New number. Someone else’s calls.

Why a new number can come with old calls

Carriers may reassign disconnected numbers to new subscribers. Businesses may still have the old number in a customer file and use it for reminders or collections. A familiar name in repeated messages can be a clue that the caller is trying to reach a former subscriber.

A prior subscriber’s relationship with a business is not the same as your own consent. An attorney will still need to assess the technology, messages, exceptions, and other facts before determining whether a claim exists.

Build a timeline

Your account activation date can matter. Keep records in their original form where possible.

• The date your carrier assigned the number to you.
• The first and most recent unwanted calls.
• The name the company is trying to reach.
• Any request you made to correct the company’s records.
• Whether you have ever been a customer of that company.

How the database fits in

The FCC established a database that callers can use to check whether a number was permanently disconnected after a supplied date. A qualifying caller may have a safe harbor when the database returns an erroneous response. The safe harbor has conditions; it is not an automatic defense for every wrong-number call.

Save your records and ask an attorney to evaluate the situation rather than assuming the caller either did or did not use the database.

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