"Bill collectors" asking for my mom keep calling my phone

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

So this has been happening to me for several months now.  Usually it's a bill collector, but I've also gotten a few telemarketers as well.  A couple months ago I got a call from someone trying to sell me insurance or something, and they sounded like someone who's called me several times before, so this time I played along with it.  When they asked for my zipcode, I gave them a fake one: 01488.  Then they hung up.

Weeks later I get a bill collector asking if [my mom's name] was available.  I told them she was busy at the local "white power rally" and they seemed to not know what that meant, so I hung up.

And now, just moments ago, I got a call from yet another bill collector.  Different voice, same request to speak to my mom, and I straight-up said "Sorry, she's at the Ku Klux Klan rally right now.  Can I take a message?"  She responded very politely, "Nope, I don't have a message, thank you very much."  I wished her a nice day and hung up.

My mom needs to file for bankruptcy soon but is fully disabled, and I can sorta understand the volume of calls we're getting, but what I don't understand is why they're always calling my number for her.  On the other hand, half of these calls are scams anyway.  I like having fun with them sometimes, but nothing seems to faze them either way.

What are some fun ways I can try to shock/offend these people without getting in any legal trouble so that I can get them off my back?  Does anyone have any similar experiences I can go by for new material?

[Illiniwek]

If you want to annoy them and waste their time you could be like "oh yes she's here." "MOM PHONE FOR YOU." "She'll be right here..." and then be silent or just start talking and talking and talking about utter nonsense. And every time they ask to speak with her just keep saying she's coming and will be right there.

You could also turn it into a Howard Stern-style prank phone call bit and say things like "oh I'll put you on the phone with her, but first you have to something for me..."

[Lambsbread]

Tell them your mom is having explosive diarrhea, make disgusting fart noises with your mouth and tell them you could still hand her the phone, then find a way to stimulate dropping the phone in the toilet, vomiting, cursing, crying, screaming, all while making fart noises. Make it as disturbing as possible.

[The Dowager Mod]

They go through public records and find out who shared an address with the person they are after, One of my sisters went bankrupt and the bill collectors were harassing everyone in the family.

[dead0man]

how could you get into legal trouble?  Maybe if you made "I'm murdering someone" sounds, and they believe you and call the authorities and the authorities believe them and waste time looking into....maybe...MAYBE you'd get in a little trouble, but it would probably be worth the fame you'd get for it.


On the other hand, assuming their are legit collectors of debt and not scam artists, they're just regular jerks trying to feed their kids.  The best bet is to just not answer them or hang up on them as soon as you know what they are.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I just ask a crass sexual question and wait for them to hang up.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

how could you get into legal trouble?  Maybe if you made "I'm murdering someone" sounds, and they believe you and call the authorities and the authorities believe them and waste time looking into....maybe...MAYBE you'd get in a little trouble, but it would probably be worth the fame you'd get for it.

Potentially getting self-SWATted does not sound like being worthwhile.

[NOVA Green]

I never answer phone calls from numbers that I don't recognize.

I figure if it is someone legitimately trying to contact me they will leave a voicemail....

I did the same thing back in the days of landlines with those little tape recording answering machine thingy mcbobbers....

Don't answer your phone for people you don't know.... granted it might stop you from being polled for an upcoming election or maybe not winning the Publisher Clearing House Sweepstakes, but hey your phone your privacy.

In this case they are invading your privacy to get at your Mom for a perceived Medical debt, so I guess perhaps you might have some legal remedies there in the event that you can get this established as "harassment".... you could always politely ask for their name, organization they work for, without revealing any personal information, and then if you happen to have an employer with an employee assistance program get a free 30 minute consultation with a lawyer to file paperwork to get them to cease and desist....

Now, if your Mother has assets and is on the verge of declaring bankruptcy for medical debt, it might be a good time to get that paperwork filed sooner rather than later....

In my '20s I had more than one times where I got served papers by debt collectors, even once delivered from a local county sheriff because I had outstanding medical debt that I could not afford to pay, but kept putting stuff off.

Medical debt collectors are the worst, and the greater the $$$, the greater their cut, but last thing y'all want is them coming after her house or savings account or anything like that....

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Just got another one.

"Hi, I'm looking for [mom's name]."
"I'm sorry, but she passed away from AIDS last night."
[long pause] "I'm sorry to hear that."
"Yeah, it's pretty bad.  Thanks for calling, bye."

[FairBol]

Here's my idea....act as if you called them, trying to order a pizza.  "Uh, yeah....I'll have two large pies, one with pepperoni and extra cheese....the other...sausage, peppers, onions, and anchovies" etc.  If they persist, say, "now I only want the sausage on half of the second pie, can you do that?" or something of the sort. 

They'll probably be like, "uh, is this (insert phone number here)?" "I'm trying to order my pizza here....can you hear me?" LOL!!