AOL Collections Won't Stop Calling Idaho

I would like AOL to stop calling me. Almost four months ago, we started receiving calls from a collection agency representing AOL and asking for "Brian" (no one by that name ever had my phone number). We ignored it for nearly a month, but the calls continued unabated.

We attempted to convince the agency that its database was faulty, that "Brian" had never had my phone number; I tried calling AOL's primary business line on a number of occasions, each time explaining the situation to a representative, and each time being promised that the problem would be taken care of.

The collection agency has now escalated to telephoning more than once a day. When I ask to speak to a supervisor, or for an address I can mail a letter to, the caller hangs up. I have never subscribed to AOL, so my telephone number should not be in its database at all.

T.J. McDermott, Lake Stevens, Washington

On Your Side responds: We contacted AOL and asked it to look into Mr. McDermott's problem; the Washington State Attorney General also investigated. An AOL representative said that its collection agency was trying to reach someone with the same number but a different area code (even though Mr. McDermott's area code changed ten years ago). Mr. McDermott says he has not received a call in almost a month.