mostly at 4:00 am asking for who I assume is the previous owner of my cell phone number. I don't want to shut the phone off at night (although I've had to resort to that a few times) because the main reason I got the phone was so my parents in Massachusetts, who are elderly and in failing health, can get through to me at any time in an emergency. I also don't want to get another number because I've already given it out to a lot of people. Hopefully, this will stop soon because it's driving me crazy. :cry:

[dvdao]

I've had the same problem with AT&T...I get at least a few calls a day for the person who use to own that number. Mostly spanish speaking people who don't understand a word of english(thank goodness I took spanish in high school). But it got to be really bothersome when people we calling in the middle of the night. I called AT&T and told them the situation. I mentioned that I don't know ANYONE who lives in Central or South America and there was no reason for me to get billed for these minutes that I use trying to explain to the other person that I'm not the person they are calling for. AT&T kindly gave me a whopping 10 additional minutes! One of the many reasons I'm switiching to Alltel.

[ispgeek]

Don't feel bad. My number was previously owned by someone who apparently decided to default on all her loans (including student loans) and credit cards.

Every Tom, Dick and Harry collection agency was calling for her. It took me over year to get rid of them but they are finally all but gone.