Afni
Reviews and Complaints

Total crap that I just received a collection notice for a phone # I have never heard of. It freaked me out until I found these other postings. I'm curious to hear what has happened with other cases. Please post notices. Seriously its $160.86; who can't pay that when some people spend that on dinner.

it was a bill for a phone number in New York City we hadn't had for years. And the actual phone company didn't exist anymore--it was swallowed up by Bell Atlantic.

I called the Bloomington, IL police department. They told me that AFNI purchases noncollectable debts (statute of limitations has run out, etc) and attempts to collect on them. DO NOT CALL AFNI. When it comes to legal matters, as this is, PUT IT IN WRITING. It looks like they check credit scores just to scare people into thinking they'll report negatively on their credit.

Here's what the FTC has to say about it:

"Every collector must send you a written “validation notice” telling you how much money you owe within five days after they first contact you. This notice also must include the name of the creditor to whom you owe the money, and how to proceed if you don’t think you owe the money. "

Then just jump to The FTC's next step: "If you send the debt collector a letter stating that you don’t owe any or all of the money, or asking for verification of the debt, that collector must stop contacting you. You have to send that letter within 30 days after you receive the validation notice. But a collector can begin contacting you again if it sends you written verification of the debt, like a copy of a bill for the amount you owe."

So play the game. No attorney needed--you likely owe nothing. Immediately send them a letter saying you don’t owe any or all of the money, and turn the tables: demand verification of the debt. That may be enough to stop them. But check the statute of limitations--whether it ever could have been your debt or not.

If it's run out, send them a stiff note quoting the exact law under which statute of limitations has run out, and tell them that you consider it a closed matter and that they should cease contact with you immediately.

If they contact you again, they're possibly in violation of FTC law. Note the date and time and send a letter to your county and state consumer protection agencies, as well as to your state's and The Illinois Attorney General's Office, who is likely very familiar with AFNI, about their unfair collection practices and harassment.

Read more here:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre18.shtm

No attorney, just a few stamps, gets rid of AFNI. Watch for a website that generates the letters to be coming soon.

I too got a letter from AFNI (at my home address with a name similar to mine), I called Direct TV and gave them the account number, they did have that name with a debt turned over to AFNI. I called AFNI, they advised they use a SOFTWARE to search for similar names and mail them a letter, like the one I received. They said they did not have the Soc. Sec. number of that person, and since it was not my name they would remove me from the mailing list. Since he said it was a software search result it seemed that they will remove my address, or am I kidding myself, as I have read others that say the same and then continue with additional info a person gives. I'll wait and see if I get more letters. I read in another posts conflicting info that they DO and DO not send (unless you make a payment), to the collection agency. In my case it wont be my name and shouldnt be my SS. So ?

I had recieved an collection bill from afni collection agency concerning an overdue account of $112.92 from Sprint . I 've never had an account with this company and my last name was mispelled. I called the number that they gave me and waited for some time and they never answered the phone. On the letter they was wanting the last four digits of my social security number. This company is phishing for information. I'm glad that I've found this website and seen all of the complaints about this company.

I received the exact same letter from AFNI as everyone else & the phone carrier was Verizon. I was a identity fraud victim & have a letter from my local police department from the investigator who handled the case which of course I forwarded to AFNI to prove that although the person is real & exists (me) the account was taken out fraudulently by someone else under false identity & basically they bought an account to collect on that couldn't be collected on! Unless they want to try & track down the criminal who gave all MY INFO.

I thought that would easily suffice especially since all the evidence including time of the incident & time of collection matched with area code of phone # & city the criminals who have already been released all resided. Easy case, right? Wrong! They still sent me 30 days later a letter stating, "Nope we still think this is you, pay us $512.00".

Personally I think they prey on the fact that you'll get scared & fold & pay the amount. And collection agencies wonder why they have a bad name?

I too have received the same collection debt. These folks are terrible. I am going to call the AG in my state! I called them up and they basically get mad at you on the phone. I let the guy have it. He told me to write a letter to them explaining my dispute. I will do that, but I think it's pretty ridiculous to be wasting my time on this.

