Collection Agency reviews and complaints
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overdue debt
I was sent a letter stating that I owed Best Buy, household item purchased from the Internet for a sum of $1082.37 but if I paid within 45 days the amount I would only have to pay is $162.36. I have never purchased anything from Best Buy let alone on the Internet. I called Best Buy and they said, "we don't have any record of this purchase and you do not owe us anything".
Unethical Business Practices
HH&T was hired by myself claiming they could settle any debts owed to me in 5 days or less or they would close the account with no charges to myself. I agreed to hire them for 2 accounts. They settled one account and the check was supposed to be sent directly to me. They collected over $80, 000.00 on July 7th, 2010. Almost $17, 000.00 was supposed to be...
Read full review of Collection AgencyPrivacy violation
To Whom it may concern:
Today I received a message on my answer phone from Michael Gilchrist of the Scott Lowery Law Firm trying to reach a neighbor. He also contacted another neighbor who is a stroke victim and she answered her phone. He told her that our mutual neighbor was involved in a law suit and he needed to contact the neighbor because said neighbor is entitled to money and was not aware of this fact. The stroke victim was so concerned that she went to the neighbor's home and left a note. This concerned neighbor who actually spoke with Michael Gilchrist is not able to do this. Mr. Gilchrist never said if our neighbor was home. He was just trying to reach her.
No lawyer worth anything would spread gossip. No lawyer or law firm would harrass a neighborhood revealing privileged information about another neighbor.
The Scott Lowery Law Firm is located in Denver, Colorado. There may be other branches. The number that I was given to call was [protected] ext 1358.
I am located in Wilson, North Carolina.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
can I sue
Hmmm I can't believe You are complaining about bills YOU racked up. If you just answer the phone and talk to these people in a calm, collected, professional, manor and show them some respect you will get the same in return. Not answering and dodging their calls will only piss them off more, They have the right to call you up to 4 time a day. If you show them respect and give them Full and Complete (F&C) Information about your situation they will settle your account out for a minuscule amount. Most collectors are allowed to go down to 45% some 30% and if your really in a horrible situation then 26% if you talk to a manager or senior rep. You NEVER want to ask for VOD (validation of debt) this will cause the account to go on hold for 30-90 days while they do an asset and liability investigation to prove this is your debt and when they prove it is your debt they WILL NOT settle the account YOU WILL PAY BALANCE IN FULL. If your want another letter ask for a balance review letter. The best thing you can do is pay the balance in full (BIF) they can even take off the interest and it will still be BIF, this looks great on your credit report but if you cant do BIF then settle the account in full (SIF) a SIF will be a percentage of the placement amount and no interest. The last best option you have is get on a "Hardship payment plan" this can be anywhere from $75 - $175+. This will build a good payment history on the account and get you a lower settlement when you can settle it. If you want a better shot at getting a lower settlement pay it all in the first month you are contacted and set up Post Dated Checks "PDC" PDC is a free service and is the BEST way for YOU to have documents of paying on the account. The company sends a paper draft of the check to your bank on the date you want it paid (monday-friday). The company has no electronic access to your bank account in this case. Plus this leaves a LARGE paper trail so they can NEVER say you didn't pay on the account. Then when you receive your letter saying the account has been "Paid in full" or "settled in full" MAKE COPIES AND FILE THEM AWAY IN SAFE PLACES even safety deposit boxes if need be. The things I have to stress the most are: ANSWER THE PHONE, BE RESPECTFUL, DONT ASK FOR VOD, DO YOUR BEST TO PAY THAT DAY, SET UP PDC, AND SAVE YOUR SIF/PIF LETTER.
Been in the telecom industry, I can tell you spoofing is illegal, you can always use other resources to follow thru. You may want to contact The US attorney general, the FCC as well as the FTC. Also if this is interstate you can actually contact the FBI.
Based on the law, they cannot contact you at your place of business. They are only legally able to contact you at your home; you can also send a stop and desist letter via certified mail.
Record their conversation, when you speak to them if you do, many of them have no clue of the law and make drastic mistake threatening people. They can't make any statements in which they can destroy your credit, call your family, call your work and or tell everybody that you have debts and you do not pay, this is protected by the law. IN this case now you have the upper hand, as now they open the door for a lawsuit, almost any attorney will take this type of cases on contingency. Is an infringement of your rights and punish by law. This people use scare tactics to scare people and even collect many times the same debts that have been paid previously.
