DEAR SUN SPOTS: We are receiving calls day and evening from this telephone number, 888-202-1266, claiming we owe them money. If you try to return the call, they ask for your Social Security number. Of course we are all told not to ever give this out and we don’t.

The Internet says they have an office in Auburn. How can they be allowed to continue and how can we stop these calls?

Also, a company claiming they can lower our interest rate is another frequent caller. These calls are turning into a form of harassment. We are not young and have had to add Caller ID to our telephone.

Help. Has anyone else had these calls and what did they do? Thanks again for any information you can find. — No Name via email

ANSWER: According to online complaint postings, the company calling you is One Main Financial, formerly Citi Financial. If you have a legitimate debt with them, they should have sent you bills or letters in the mail, not just started calling you out of the blue.

Sun Spots suggests you call the Consumer Protection Service of the Maine Attorney General’s Office at 1-800-436-2131 (9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday). They can help you ascertain whether the calls are based on a legitimate request for payment or not.

As for the other calls to “lower your interest rates,” those may be more difficult to stop. You can put your number on a Do Not Call list for telemarketing, but it may not be effective for those particular calls if you have a current relationship with the company placing them. In that case, you will need to find out who is calling you and contact them directly to request an end to the calls.

According to the Federal Trade Commission website, “calls from or on behalf of political organizations, charities and telephone surveyors would still be permitted (if you are registered with Do Not Call), as would calls from companies with which you have an existing business relationship, or those to whom you’ve provided express agreement in writing to receive their calls.

“However, if you ask a company with which you have an existing business relationship to place your number on its own do-not-call list, it must honor your request. You should keep a record of the date you make the request.”

You can register up to three numbers www.donotcall.gov., and it should take effect within about 30 days. If you don’t have a computer, you can call in your registration at 1-888-382-1222.

You are wise to withhold your Social Security numbers. They should never be given out over the telephone unless you are very, very sure that the person to whom you are speaking has a legitimate right to them, and those instances are extremely limited (such as if you are calling someone about your Medicare). Red warning lights should go off if callers try to bully you into revealing anything about yourself.

Sun Spots refuses all telephone solicitations as a matter of course. Telemarketers have no right to expect more than a simple “no, thank you” before you hang up.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I work as an activities aide at Bolster Heights Residential Care Facility in Auburn, and we could really use donations of any of the following materials: yarn and knitting needles, crochet hooks, paints and craft supplies, beads, and small clear jars with lids. Jigsaw puzzles, games, and books are also always welcome. Contact me at 784-1364, ext. 120, or just drop off items in the lobby reception area. — Dot Wyman, dotdavewy@yahoo.com

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be e-mailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.

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