AFNI WILL HIT YOUR CREDIT FILES. AFNI hit my credit files even after I had timely requested Debt Verification and disputed the claim for a Qwest phone service account I've never had (never even lived in Aurora, CO where the service appears to have been provided). Tried calling AFNI and only got the recording. I'm hoping my state will file class action as IL and MN have done. Attorney is reviewing my situation.

I just received one of these bills today stating I owed money to Qwest. I've never even had their service before. I knew something was awry right away. I tried to call the billing number for Qwest listed on the bill and the number was out of order. I then tried to call the toll free number listed on the bill and only got a recording directing me to the Afni website. I knew right then and there it was a total scam. There appear to be comments about these people dating back at least 2 years claiming they're scammers. What I want to know is how they haven't been arrested yet?

So now I have to take time out of my day to make sure this doesn't damage my credit? And how is it even possible for scammers like this to be able to damage someone's credit? That's just insane.

I too recently received a bill from AFNI for a phone # that if I ever had it would be over 10 years old. Coincidentally the name on it was also spelled wrong. I ran a credit report & nothing. I think I will not do ANYTHING at all. For one thing they don't even know how to spell my name.
Personally I think their bills are completely made up, based on oldaccounts & just hoping people will pay off the bills rather than try to deal with them.. & even if it only works a few times they still make money. The problem is is no one is complaining here:
http://search.bbb.org/Results.aspx?n=Afni&add=&c=&st=&z=

not a single complaint registered with the better business bureau.

I just received a notice from Afni Collections today that I owe $386 to All Tell. I've never had an account with All Tell. Unfortunately, I called them before I found this site. The "agent" tells me the account is from 1998 and that it is associated with my Social Security number. She would not tell me what that SS number is, of course. She also stated it was for a land line which had been paid regularly until the last bill. I told her I found this all fascinating as I have never lived at the address in question, never had that phone number, and that when I checked my credit report through all three major reporting agencies, this charge is not on any of my credit reports. She has the nerve to tell me it hasn't been reported to the credit bureaus yet! I demanded that they send me all the information on this supposed bill. I'll be contacting the BBB, the FTC and my State Attorney General.

Thank you all for posting this information. It is much appreciated.

Obviously they aren't a very smart collections agency. Look at the number of complaints referring to bogus charges. I'm not sure who you are but if they have actually purchased this debt and are attempting to get paid for it then this means that afni has obviously been duped, big time! I fail to see how that is our fault? I'm not going to pay them for something I have never owed? Would you? If so then go ahead and pay my "discounted" debt while your at it. afni is a HUGE scam operation and that's that. End of story.

Afni is well known for this. Record all phone calls. Tell them that since you have already told them the the charge is bogus, and that they cannot provide any proof, you will no consider each telephone call to you a "consutlting call" with $50 fee per call. Again, be sure to record the calls and tell them that you are recording them. Inform them that if they if they cannot provide proof, you will see them in court to collect your fees. If the calls continuie, follow through and take them to small claims court, suing them for harrassment as well as $50 for each phone call.

I had a very similar experience. AMPD was horible, I changed to Sprint and cancelled in April and they kept biling me despite numerous calls, I disputed with my credit card and they refunded the charges because AMPD couldn't support them. ANFI sent me a collections letter, I replied and now there is a collection item of about $80 dropping my FICO from about 750 to about 660 and costing me a mortgage. This is extortion and no protection against consumers because there is no consequence for their actions. ANFI knows that people probably wont take teh time and effort to file a class action and they will play games with "missing" paperwork to make things as difficult as possible.

They are a complete fraud. Call the State Attorneys Office and file a complaint against them.