The reality nothing that they can do, if you do not or can't pay, they must take you to court and get a judgment against you, then they need to be able to collect.
You want to get even, call then day in and day out, to their numbers use redial, and have anybody that you know do the same, do it day in and day out, that will shut down their PBX system, if they do it to you do it to them.
Yes annoying, but effective if hundreds of people do the same and saturate their phone lines.
Remember their 800 are free to you, they pay for it, call put them on hold and have your friend do the same, do this every day as much as you can. IF they have the right to harass you, you have the right to do the same to them. They called you first! Block your number if that makes you feel more comfortable. You are not subject to the same laws, do not talk to them, that is what they want, if you call back and talk to them they are verifying that you are acknowledging the debt regardless of the purpose of the call as they will not believe you are not the right person.
Here are some of the biggest scan bags in the industry, and believe me they are all scan bags at the end. They count on you to be afraid of them.
RGS Financial
http://www.rgsfinancial.com/
P.O. Box 852039
Richardson, TX [protected]
RGS Financial, Inc.
1700 Jay-Ell Drive
Suite 200
Richardson, TX 75081
Call their 800 numbers is free to you but not to them.
They use many spoof numbers if any, as many times they use no caller ID on purpose but they leave you a number to call. Always keep the recording particularly if they are menacing and report does to your police local department as now you have a legal record.
Spoof Number used: [protected]
Viking Collection Service, Inc.
Minnesota
7500 Office Ridge Circle, Suite 100
Eden Prairie, MN 55344Arizona
2075 West Pinnacle Peak Road, Suite 110
Phoenix, Arizona 85027 Spoof number use caller id Block. One of their numbers is [protected]
Primary Financial Services also uses Collection agency services to mask there illegal practices (http://www.collectionagencyservices.net/)
http://www.primaryfinancial.com/ (Their web site is been down for long time to be able to cover their illegal practices)
3115 N 3rd Ave Ste 112
Phoenix, AZ 85013
[protected]
[protected]
If you want to negotiate a settlement call your original lender directly, do not negotiate with this scan bags, they are on commissions or percentages based. Many banks and lender will negotiate up to 80 % of the debts, make sure they do not report it to the IRS if not they can make you pay the taxes on the remaining amount, and make sure they clean your credit, get it in writing first.
Don't get mad get even.
People which do block the caller ID and or use Spoof numbers always have something to hide, that is the only reason they will use a Spoof number (Fake number / Voip Number / Or PBX number whit no actual connection only rings and then dies) Report them to the Authorities, this business practices are illegal and punish by law: if they use spoof numbers, Obscene and rude language, threats, harassment, all this are felonies and punish by law. Report them to your Local Telecom provider, your local District attorney, the local police department, your local senator, record the conversation and keep any and all voice mail left, don't be afraid, they can do absolutely nothing to you till they take you to court if you owe them any money, is futile to argue with ignorant people.
THIS IS AMERICA,
More info
They don't get to choose whether they grant a dispute. They have to follow the law, specifically FDCPA.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre27.pdf
They claim that you can't dispute it just because you didn't receive it in less than 30 days is false and deceptive, and therefore a violation of FDCPA. FDCPA does not say that anywhere.
What it says is that their initial notice to you must say this:
"...
(3) a statement that unless the consumer, within thirty days after receipt of the notice, disputes the validity of the debt, or any portion thereof, the debt will be assumed to be valid by the debt collector;
(4) a statement that if the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, the debt collector will obtain verification of the debt or a copy of a judgment against the consumer and a copy of such verification or judgment will be mailed to the consumer by the debt collector; and
(5) a statement that, upon the consumer’s written request within the thirty-day period, the debt collector will provide the consumer with the name and address of the original creditor, if different from the current creditor.
