Do people come looking for the previous owners of your house?

[Kacey]

Has this ever happened to you? Do people come looking for the previous owners of your house (or occupants of your rental)? I'm asking because someone rang my doorbell - again - today, looking for previous owners of my house - and not the people I bought it from, the people the previous owners bought it from. This man seemed to know they had moved - he told me he was looking for the Scott family, who were the previous owners - but I bought the house from an Asian family, who lived here at least several years before I bought it over 5 years ago. About once a year someone comes by looking for someone from either family. I only know the name of the Scott family because some of my neighbors knew them, and every once in a while I get mail for them. Still... with another family having owned it between me and this family, it seems odd that people are still asking me if I know where they are (why would I?) - I mean, I don't know where the family I bought the house from lives, either.

 

[stickarts]

I sometimes get mail for them but thats about it.

 

[terryl965]

Those are properly skip tracers or bail bonds men, never somebody trying to give away millions.

 

[arnisador]

I sometimes get mail for them but thats about it.

Same here!

 

[stone_dragone]

We used to get phone calls for the people who had it before us (the phone number, not the phone). It seems that it's previous users were not into the entire "paying their bills" thing and kept using their old phone number when they made new applications.

It took about 4 thirty minute conversations with the Dish network to convince them that I was not the previous holder of that number, that I was not related to them, that I had never met them, that I had no idea where they were and that they were to remove this number from their data base...they kept telling me that only Mr. X (the previous customer) could change the account information.

We did finally convince them though.

 

[JadecloudAlchemist]

Nope all I get are Mormons.

I never get these type though.

http://www.mormonsexposed.com/

I think it reads Mormons exposed.:uhohh:

 

[crushing]

No, but I had a utility company call my number many times looking for the people that bought my old house from me. They called so many times and all times of the day looking for the other people that I finally started taking the names of the callers and threatened them with a harrasment suit. I don't know if they ever resolved the issue, but I haven't gotten one of those calls in a while.

 

[bydand]

Just this week-end I had a small group stop by looking for the prior owners. The look on their faces were priceless when I opened the door. We have only been here 3 weeks, so I expect it to happen a few more times.

 

[Kreth]

they kept telling me that only Mr. X (the previous customer) could change the account information.

Easy to fix. As soon as they call, ask them if they can hang on a second. Put the phone down and go have dinner, mow the lawn, whatever. After a few nice charges I'm sure they'll agree to drop the number... :uhyeah:
Either that or I'll ask them to hang on while I grab a pen, hold the phone up next to the smoke alarm and hit the test button... :lol:
This kind of stuff is the reason my fiancee and I have just cell phones...

 

[crushing]

Just this week-end I had a small group stop by looking for the prior owners. The look on their faces were priceless when I opened the door. We have only been here 3 weeks, so I expect it to happen a few more times.

Welcome back!

 

[bydand]

Welcome back!

Thanks, great to be back home. We are just a few miles apart if I remember right.

 

[Kacey]

Welcome back!!!

Just this week-end I had a small group stop by looking for the prior owners. The look on their faces were priceless when I opened the door. We have only been here 3 weeks, so I expect it to happen a few more times.

I understand it in your case... but I've been here 5 years, and the previous owners were here for several (I'm not sure how many) - the house was vacant for a year before I bought it, and I had people come looking for the people I bought it from, which was a little odd in itself - but this guy was looking for people who sold the house to the people I bought it from, who haven't lived here for at least 8 or 9 years, and he started with "I'm looking for the Scott family that used to live here". I said something like "I bought it from an Asian family over 5 years ago and I have no idea where the Scotts are", and he thanked me and left - but why would he come here at all? Why would he think I know anything about the previous owners, much less the owners prior to them, which is who he was looking for?

 

[mook jong man]

As we say in Australia that sounds very suss (suspect / suspicious) i might be paranoid but i would be very careful for a while , keeping your place properly secured etc.

 

[jks9199]

Welcome back!!!



