Is 805-637-7243 a Debt Collector?

Who is Calling from 805-637-7243?

The caller is T-Mobile USA. T-Mobile USA is calling you because they think you owe money on an unpaid T-Mobile wireless account, such as an outstanding balance on a past-due monthly bill, an unpaid device installment plan balance, or an early termination fee. The phone number, 805-637-7243, is T-Mobile’s voicemail routing number (it spells out 805-MESSAGE on an alphanumeric keypad), and it is a number that scammers often spoof to deliver fake robocalls.

If you are getting calls from 805-637-7243, you are not alone. The FTC has received over 5,600 complaints about 805-637-7243, with 84% of those consumers describing the call as a robocall or prerecorded message. In this article, we’ll explain the exact steps to take to verify, dispute, and remove the calls from 805-637-7243, all without having to talk to a debt collector on the phone.

A History of Harassment

T-Mobile has faced legal consequences for making unauthorized calls to consumers. In the Aboudi v. T-Mobile class action, the company paid a $5 million settlement for using a robo-dialer to make mass-marketing calls without consumer consent. T-Mobile also faces a pending Telephone Consumer Protection Act (“TCPA”) class action case for allegedly using automated calls to collect consumer debts without consent. In that case, one plaintiff contends that T-Mobile made over 50 debt collection robocalls to his cell phone in an effort to collect a debt owed by someone else, seeking between $500 and $1,500 per violation.

In 2015, a complaint filed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) claimed that T-Mobile had a practice of sending cell phone accounts to collections without notice, citing more than 300 Better Business Bureau complaints from consumers who did not realize they owed a debt until they were contacted by a debt collector. If you are getting calls from 805-637-7243, there is a good chance that the debt is disputed, inaccurate, or not your debt at all.

Why is T-Mobile USA Calling Me?

Top 3 Reasons

T-Mobile’s internal billing and collections department typically places calls to consumers when a T-Mobile wireless account becomes delinquent, usually 60-90 days past due. The most frequent triggers are: unpaid monthly service charges on a T-Mobile account; outstanding balances on a device installment plan, particularly after a plan is cancelled; and early termination fees.

But there’s an important caveat with 805-637-7243: since T-Mobile’s voicemail routing number is subject to spoofing, it’s also possible that you’re getting calls from 805-637-7243 that have nothing to do with T-Mobile at all. One RoboKiller user reported receiving a call from 805-637-7243 about an $86,000 hardship loan that she never applied for. If you received a voicemail from 805-637-7243 and the contents of the message do not pertain to a T-Mobile account, the calls are likely spoofed.

T-Mobile Collections Process

T-Mobile maintains a two-tier collections process. First, T-Mobile’s internal billing and collections department will attempt to collect on the debt. If T-Mobile’s internal team is unable to collect, the debt may be sent to a third-party debt collection agency for further collection efforts. T-Mobile’s third-party collection partners include Convergent Outsourcing, I.C. System, Amsher Collection Services, and Enhanced Recovery Company, among others.

T-Mobile’s terms of service state that the company “may assign or transfer any or all of its rights and obligations under [the T-Mobile] Agreement to any party without notice to you.” Whenever a debt is sold or transferred from one entity to another, there is a risk that the documentation and paperwork for the debt may be lost or incomplete. This presents an opportunity to dispute the debt.

Before You Do Anything: Verify the Debt

Do not make a payment, confirm any of your personal identifying information, or admit to owing any debt without verifying the debt in writing first. T-Mobile’s internal collections team and T-Mobile’s third-party debt collection partners are generally legitimate, licensed debt collection companies, not scams. But debt collectors often employ aggressive tactics to collect debts, and the calls from 805-637-7243 are no exception.

One Everycaller user describes those tactics like this: “The man will mention about his lawyer’s. And that he understands if you don’t respond because of collection agencies, etc. Don’t fall for it, this is a scare tactic!” That description perfectly summarizes the psychological playbook that the debt collection industry uses. The entire debt collection industry business model relies on consumers not understanding their rights, which is why debt collectors are so focused on making consumers act in the moment, without thinking.

First, Pull Your Credit Report

Before taking any action, request your free credit reports from each of the three major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Review your credit report to see if you have any T-Mobile account on your report, or any collection account listing T-Mobile as the original creditor, or any collection account from a debt collector that you do not recognize as collecting a debt for T-Mobile. This will give you an understanding of what is on your credit report, and will provide you with the information you need to draft a dispute letter.

How to Dispute and Remove the Credit Report Entry from T-Mobile

Use the FCRA to Your Advantage

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”) is one of the laws that protects consumers from inaccurate information on their credit reports. While many consumers think of the FCRA as a defensive law that protects them from harm, the FCRA is actually most useful as an offensive law.