(b) If the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period described in subsection (a) that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, or that the consumer requests the name and address of the original creditor, the debt collector shall cease collection of the debt, or any disputed portion thereof, until the debt collector obtains verification of the debt or any copy of a judgment, or the name and address of the original creditor, and a copy of such verification or judgment, or name and address of the original creditor, is mailed to the consumer by the debt collector. Collection activities and communications that do not otherwise violate this title may continue during the 30-day period referred to in subsection (a) unless the consumer has notified the debt collector in writing that the debt, or any portion of the debt, is disputed or that the consumer requests the name and address of the original creditor. Any collection activities and communication during the 30-day period may not overshadow or be inconsistent with the disclosure of the consumer’s right to dispute the debt or request the name and address of the original creditor.
(c) The failure of a consumer to dispute the validity of a debt under this section may not be construed by any court as an admission of liability by the consumer.
..."
THe 30 day FDCPA validation request period does not begin when they send it, but when your RECEIVE it. They may assume you have received it, say, 5 days after you mailed it, but that assumption is rebuttable, as in your case you couldn't have received it until returning from your trip.
Note that you have 30 days from YOUR RECEIPT of their letter, and if you were out of the country, you obviously didn't receive it until you got back.
They are using a deceptive misrepresentation of FDCPA in an attempt to convince you to pay a debt you may not even owe.
The dispute provisions in FDCPA do not make an alleged debt owed just because you fail to dispute, or fail to dispute in a timely fashion. In fact, it specifically states that no court can construe a failure to dispute as an admission of liability.
NOTHING says you can't dispute even after 30 days. NOTHING says you owe it if you don't dispute, only that they can assume you do. It just says they can continue to attempt to collect, whereas if you request validation within 30 days of receiving their notice, they must cease collection activity until they send you proof.
In fact, you can dispute at any time, regardless of whether 30 days has passed, and they must notify anyone they disclose the alleged debt to, including credit reporting agencies, that you dispute it.
If they are putting erroneous collection account information on your credit reports, you can also dispute that, through the credit reporting agencies, and if they erroneously "verify", you can sue them for their error.
Send them a letter, certified return receipt requested, notifying them that you dispute this debt and are requesting validation. Indicate in your letter that you received their letter on , on returning from a trip out of the country. Make sure you mail this timely, so your certified mailing date is within 30 days of the date you returned, but regardless, get it in the mail.
If they want to ignore your provably timely validation request, they run the risk you will sue. Do they feel lucky?
If you have any problems, file a complaint with your state Attorney General for their violations of FDCPA, for deceptively telling you that you couldn't dispute and request validation.
Your certified receipt proves when you mailed your letter, your green card or USPS website confirmation shows when they got it, and your airline tickets, and passport stamps, or credit card charges prove when you left the country and when you got back.
If push comes to shove, you can prove your dispute is timely, and your inclusion of your letter receipt date in your dispute refutes their presumption that 30 days has passed, and puts them on notice that they must comply.
If they fail to cease collection until they send proof, given notice as above, you sue them. It doesn't matter what they think or tell you. All that matters is what a judge makes of it.
Fraudulent Collection Practice
Heads up Everyone! I received a letter from These Crooks (Afni, Inc) stating Dish Network, had placed my account with them for collection and also stating that if I failed to pay for they may furnish information about my account to credit bureaus. They sent the letter to my new current address and said that the balance due ($279) was from 2005. LOL I moved...
Read full review of Collection Agency and 1 commentconartists!!!!!
They are scam artists who are not looking to get the loan or whatever is in collections with them paid, they are instead looking for personal information. They got my social security number from me. I was stupid in that regards, but thank goodness I have common sense. I was offered a deal to pay back on a personal loan which went to collections with them. The total amount was about $8000 or so. Michael Peterson, spoke to me said if I could get them $1000 by 2/26/10, I could then pay $100 per month for 12 months and then we would make another arraingement at that point for the balance. I wouldn't accrue any interests in the interim. I agreed to do this. I called my bank and asked what was the best way to make these payments and protect my identity, my bank info, as well as, my bank account from being withdrawn without permission. They suggested I do a bill pay online. Which meant that the collection agency would receive a cashier's check directly from my bank within 4 days (well before the deadline given of the 26th) and then they would receive their $100 every month on whichever day they chose to be convinient to them. This would also arrive in a cashier's check.