I understand it in your case... but I've been here 5 years, and the previous owners were here for several (I'm not sure how many) - the house was vacant for a year before I bought it, and I had people come looking for the people I bought it from, which was a little odd in itself - but this guy was looking for people who sold the house to the people I bought it from, who haven't lived here for at least 8 or 9 years, and he started with "I'm looking for the Scott family that used to live here". I said something like "I bought it from an Asian family over 5 years ago and I have no idea where the Scotts are", and he thanked me and left - but why would he come here at all? Why would he think I know anything about the previous owners, much less the owners prior to them, which is who he was looking for?

Do you know if the name is correct, or can you find out?

It's possible it's legit. Maybe it's someone looking for a childhood friend, or old family friends who've lost touch. It could also be some sort of background investigator trying to verify a previous residence -- though it seems an awkward and inefficient way to do it!

At the same time -- it could just be a variation of an old scam: Someone walks up, identifies themselves as your neighbor, and they're in a jam... Could they borrow $20 for gas to visit their wife/grandma/other sympathetic person who's just had a terrible accident and are in the hospital... Or some similar story... they could just get there if they had some gas money, and wouldn't you be neighborly and help them out?

Or even something more sinister...

Be cautious; be alert. Don't be too paranoid though without more to go on. Or at least that's my advice!

 

[Senjojutsu]

We used to get phone calls for the people who had it before us (the phone number, not the phone). It seems that it's previous users were not into the entire "paying their bills" thing and kept using their old phone number when they made new applications.

It took about 4 thirty minute conversations with the Dish network to convince them that I was not the previous holder of that number, that I was not related to them, that I had never met them, that I had no idea where they were and that they were to remove this number from their data base...they kept telling me that only Mr. X (the previous customer) could change the account information.

We did finally convince them though.

The local phone number I got was recycled; it had belonged to an eye care place.

It appeared that business had failed, for everyone wanted to talk to the good doctor, not just former patients.

I got calls from collection agencies, attorney offices, and best of all - a call from the IRS Collection Center from Buffalo, NY. To this day I remember that call, because the agent wanted my SSN for his records for this call.
:uhyeah: I politely declined to provide that information.

It took a few years but the calls petered out.

 

[terryl965]

Here you go Kacey we bought a brand new house and we are getting mail for somebody else and nobody but us have lived there. Go figure.

 

[harlan]

You know...that was my first thought/reaction to the initial post. Having been a frequent mover in the past (13 times in 11 years), this happened more than once. Being young and stupid ...I never thought much about it. Then there was the time it happened at 3 AM...some guy knocking on the door looking for his 'friend'. Still groggy from sleep, I just opened the door...and immediately realized it was a mistake.

I've read elsewhere that this is a 'classic' preface to assaulting someone at home/casing the place. So...definitely be more aware.

Or even something more sinister...

Be cautious; be alert. Don't be too paranoid though without more to go on. Or at least that's my advice!

 

[Kacey]

Do you know if the name is correct, or can you find out?

It's possible it's legit. Maybe it's someone looking for a childhood friend, or old family friends who've lost touch. It could also be some sort of background investigator trying to verify a previous residence -- though it seems an awkward and inefficient way to do it!

At the same time -- it could just be a variation of an old scam: Someone walks up, identifies themselves as your neighbor, and they're in a jam... Could they borrow $20 for gas to visit their wife/grandma/other sympathetic person who's just had a terrible accident and are in the hospital... Or some similar story... they could just get there if they had some gas money, and wouldn't you be neighborly and help them out?

Or even something more sinister...

Be cautious; be alert. Don't be too paranoid though without more to go on. Or at least that's my advice!

That actually is the name of the former owners before the family I bought the house from - several of my current neighbors knew them. Also, I occasionally get mail for various members of the Scott family, usually mailing list type things.

Here you go Kacey we bought a brand new house and we are getting mail for somebody else and nobody but us have lived there. Go figure.

I don't know what to tell you about that one... that's just weird.:uhohh:

Perhaps.... :lisafault:

 

[kenpofighter]

When we first moved into out house, at night we had someone who would drive up in a car and shinning a little red laser in through our windows. Or during the day someone would drive by jump out of their car snap a picture of our house then quickly leave... but we know (they told us and I found hard evidence) that they were druggies. Surprisingly no one has ever knock on our door looking for them.