050-099-2299

Metropolitan called me.

caller rings on and off during the day and says nothing.

Pain in the butt callers -  MCS, the debt collection arm of HSBC.  

Their first call today was at 8:15AM - isn't this harrassment?

Per the FDCPA, third party collection agencies are allowed to call between 8AM-9PM (local time):

§ 805.  Communication in connection with debt collection   [15 USC 1692c]

(a) COMMUNICATION WITH THE CONSUMER GENERALLY.  Without the prior consent of the consumer given directly to the debt collector or the express permission of a court of competent jurisdiction, a debt collector may not communicate with a consumer in connection with the collection of any debt --

...at any unusual time or place or a time or place known or which should be known to be inconvenient to the consumer. In the absence of knowledge of circumstances to the contrary, a debt collector shall assume that the convenient time for communicating with a consumer is after 8 o'clock antimeridian and before 9 o'clock postmeridian, local time at the consumer's location...

http://www.creditinfocenter.com/legal/FDCPA.shtml#807

Harassment is considered to be the following:

§ 806.  Harassment or abuse  [15 USC 1692d]

(1) The use or threat of use of violence or other criminal means to harm the physical person, reputation, or property of any person.

(2) The use of obscene or profane language or language the natural consequence of which is to abuse the hearer or reader.

(3) The publication of a list of consumers who allegedly refuse to pay debts, except to a consumer reporting agency or to persons meeting the requirements of section 603(f) or 604(3)1 of this Act.

(4) The advertisement for sale of any debt to coerce payment of the debt.

(5) Causing a telephone to ring or engaging any person in telephone conversation repeatedly or continuously with intent to annoy, abuse, or harass any person at the called number.

(6) Except as provided in section 804, the placement of telephone calls without meaningful disclosure of the caller's identity.

http://www.creditinfocenter.com/legal/FDCPA.shtml#806

I bought a new SIM card for my elderly mother. As soon as I bought it I got a text and 2 phone calls from this number asking for payment of some kind. I called them back, and got an extremely rude gentleman on the other end of the phone who refused to continue the phone call unless I gave him my details. I eventually (by talking over his refusals) got him to listen and he promised to remove the number from their list. 5 minutes later I got another call from them, unfortunately the phone ran out of charge before I could give him a piece of my mind! Disgusting behaviour - I will be contacting HSBC to complain.