Michael Peterson would not honor the arraingement unless I gave him my bank account number. Even though, this arraingement is better for them because a cashier's check is as good as cash, so they are assured it will not bounce, and the monthly payments are sent directly from the bank to them, so they would also never bounce and never be late. He would not let me speak to his supervisor, no matter how much I asked. When I requested to speak to Mr. Pezzuto directly, I was forwarded to a general voicemail. When I called again to request to speak to Mr. Peterson's supervisor, I was transferred to M.r Peterson, who continued to tell me that I had no deal with them unless I gave them my bank account number. He said that he was not going to do anything to my account, but it is obvious that there are suspicious motives when they won't accept the money, unless they can get their hands on my bank account number. I began to search the web for information on these people, and found pages of complaints, and other unethical, and even probably illegal behaviours.
They are harrasing me to pay this debt. I am willing to pay it. But they don't want to accept my money, unless I give them my personal, private and confidential information.
Something is very fishy about that.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Treated my elderly mom like a dog
Mom is 90+ years old. We found out about a bill she had after she had gotten far into debt. She have been paying her debt, but not much, because she is on a fixed income. The company turned it over to Patenaude and Felix. They sent her a letter, I called them to explain her situation, and they did not want to her it. They wanted their money and they wanted it now. Later in the week, I had mom to call them, and the man Milton... Won't say his last name. Yelled at mom like she was a dog, then he told her, that she was going to be sued, and a lien would be placed on her property. I am very upset with he service they have given us. Later I talk with a Victor who was supposed to be an attorney there, but, he was rude also. How dare they talk me and especially to mom like that.
I am going to file a complaint with the Attorney General Office and any other office I can file a complaint with, and I will be thinking about filing a lawsuit against them on behalf of mom. she is getting stressed out over what they have said to her.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
What idiots!
Lo behold, MRS ASSOCIATES called again, this Sunday morning @ 8:13am; the caller identified "himself" as Richard Thomas, BUT he did NOT identify the business name (I just recognized the number belonging to MRS Associates.
The call sounded like a pre-recorded message, saying...
"Thank-you...Hello, this is Thomas Richards; your documents have been brought to my attention this morning for review. Unfortunatelu, this has reached a point that I have to make a decision on your behalf. I would much rather discuss this with you now and give you a chance to get you information ont he record before a fianl decision is made. This will directly affect you, and I am willing to help you. Please return my call @ [protected]."
I tried to return his call but there was no answer; it is/was a Toll-Free number so I decided to hang on the line and keep listening to the ringing for more than 5 minutes...I hope this was a Toll-Free call that he has to pay for...LOL
I also dialed their main number [protected]) and got the customer service center number([protected]) from their recorded message.
After several minutes being on hold, a CSR named "Maryann" answered the phone and began "trying" to answer my questions; she could never tell me who the OC was, BUT she was able to tell me that MRS Associates was calling about a "debt" that they bought from LVNV Funding...in others words, they were acting a Junk Debt Buyer...LOL
Later, I was able to look at my CR and figure out what alleged debt that they were trying to collect on!
NOW, it is definitely time to play HARD BALL !
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
theft and lies
IF YOUR A DEBTOR or CLIENT I RECOMMEND YOU DO NOT PAY AND DO NOT DO BUSINESS
Florida First Financial
Lee Alan Reed & associates
Lighthouse capital solutoins
Reed & Susan lienhart
They have millions of unpaid dollars they have collected from debtors and never paid clients. They opperate their business out of its trust accounts. They force slave labor by hiring low wage minoritys and forcing them to work without time and 1/2. They force all collectors to work as independant contractors to avoid paying taxes. Susan and Reed even forced some who wanted to become employees to pay the companies share of social security. The lienharts are a scam there is nothing honest about them ! Yes thats lienhart with a "l" lower case they dont deserve a capital in the last name. Maybe they will use a capital L when they send him to prison for all the money he has stolen. His collector "Terry Don Smith" who stood by Reed's side for over 25 years, was repaid for his loyalty when he told Reed he had cancer and 2 weeks to live, Reed told him if he couldnt hang in with the big dogs he would fire him, and thats just what happend. Terry Don Smith was fired on a thursday with no pay, no severace, infact Reed held off almost 3000$ worth of payments so he wouldnt have to pay Terrys son, Terry died the following monday, God rest his sole. Reed then tried and claimed he treated Terry like a brother, it made everyone in the office sick. All I have to say is thank God im not Reeds brother. The internet is not big enough to hold a list of all the scams the lienharts have performed. See /link removed/ for more information. Please post any information you have on this dishonest corporation!
