Complaints about collection calls on the rise

Mark Poeppelmeier of Dayton gets two to three phone calls each day from collection agencies because they list their home number under his wife's name of

Jan Underwood/Staff photographer Mark Poeppelmeier of Dayton gets two to three phone calls each day from collection agencies because they list their home number under his wife's name of "D. Smith."

ENLARGE PHOTO

Man, 68, drowns at Caesar Creek Lake
5/26/12
Water rescues prompt warning from health officials
5/25/12
Beach Waterpark sued for failure to deliver
5/25/12
Raleigh Trammell’s defense opens in felony trial
5/25/12
UD to move satellite campus to Dublin
5/25/12
> More headlines

By Jim DeBrosse, Staff Writer 10:41 PM Sunday, November 29, 2009

DAYTON — Mark Poeppelmeier of Dayton gets two to three phone calls each day from collection agencies — not because he and his wife owe anyone money, but because for 17 years they have listed their number under his wife’s name of “D. Smith.”

One agency in particular, Allied Interstate Inc., has called their home at least 500 times in the last three years, he said. “They’re looking for David or Dick or Demetrius or Daneisha — they have never once called here with the correct name. You can scream at them that they’ve got the wrong number, and they call you right back the next day.”

Poeppelmeier says he doubts he’s alone, and he’s right. As unemployment and debt have risen, complaints to the Ohio Attorney General’s office about debt collection agencies have doubled since 2006, with more than 2,000 recorded in the first eight months of this year alone. A total of 386 complaints have been filed this year against Allied Interstate of Columbus, the office said.

“A line must be drawn to keep debt collection from crossing over into harassment,” Ohio Attorney General Robert Cordray said in a recent press release. “Overly aggressive tactics, such as making threats and repeated phone calls, are not allowed. Ohioans have enough financial worries without the added stress of harassing collection practices.”

Poeppelmeier said the calls from Allied Interstate finally stopped last week after he and his wife filed a complaint earlier this month with Cordray’s office. Allied’s headquarters in West Palm Beach, Fla., did not answer calls for comment Friday, Nov. 27.

Has Poeppelmeier’s phone harassment problems been solved? “I got another call this morning from a debt collection agency in Delaware,” he said Wednesday, Nov. 25. “They’re trying to collect on the financial estate of Dante Smith. I think my head is about to explode.”

Share this article