My story is the same as all the others.. AFNI sent me a notice for a wireless phone bill from 6 years ago. I did not believe it was my account. When I asked them to verify the debt they sent some vague, cobbled together 'statement'. They were unable to provide my original billing address, contract dates, account number, etc.. I mean, anyone can put together a bogus statement like that. I did a little research on AFNI and found numerous complaints exactly like mine and yours, with all the same characteristics. Further investigation revealed that in July of '08 the Minnesota Attorney General's office filed a lawsuit against AFNI, Inc for fraudulent collections practices. Bottom line is, IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE YOU OWE THIS BILL, FIGHT IT. I filed a complaint with my A.G. Consumer protection office. It took about 2 months, but AFNI finally gave up their ruse and sent a letter stating they were closing their account on me and removing the negative report on my credit. My bill was only about $35.00 but, the principal is worth all the time, efforts and insults. And, the more people give them a hard time, the sooner these crooks will be out of business.

I am currently fighting with AFNI over a bogus bill from Frontier Wireless. When I cancelled my DSL service with Frontier they claimed I owed them a $ 75 cancellation fee even though I had completed the 12 month term the fee was applicable to. They also billed for 15 days beyond the date my service was disconnected. AFNI is taking the position that if Frontier billed it I owe it. They don't seem interested in listening to any explanation to the contrary.

I never had any service from Qwest nor Afni. They appeared on my Experion annual report recently.
Peculiar, I'd had Verizon wireless service only since moving to Arizona in 2007.Most people in this small communty are on wireless phone service; they don't duplicate telephone service adding landlines-the cost is not needed, necessary.
Qwest has the worst reputation on service and a mass of slamming reports in this area and other areas all over the internet. The internet is loaded with complaintants sites about Qwests illegal practices and Afni's illegal practices.
This Afni was from Bloomington, IL and did not provide a telephone number on my credit report. I did a lot of deep research on the internet finding out how Afni uses fraud to make-up non-existent accounts and bill anyone they want for them, and Qwests greedy extra profitteering account-making -up(fraud) as they know many people don't care to have landlines.
I've never received anything in the mail in a form of a bill, th like from either company, never called either, won't do business ever withe either. I gave the credit bureau much information and they are investigating the fraud right now.
As always on other issues, I will continue to post and repeatedly post smearing Qwest and Afni on all internet consumer complaint sites. And write to the Attorney General, FCC, State Senators and Rep in Arizona
Cordes Lakes, Arizona
Would be very glad to participate in any class action suit applicable! Send the info!

We received a bill from them. I am very picky about my bills and accounts. I keep a well filed system. I could not find any where on any of my spreadsheets dating 8 years back this account number or this amount. I plan on calling them tomorrow, I am glad I read this so now I am prepared not to give any information. Thank you B, Dallas

I just recieved a bill June 2008 from Afni Inc. collection agency stating that I own Verizon $325. I call Verizon and someone used my social security number to set up this account. It was a number and address in a different state. I have never had Verizon service before! I don't know how this could have happened. Afni is no help at all, when I called them they said they would send out a fraud packet but instead sent another copy of the bill. I finally contacted Verizon and I need a police report plus tons of other document just to prove my innocents.

im going though the same thing and i wish there was one number you could call to fill a legal complaint and get them investigated!

I had a very similiar problem with this company. My husband had a credit report done recentally and this Afni Inc. were on it for an internet company we currently have. After 3 phones calls to this company, the first call, they were asked to send a confirmation to us via through email or faxed to us. Nothing, so the next day I called back, and was told by someone else that they cannot send us a confirmation of payment because the account is still active...Okay I have never heard of a collections company that wont send a confirmation or, wont verify that the payment was recieved.
I decided to check with the internet company on this matter, to see if we have ever had a bill sent to collections, and explained to them the situation, the internet company pulled up a summary of our account, and checked they database for any inquiries of another account in my name that had been active at one point. Nothing the internet respresentive even gave me a summary of what he found to send to us, with limitations of course if we have to make legal actions towards this debt collector.
After my conversation with the internet company I then called the Afni Inc back told them "I need a confirmation by today to verify this has been taken care of. I then told them, that I have contacted the internet company and that they DO NOT enlist any of their credit reports to any company by your name, and if this payment has NOT been confirmed by you within 24 hours, I will be taking legal actions to get you guys off my credit report...

I will also be filing a complaint in the FTC for the Act. Fair Debt Collections