Please file complaints with the banking and finance department which regulates collection agencies with complaints
Please file complaints with the better business bureau
If you are a consumer or client that has been cheated out of money by Florida First Financial do something about it please, dont let these compaines continue with their on going criminal enterprise
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Been in the telecom industry, I can tell you spoofing is illegal, you can always use other resources to follow thru. You may want to contact The US attorney general, the FCC as well as the FTC. Also if this is interstate you can actually contact the FBI.
Based on the law, they cannot contact you at your place of business. They are only legally able to contact you at your home; you can also send a stop and desist letter via certified mail.
Record their conversation, when you speak to them if you do, many of them have no clue of the law and make drastic mistake threatening people. They can't make any statements in which they can destroy your credit, call your family, call your work and or tell everybody that you have debts and you do not pay, this is protected by the law. IN this case now you have the upper hand, as now they open the door for a lawsuit, almost any attorney will take this type of cases on contingency. Is an infringement of your rights and punish by law. This people use scare tactics to scare people and even collect many times the same debts that have been paid previously.
The reality nothing that they can do, if you do not or can't pay, they must take you to court and get a judgment against you, then they need to be able to collect.
You want to get even, call then day in and day out, to their numbers use redial, and have anybody that you know do the same, do it day in and day out, that will shut down their PBX system, if they do it to you do it to them.
Yes annoying, but effective if hundreds of people do the same and saturate their phone lines.
Remember their 800 are free to you, they pay for it, call put them on hold and have your friend do the same, do this every day as much as you can. IF they have the right to harass you, you have the right to do the same to them. They called you first! Block your number if that makes you feel more comfortable. You are not subject to the same laws, do not talk to them, that is what they want, if you call back and talk to them they are verifying that you are acknowledging the debt regardless of the purpose of the call as they will not believe you are not the right person.
Here are some of the biggest scan bags in the industry, and believe me they are all scan bags at the end. They count on you to be afraid of them.
RGS Financial
http://www.rgsfinancial.com/
P.O. Box 852039
Richardson, TX [protected]
RGS Financial, Inc.
1700 Jay-Ell Drive
Suite 200
Richardson, TX 75081
Call their 800 numbers is free to you but not to them.
They use many spoof numbers if any, as many times they use no caller ID on purpose but they leave you a number to call. Always keep the recording particularly if they are menacing and report does to your police local department as now you have a legal record.
Spoof Number used: [protected]
Viking Collection Service, Inc.
Minnesota
7500 Office Ridge Circle, Suite 100
Eden Prairie, MN 55344Arizona
2075 West Pinnacle Peak Road, Suite 110
Phoenix, Arizona 85027 Spoof number use caller id Block. One of their numbers is [protected]
Primary Financial Services also uses Collection agency services to mask there illegal practices (http://www.collectionagencyservices.net/)
http://www.primaryfinancial.com/ (Their web site is been down for long time to be able to cover their illegal practices)
3115 N 3rd Ave Ste 112
Phoenix, AZ 85013
[protected]
[protected]
If you want to negotiate a settlement call your original lender directly, do not negotiate with this scan bags, they are on commissions or percentages based. Many banks and lender will negotiate up to 80 % of the debts, make sure they do not report it to the IRS if not they can make you pay the taxes on the remaining amount, and make sure they clean your credit, get it in writing first.
Don't get mad get even.
People which do block the caller ID and or use Spoof numbers always have something to hide, that is the only reason they will use a Spoof number (Fake number / Voip Number / Or PBX number whit no actual connection only rings and then dies) Report them to the Authorities, this business practices are illegal and punish by law: if they use spoof numbers, Obscene and rude language, threats, harassment, all this are felonies and punish by law. Report them to your Local Telecom provider, your local District attorney, the local police department, your local senator, record the conversation and keep any and all voice mail left, don't be afraid, they can do absolutely nothing to you till they take you to court if you owe them any money, is futile to argue with ignorant people.
THIS IS AMERICA,
More info
They don't get to choose whether they grant a dispute. They have to follow the law, specifically FDCPA.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre27.pdf
They claim that you can't dispute it just because you didn't receive it in less than 30 days is false and deceptive, and therefore a violation of FDCPA. FDCPA does not say that anywhere.
