About two months ago, we started receiving random data calls to one or our cell numbers at annoying times of day (e.g. 8:30am) from this number: (847) 557-1100 . After the first few, I looked it up, and found out that it belongs to a financial services (that is, debt collection) company, Arrow Financial Services.
http://www.arrow-financial.com/index.asp
Niles, Illinois (Headquarters)
5996 W. Touhy Avenue
Niles, IL 60714
(800) 279-0224 Toll Free
(847) 557-1100 Phone
(847) 647-9526 Fax
I figured that it's only natural that someone might have had that cell number before we did, with an associated debt -- we've had one such bit of crossed wiring before, which was resolved with a single phone call. I called Arrow, and they insisted our number wasn't in their system. After a few calls, we received a call from someone promising us we wouldn't be called again.
Then we were.
So I went ahead and talked to the FCC, who told me that when the company is a debt collection company, you go to the Federal Trade Commission instead. The FTC told me to send a certified mail "Cease Communication" letter to Arrow. I did, and they even signed for it.
Then they called again.
I called them yet again, reminded them that they'd signed for the letter and were now breaking FTC regulations, and they promised that they'd block our number, with a working time of two business days. More than a week later, we're still receiving calls.
Arrow Financial's tagline is "Arrow's technological advantage can work for you!" It's good that they said it can work for you, rather than saying it will work for you, because clearly one of their clients is getting shafted. They're wasting time and money harassing someone who owes no debts, and may well be unintentionallly failing to follow up on someone who does owe a debt instead. I'm afraid I can't recommend using Arrow Financial Services for debt collection, as they aren't able to get their act together and stop calling a nonproductive lead in violation of FTC rules.
My current policy is to simply file a new FTC complaint using this consumer complaint form every time Arrow Financial Services calls us. Though the FTC indicated they can not track down individual complaints, they do follow patterns of abuse and rules breaking. It's up to Arrow Financial Services not to continue this particular pattern.
I appreciate the fast and helpful service I received when I called both the FCC and the FTC.
Update: Arrow is being sued by the State of Illinois. You can read more about that, and how you can get involved, by clicking here.
Comments (5)
Arrow Financial Services has been harassing me too. Like you, it is a case of mistaken identity. I appreciate you sharing your story and providing a link to the FTC complaint form. Are they still calling you 4 months later?
Posted by Allen | November 6, 2006 01:18 PM
Posted on November 06, 2006 13:18
They stopped for good about two months ago or so. I have heard from other people who've dealt with Arrow that in addition to the FTC, you want to contact the state attorney general in Illinois (Springfield office) about Arrow as well. I was just getting ready to do this when Arrow stopped calling.
Posted by parakkum | November 6, 2006 01:31 PM
Posted on November 06, 2006 13:31
I've never heard of Arrow Financial before but 30 minutes ago I received a call from 847-557-1100. When I answered they stated my last name and said "Do you know your neighbor by the name of James Dan?". I said "No" and the call ended. This got me concerned that this might be someone trying to verify information for identity theft so I googled the phone number and saw the company and then found this site. I've already logged a complaint with the FTC and my phone number is on the Do Not Call Registry. I have nothing in collection so I'm clueless why they called and using the ploy that they did. I plan to folow up with the AGO myself.
Posted by Kimberly | November 14, 2006 04:15 PM
Posted on November 14, 2006 16:15
FYI, having your number on the Do Not Call Registry does not block debt collection services -- they are still legally allowed to call you. However, a cease communication letter is supposed to stop all calls (note again that Arrow continued to call for quite a while after signing for just such a letter).
Arrow takes a particularly blind and blunt approach to debt collection, inasmuch as their employees would never admit to the cell number even being in the system, or how it might have ended up there.
In contrast, when Verizon accidentally pegged me as a debtor (by dint of my name being partially similar to someone who'd defaulted on a bill) a single telephone call to Verizon cleared it up.
Posted by parakkum | November 14, 2006 04:28 PM
Posted on November 14, 2006 16:28
I'm in the same boat. Almost 3 months ago I started receiving calls from these guys. It's always been a pre-recorded message. At first, it was something along the lines of "This is Kristen Christianson and I'm using my voicemail to contact you" and urging you to call some number. Any time I called the number it just gave a fast busy. This message continued for about 2 months.
Now, the message has changed. It's still automated, but asks (in a computer generated voice) for "George of the one and a half fat cans". Nowhere near my name or anyone that I know. It says to press 1 if it's you and to press 2 if you need to be put on hold to fetch that person. It always comes when I'm out and is recorded to my answering machine, and doesn't give a call back number OR identify the company.
I don't care if it is legal to bypass the Do Not Call list for debt collection agencies, it should remain illegal to not identify the company you work for, it should be illegal to use pre-recorded messages to make these annoying calls, and it should be illegal to call a number that a couple minutes of research will tell you doesn't belong to the person you're looking for. I'm publicly listed, it's not like it's an unlisted number!
Nonsense like this drives me insane!!! I hope the Illinois AGO will do something about these guys (but I don't hold out much hope, odds are that Arrow greases the right pockets so they can get away with this nonsense).
Posted by Matt | November 16, 2006 04:53 PM
Posted on November 16, 2006 16:53