STUART (first comment):
"The only way they can legally enforce a debt is by way of a contract between you and them"

There are 99% of the time clauses in any credit type contract allowing reassignment of contractual rights to another party should the entity giving the credit choose to do so. Think about what happens when a lender goes into liquidation, there is still very much a debt to pay and it will be to whomever purchased that right.

Liquidation is one of numerous ways not involving any contract formation that obliges you to start paying a "new" third party.

If anything ask the debt collector to provide evidence that they have been assigned the right to collect your debt etc.

I found them in the financial services ombudsman anual report of 2013. They buy debt from companies then try to get you to pay them. The only way they can legally enforce a debt is by way of a contract between you and them, the fact that they bought your alleged debt is immaterial and now completely their problem and their loss. They will threaten you with court action, get lawyers to write letters but at the end of the day they cant do a thing to you and in fact if they make threats and harass you then you can sue the crap out of them. For android phones there is an app called "record my call", you can use it to record anything they say then use it against them, there is also an app that blocks a specific number if you just want to ignore them. All the other debt collectors work the same way, just remember no contract = no obligation + tell em to jam it up their asses.

Obviously a scam. I was offered a new smartphone at no cost because I have had my current number for a long time. I asked where he was calling from. He said he was from RealSim that deals with Optus network customers. I am not with Optus. Just hang up.

Seems like a scam to me. Like Mhari, told I could get a new phone because I had been with the same account for years. Hung up on them.

Consistently rude. Ask for personal details before even explaining who they are or why they're calling. Pantera Finance? They're hounding me for a bogus AGL account which I never had from 2009. I smell a class action! Loving the block caller feature, however they seem to call from a variety of numbers. They're dodgy.

These guys are the gutter crawlers, chasing a debt of $230 from over seven years prior, which exceeds statute limitations, I told them to take me to court if they thonk they have a case, they keep ringing

Scum Finance company

I'm getting 0434 770 944.. perhaps the same people? they speak very poor English. i couldn't even understand his introduction so i just hung up.

Chasing a power bill I didn't have from 4 years ago. Real estate agent must have given details, or power company didn't know who had moved in after me. Very rude dudes!

I constantly get calls from 2 of the numbers bruce listed. always after hours and always hang up when i answer. I've phoned back a couple of times to what sounds like a busy call center. Always rude and abrupt. I've used the block feature on my phone but the 0434 770 106 number still gets through. wtf? Phoning then hanging up always after hours isn't debt collecting, it's harassment.

Persistently calling me for a $110 power invoice for a property I didn't live in in 2011. They have now even started calling me at 7:30 in the morning and after 8:30pm in the evening. Occasionally leave me a message but do not advise who they are or where they are from. Cant tell me who the supplier is, cant provide an invoice or details of the bill. Asked them to email and/or post details and have yet to provide. They are extremely rude and abrupt.

called, no message left... only rang twice so couldn't answer anyway

Same thing, wanting personal details and an over the phone payment for an account I've never had!

Hung up when i answered

Called me at 11am asking for all kinds of weird details.. Scam it sounds like

All their numbers. People looking for personal details.
0434 770 106 0423 754 317
0478 201 009 (02) 9016 3801

They try a couple of times quickly

A fake finance company that hounds you

Panthera Finance.
Scum debt collectors. Call 18 times a day for a $132 account.

dont answer it.