Under the FCRA, when you dispute information on your credit report, the entity that furnished that information (in this case, T-Mobile or a T-Mobile debt collector) has a duty to conduct a reasonable investigation of the information to verify its accuracy. Within 30 days of the dispute, the furnisher must verify the information, or else it must be deleted. The burden of proof in this process is not on you, the consumer. Instead, it is on the entity that furnished the information. The entity must produce documentation that proves the debt is valid, accurate, and yours. And when a debt has been sold or transferred multiple times, the documentation may not be easy to produce.

By filing a well-crafted dispute, you force the furnisher to either produce the documentation or acknowledge that the information cannot be verified or is inaccurate.

FDCPA Offers Additional Protection

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”) is another law that protects consumers, this time from abusive, deceptive, or unfair debt collection tactics by third-party debt collectors. If you are getting calls from a T-Mobile debt collector, the FDCPA applies, and the debt collector must follow a number of strict rules about when calls can be made, what can be said during calls, and how the debt collector must respond to written disputes. Your greatest leverage in dealing with a debt collector is always in writing. Never respond to a debt collector over the phone.

Step-by-Step Guide to Stopping Calls from 805-637-7243

Step 1: Identify and Document

Keep track of when you receive calls from 805-637-7243, including the dates and times of the calls and whether a voicemail was left. Take a close look at your credit reports to see if you have any T-Mobile accounts or collection accounts listing T-Mobile as the original creditor.

If there is no T-Mobile account or T-Mobile collection account on your credit report, and if the voicemails that you are receiving do not pertain to a T-Mobile account, the calls are likely spoofed robocalls. File a complaint with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and block the phone number. If there is a T-Mobile account or T-Mobile collection account on your credit report, proceed to Step 2.

Step 2: Dispute in Writing

Send a written dispute to the credit reporting agency that is reporting the T-Mobile debt. Your dispute letter should identify the T-Mobile account and state that you are disputing the account because you believe it is inaccurate or cannot be verified. Request that the credit reporting agency investigate your dispute under Section 611 of the FCRA. Here is an example of a dispute letter:

“Re: [Insert T-Mobile account number] Dear [Insert credit reporting agency]: I am writing to dispute the T-Mobile account referenced above, which is appearing on my [Insert credit reporting agency] credit report. I believe that this account is inaccurate [or cannot be verified], and I request that [Insert credit reporting agency] conduct an investigation of this account under Section 611 of the FCRA. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, [Insert your name]”

One 800notes user put it like this: “I don’t want any more calls from 1-805-637-7243. I understand this is T-Mobile and I want it to come to an end.” If you feel the same way, follow these steps to end the calls. But the key is to follow the steps in writing.

Step 3: Follow Up

After you send in your dispute letter, the credit reporting agency will send you the results of its investigation. If the T-Mobile account is verified, you have the right to request the method of verification and to dispute the results further. If the T-Mobile account is deleted, confirm that the account has been deleted on all three of your credit reports.

If a T-Mobile debt collector continues to call you after you have sent a written dispute letter, that may be a violation of the FDCPA. Keep track of every phone call, including dates and times, every voicemail message, and every piece of correspondence. That documentation will help you if you need to escalate.

What to Avoid

Never Return a Call from 805-637-7243

A few consumers have learned this lesson the hard way. As one SpamCalls.net user describes: “I called, like an idiot, it did a series of beeps then hung up.” Don’t call a debt collector back on an incoming call, and don’t call back on a spoofed robocall. You won’t accomplish anything, and you may confirm that your phone number is valid. The temptation to call back and give the caller a piece of your mind is real. But don’t do it. Instead, follow these steps in writing to stop the calls and remove the credit report entry.

Never Ignore the Problem, Either

The other pitfall is to do nothing. If you have a legitimate T-Mobile collection account on your credit report and you ignore it, the account will remain on your credit report for up to seven years. Submitting a dispute letter costs nothing and takes minutes. Ignoring the problem costs you every time a lender, landlord, or employer pulls your credit report. So fix the problem, and then focus on preventing it from happening in the future by monitoring your credit report regularly and understanding your telecom billing and collections rights. But first, fix what’s broken.

You Have More Leverage Than You Think

Why This Matters

The debt collection business model relies on one simple premise: that most consumers will either pay a debt without validating it, or ignore a debt until it goes away. Every single one of these strategies is available to consumers because the federal laws governing debt collection require that collectors validate the debts they collect. And when collectors cannot validate a debt, the credit report entry comes off. That’s the way the system is supposed to work.

Get Professional Help From FightCollections.com

Are you receiving calls from 805-637-7243? Do you want help using the strategies above to make the calls stop and remove negative information from your credit report? We can help!

At FightCollections.com, we specialize in representing consumers like you in disputes with debt collectors. We understand the debt collection industry, the laws that govern it, and the strategies that work. For a free consultation, contact us now at info@fightcollections.com.