What it says is that their initial notice to you must say this:
"...
(3) a statement that unless the consumer, within thirty days after receipt of the notice, disputes the validity of the debt, or any portion thereof, the debt will be assumed to be valid by the debt collector;
(4) a statement that if the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, the debt collector will obtain verification of the debt or a copy of a judgment against the consumer and a copy of such verification or judgment will be mailed to the consumer by the debt collector; and
(5) a statement that, upon the consumer’s written request within the thirty-day period, the debt collector will provide the consumer with the name and address of the original creditor, if different from the current creditor.
(b) If the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period described in subsection (a) that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, or that the consumer requests the name and address of the original creditor, the debt collector shall cease collection of the debt, or any disputed portion thereof, until the debt collector obtains verification of the debt or any copy of a judgment, or the name and address of the original creditor, and a copy of such verification or judgment, or name and address of the original creditor, is mailed to the consumer by the debt collector. Collection activities and communications that do not otherwise violate this title may continue during the 30-day period referred to in subsection (a) unless the consumer has notified the debt collector in writing that the debt, or any portion of the debt, is disputed or that the consumer requests the name and address of the original creditor. Any collection activities and communication during the 30-day period may not overshadow or be inconsistent with the disclosure of the consumer’s right to dispute the debt or request the name and address of the original creditor.
(c) The failure of a consumer to dispute the validity of a debt under this section may not be construed by any court as an admission of liability by the consumer.
..."
THe 30 day FDCPA validation request period does not begin when they send it, but when your RECEIVE it. They may assume you have received it, say, 5 days after you mailed it, but that assumption is rebuttable, as in your case you couldn't have received it until returning from your trip.
Note that you have 30 days from YOUR RECEIPT of their letter, and if you were out of the country, you obviously didn't receive it until you got back.
They are using a deceptive misrepresentation of FDCPA in an attempt to convince you to pay a debt you may not even owe.
The dispute provisions in FDCPA do not make an alleged debt owed just because you fail to dispute, or fail to dispute in a timely fashion. In fact, it specifically states that no court can construe a failure to dispute as an admission of liability.
NOTHING says you can't dispute even after 30 days. NOTHING says you owe it if you don't dispute, only that they can assume you do. It just says they can continue to attempt to collect, whereas if you request validation within 30 days of receiving their notice, they must cease collection activity until they send you proof.
In fact, you can dispute at any time, regardless of whether 30 days has passed, and they must notify anyone they disclose the alleged debt to, including credit reporting agencies, that you dispute it.
If they are putting erroneous collection account information on your credit reports, you can also dispute that, through the credit reporting agencies, and if they erroneously "verify", you can sue them for their error.
Send them a letter, certified return receipt requested, notifying them that you dispute this debt and are requesting validation. Indicate in your letter that you received their letter on , on returning from a trip out of the country. Make sure you mail this timely, so your certified mailing date is within 30 days of the date you returned, but regardless, get it in the mail.
If they want to ignore your provably timely validation request, they run the risk you will sue. Do they feel lucky?
If you have any problems, file a complaint with your state Attorney General for their violations of FDCPA, for deceptively telling you that you couldn't dispute and request validation.
Your certified receipt proves when you mailed your letter, your green card or USPS website confirmation shows when they got it, and your airline tickets, and passport stamps, or credit card charges prove when you left the country and when you got back.
If push comes to shove, you can prove your dispute is timely, and your inclusion of your letter receipt date in your dispute refutes their presumption that 30 days has passed, and puts them on notice that they must comply.
If they fail to cease collection until they send proof, given notice as above, you sue them. It doesn't matter what they think or tell you. All that matters is what a judge makes of it.
Florida courts systems hut them down check Florida Case number 06-CA-004950
Wrong Party
A company call Allied Data Have a Collector to call my home 3x in one back to back because I do not knnw the person he was calling I try to expalin to the young I just rec'vd this number He kept. cussing me out, also my daughter pick up the other phone he curse her out to. I stop him the first time he had the wrong#. I call the company and spoke with Operation Mgr. No help. he just brush me off the said he took # out . That not good enough . Will
write to the Attorney General's Office.
10 year old bill!
