888-684-4883

What number and what company is this

Pre-recorded call about an important delivery for: *inserted the name of the ex husband I haven't talked to since 1999
Tried to call number back, but it went to a voicemail box that isn't set up yet

Don't bother calling back.  This is an extortion attempt to get money from your exhusband.  They call everyone but the intended victim of this crime to create panic and embarrassment to soften the victim up and make it easier to steal money from them.

They called and I answered, but it was a recording, saying they had an important fax order but not a current address for [me]. Needed me to call that number immediately, which was the same number that called. I called them back. Someone answered, immediately put me on hold music (without actually answering), then picked up and introduced themselves, and said they worked for ... it sounded like "P and W Associates" or something like that. Anyways, I told them they needed to remove me from the call list.  "OK, so you don't know a [my name]?"  I said it doesn't matter, take me off the list. "OK, sir, no, I'm not taking you off the list. Have fun with your garnishment, I'm sending it now." and hung up.

I don't owe anyone anything, and my credit is 800+, so... you do that, [expletive].

Repeated calls and threats from this number regarding debt of someone we don't even know!

ID themselves as "PRA".  Guy wouldn't give me any more information.

Could stand for anything.  Number has been used for garden-variety scamming.

In any event,

Just because someone on the phone calling you says you owe a debt does not mean you actually owe it.

If a voice on the telephone claims you owe a debt:

1.    Demand the person give you his or her name, company name, and address
2.     Demand a debt validation letter by US mail.  E-mail no good.
3.    Do not pay  the collection agent or anyone else a  dime until the debt is validated

Of course they won’t do this, no scammer ever will, so simply ignore them and block their calls.

If they are bothering you, report them:

http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0149-debt-collection (Threatening civil proceedings with no intent to follow through, or threatening criminal process in order to collect a civil debt is a  violation of the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.)  The same goes for endless telephone harassment

Note that the US Supreme Court in the Case of HENSON ET AL. v. SANTANDER CONSUMER USA INC., has recently ruled that the provisions of the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act do not apply if the creditor owns the debt in question.  As a practical matter this probably won't effect the kinds of scam debt collectors who often show up on 800notes.  The scam collectors don't give you any information about themselves so it is impossible to know whether or not they in fact "own" the debt in question.  Most do not send debt validation letters and many often say they are collecting for someone else.  So, make the complaint anyway if they are bothering you.  Let the FTC sort it out.

Also contact your local attorney general

If they continue to bother you,  and you know you do not owe any money, tell them that you know this is  a debt scam and that you are making a complaint to the police for extortion.  Once you get a copy of the police report and they call you again , just read out the  file number and the name of the PD or Sheriff’s office involved.   Tell them you’ll be glad to send a copy to them at whatever address the jack***es are working out of now.

You'll probably have to yell at them and talk over them.
You have to get tuff with these people because,  being akin to thugs, brute force is (metaphorically speaking).   the only thing they understand.