I recently received a letter from Afni, Inc indicating that I owe 111.28 for a verizon account that they claim I owe since 1998. It has been 10 years so I do not have any recollection of this bill but I can say I never received a bill prior to moving. I am rather surprised that I am being charged for a bill that is 10 years old. I have no proof that I actually owe this money. They are indicating that if this money is not paid by 11/30/2007 my credit will be affected.
Been in the telecom industry, I can tell you spoofing is illegal, you can always use other resources to follow thru. You may want to contact The US attorney general, the FCC as well as the FTC. Also if this is interstate you can actually contact the FBI.
Based on the law, they cannot contact you at your place of business. They are only legally able to contact you at your home; you can also send a stop and desist letter via certified mail.
Record their conversation, when you speak to them if you do, many of them have no clue of the law and make drastic mistake threatening people. They can't make any statements in which they can destroy your credit, call your family, call your work and or tell everybody that you have debts and you do not pay, this is protected by the law. IN this case now you have the upper hand, as now they open the door for a lawsuit, almost any attorney will take this type of cases on contingency. Is an infringement of your rights and punish by law. This people use scare tactics to scare people and even collect many times the same debts that have been paid previously.
The reality nothing that they can do, if you do not or can't pay, they must take you to court and get a judgment against you, then they need to be able to collect.
You want to get even, call then day in and day out, to their numbers use redial, and have anybody that you know do the same, do it day in and day out, that will shut down their PBX system, if they do it to you do it to them.
Yes annoying, but effective if hundreds of people do the same and saturate their phone lines.
Remember their 800 are free to you, they pay for it, call put them on hold and have your friend do the same, do this every day as much as you can. IF they have the right to harass you, you have the right to do the same to them. They called you first! Block your number if that makes you feel more comfortable. You are not subject to the same laws, do not talk to them, that is what they want, if you call back and talk to them they are verifying that you are acknowledging the debt regardless of the purpose of the call as they will not believe you are not the right person.
Here are some of the biggest scan bags in the industry, and believe me they are all scan bags at the end. They count on you to be afraid of them.
RGS Financial
http://www.rgsfinancial.com/
P.O. Box 852039
Richardson, TX [protected]
RGS Financial, Inc.
1700 Jay-Ell Drive
Suite 200
Richardson, TX 75081
Call their 800 numbers is free to you but not to them.
They use many spoof numbers if any, as many times they use no caller ID on purpose but they leave you a number to call. Always keep the recording particularly if they are menacing and report does to your police local department as now you have a legal record.
Spoof Number used: [protected]
Viking Collection Service, Inc.
Minnesota
7500 Office Ridge Circle, Suite 100
Eden Prairie, MN 55344Arizona
2075 West Pinnacle Peak Road, Suite 110
Phoenix, Arizona 85027 Spoof number use caller id Block. One of their numbers is [protected]
Primary Financial Services also uses Collection agency services to mask there illegal practices (http://www.collectionagencyservices.net/)
http://www.primaryfinancial.com/ (Their web site is been down for long time to be able to cover their illegal practices)
3115 N 3rd Ave Ste 112
Phoenix, AZ 85013
[protected]
[protected]
If you want to negotiate a settlement call your original lender directly, do not negotiate with this scan bags, they are on commissions or percentages based. Many banks and lender will negotiate up to 80 % of the debts, make sure they do not report it to the IRS if not they can make you pay the taxes on the remaining amount, and make sure they clean your credit, get it in writing first.
Don't get mad get even.
People which do block the caller ID and or use Spoof numbers always have something to hide, that is the only reason they will use a Spoof number (Fake number / Voip Number / Or PBX number whit no actual connection only rings and then dies) Report them to the Authorities, this business practices are illegal and punish by law: if they use spoof numbers, Obscene and rude language, threats, harassment, all this are felonies and punish by law. Report them to your Local Telecom provider, your local District attorney, the local police department, your local senator, record the conversation and keep any and all voice mail left, don't be afraid, they can do absolutely nothing to you till they take you to court if you owe them any money, is futile to argue with ignorant people.
THIS IS AMERICA,
More info
They don't get to choose whether they grant a dispute. They have to follow the law, specifically FDCPA.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre27.pdf
They claim that you can't dispute it just because you didn't receive it in less than 30 days is false and deceptive, and therefore a violation of FDCPA. FDCPA does not say that anywhere.
What it says is that their initial notice to you must say this:
"...
(3) a statement that unless the consumer, within thirty days after receipt of the notice, disputes the validity of the debt, or any portion thereof, the debt will be assumed to be valid by the debt collector;
(4) a statement that if the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, the debt collector will obtain verification of the debt or a copy of a judgment against the consumer and a copy of such verification or judgment will be mailed to the consumer by the debt collector; and
(5) a statement that, upon the consumer’s written request within the thirty-day period, the debt collector will provide the consumer with the name and address of the original creditor, if different from the current creditor.
(b) If the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period described in subsection (a) that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, or that the consumer requests the name and address of the original creditor, the debt collector shall cease collection of the debt, or any disputed portion thereof, until the debt collector obtains verification of the debt or any copy of a judgment, or the name and address of the original creditor, and a copy of such verification or judgment, or name and address of the original creditor, is mailed to the consumer by the debt collector. Collection activities and communications that do not otherwise violate this title may continue during the 30-day period referred to in subsection (a) unless the consumer has notified the debt collector in writing that the debt, or any portion of the debt, is disputed or that the consumer requests the name and address of the original creditor. Any collection activities and communication during the 30-day period may not overshadow or be inconsistent with the disclosure of the consumer’s right to dispute the debt or request the name and address of the original creditor.
(c) The failure of a consumer to dispute the validity of a debt under this section may not be construed by any court as an admission of liability by the consumer.
..."
THe 30 day FDCPA validation request period does not begin when they send it, but when your RECEIVE it. They may assume you have received it, say, 5 days after you mailed it, but that assumption is rebuttable, as in your case you couldn't have received it until returning from your trip.
Note that you have 30 days from YOUR RECEIPT of their letter, and if you were out of the country, you obviously didn't receive it until you got back.
They are using a deceptive misrepresentation of FDCPA in an attempt to convince you to pay a debt you may not even owe.
The dispute provisions in FDCPA do not make an alleged debt owed just because you fail to dispute, or fail to dispute in a timely fashion. In fact, it specifically states that no court can construe a failure to dispute as an admission of liability.
NOTHING says you can't dispute even after 30 days. NOTHING says you owe it if you don't dispute, only that they can assume you do. It just says they can continue to attempt to collect, whereas if you request validation within 30 days of receiving their notice, they must cease collection activity until they send you proof.
In fact, you can dispute at any time, regardless of whether 30 days has passed, and they must notify anyone they disclose the alleged debt to, including credit reporting agencies, that you dispute it.
If they are putting erroneous collection account information on your credit reports, you can also dispute that, through the credit reporting agencies, and if they erroneously "verify", you can sue them for their error.
Send them a letter, certified return receipt requested, notifying them that you dispute this debt and are requesting validation. Indicate in your letter that you received their letter on , on returning from a trip out of the country. Make sure you mail this timely, so your certified mailing date is within 30 days of the date you returned, but regardless, get it in the mail.
If they want to ignore your provably timely validation request, they run the risk you will sue. Do they feel lucky?
If you have any problems, file a complaint with your state Attorney General for their violations of FDCPA, for deceptively telling you that you couldn't dispute and request validation.
Your certified receipt proves when you mailed your letter, your green card or USPS website confirmation shows when they got it, and your airline tickets, and passport stamps, or credit card charges prove when you left the country and when you got back.
If push comes to shove, you can prove your dispute is timely, and your inclusion of your letter receipt date in your dispute refutes their presumption that 30 days has passed, and puts them on notice that they must comply.
If they fail to cease collection until they send proof, given notice as above, you sue them. It doesn't matter what they think or tell you. All that matters is what a judge makes of it.
First of all...
a bill from 1998 will not go against your credit...so I am sure you did not hear that from the agent...
You have no proof you owe the money? You admitted you never received the final bill.
Back then before Verizon was Verizon, and probably to this day...the phone companies all send you one revised final bill when you disconnect service. (when you call them up)
They have to wait 30 days to generate 1 final bill, due to overlapping of bill cycles usually, and for time to be alotted so long distance charges can be addressed.
So dont freak out...
just show proof you paid it or pay the bill
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