What to Do When Fake Debt Collection Scammers Call
I got a phone call message which said someone would be by my home and place of employment to give me a summons. That kinda startled me. Then later I called the number back and spoke with someone. They said I had this old debt, I told them that I never had such a card. They then told me that I should be getting served a summons and would need to fill out my court documents. But, if that happen yet I could settle over the phone for .50 on the dollar.
They didn't know who was supposed to serve me (sheriff) and didn't even know where I lived. They just rattled off addresses.
They kept threatening that the court date would be set as soon as the guy showed up at my house.
In haste I made a payment in full (reduced amount of course) to settle and not go to court!
Thinking back, they totally got me! I totally drew a blank on the SOL.
What tricked me the most was they said I, or someone, had made payments for the last 10 years... Yeah right!
So what do you the best course of action is here? I paid on a credit card and was just going to pay it off (keeping a zero balance is habit now).
Should I cancel the payment? Did I screw up the SOL?
They also emailed me a contract but I haven't read it so haven't signed it.
I was thinking to reply that they need to state they won't take me to court and that they have called off the summons... Basically get them to admit to their illegal bullying threats so I could collect the fines from them.
What do you advise? Thanks.
Was I just scammed by a debt collector? What can I do now?
—TJ
Short answer
Never pay a debt collector who opens with a same day threat, mentions your arrest, calls themselves an investigator, or will not name the company they work for. Those are the marks of a fake. Take notes, file complaints, and speak with a consumer lawyer before you send anyone money.
Key points on this page
- A same day “or else”, such as being sued today or served at work, paired with an offer to stop it if you pay right now, is very likely a scam. Real collectors and process servers just show up.
- Any mention of arrest is a red flag. Unpaid credit cards do not lead to arrest. A bench warrant can only follow a failure to obey a court order, such as missing an asset discovery hearing, and collectors do not call to tell you about that.
- Anyone calling themselves an investigator, or threatening to involve one, is using an intimidation tactic. Properly trained collectors cannot act in a false or misleading way.
- Collectors are required to tell you who they work for and what debt they are calling about. Any hesitation or failure to identify themselves is a huge red flag.
- Scammers get real details from social networks, purchased consumer data, or a hacked collection system, so the debt they name may be one you actually recognize.
- If in doubt: take notes with names, dates and times, capture the caller number, keep any voicemail, file complaints with your state Attorney General and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, talk to an experienced consumer lawyer, and do not set up any payment.
Believe it or not, there are varying degrees of debt collection scams. And it is because of these differences, my feedback to people who interact on this, and other sites I participate on, can change. I wish things were more cut and dry, but because licensed and bonded debt collectors can say and do the darnedest things, even when they are collecting legitimate debts, there are blurred lines. Add to that the fact that fake debt collectors continue to get better at… faking it, things can become less clear.
What to do, and how to go about doing it, when you suspect you are being called by an outright debt collection rip off artist, can be different than when you are dealing with a debt collector crossing the line with their unprofessional actions. I am going to focus on the fakers first.
When Fake Debt Collectors Call You
There has been a rash of fake debt collection scams of late. Ten years ago it was not something I would run into. Nowadays, between my site, and many others that are part of my daily activity and news feed, I see a reference to some fake debt collector on a near daily basis. And some of what I see shows that the scam is getting more sophisticated.
Here are some things to look out for from a debt collection scam phone call.
- The debt collector opens the call with an immediate sense of urgency statement. This would mean saying something with an or else that packs a punch, like; you are going to be sued later today if we cannot get a payment set up right now; there is someone coming to your work to serve you a lawsuit.
Legitimate debt collectors and process servers do not make these threats. They just show up. The fact is, virtually any debt collection lawsuit that someone took the trouble to file, is going to serve you with it before talking word one about payments. That is just how that kind of escalated collection action works. There is such a low probability that a legitimate debt collector will both threaten you with an “or else” set to happen same day (or close to it), while simultaneously suggesting your payment will put a stop to it, that the chance of this being a fake debt collection scam are high.
- A debt collector mentions anything about your arrest.
There are very limited instances where you could be arrested for not paying an unpaid bill. Court fines and fees reach to that level, and so can unpaid child support, but unpaid credit cards and other types of debt do not. An exception could be if you were sued, and there is a legitimate judgment entered in the court. If there was an order from a judge that you did not follow, like appear for an asset discovery hearing, it is possible to have a bench warrant out there. But that would be for failure to comply with the courts order, not for lack of payment on a civil judgment. And debt collectors do not call you up to inform you of that in my experience.
- The debt collector refers to themselves as an investigator, or that they will contact the investigator on your case.
Debt collectors that are trained properly cannot act in a false or misleading manner in an effort to get you to pay. Referring to any investigator is awfully close to suggesting there is law enforcement involved in collecting the debt. This is an intimidation tactic. These kinds of words and phrases are not used by legitimate debt collectors.
- They will not name the collection company they are working for.
Debt collectors are required to inform you of who they work for, and the debt they are contacting you about. Any pause with, or failure to identify themselves clearly and immediately, is a huge red flag.
Debt Collection Scams are Getting Sophisticated
Some debt collection scams are designed for the quick cash. They need to scam as quick as they can using a few phone calls to their mark, or to your family members or work place. How is it that a fake collection scam can get the information they need to really cause you stress and pressure you to pay them something?
- They can learn about you, your family, friends and work place through social networks.
- Scam debt collectors with a higher level of sophistication can potentially purchase data about you directly from the credit reporting bureaus, or through a data aggregator or software company, just like legitimate debt collectors do today.
- A legitimate debt collector may have had your debt at one time. Perhaps they did not know their CMS or data management system was hacked, or files copied and sold to someone with a fake collection scam going.
In fact, the debt a scam collector may say you owe is something that could still show on your credit reports, or that once was on them. That is why you may recall the debt in the first place, and be susceptible to fork over some money to stop a fake lawsuit, arrest, or potential embarrassment.
Websites are now being published by some of the fake debt collection scams. When someone shares the name of the supposed collection scam company, I usually see what I can find online about them. I rarely see any company web presence. But more recently I am seeing some decently designed, but very basic websites with the scam company name, or something close to it as the URL. Legitimate debt collectors in this day and age have larger, more well put together web sites, and a strong web presence in general. Fake collectors websites that I have seen tend to have a home, about, and maybe one or two additional pages. The pages are skinny on any details and have no industry badging that you find on legitimate collection company sites.
When the Real Thing Looks Like a Fake
I was not kidding about some of the ways licensed and bonded debt collection agencies can be found to step over clear lines of consumer protection laws. It is not hard to understand why they do it. A real debt collector can have a real hard time getting paid when people are struggling to pay today’s bills, let alone pay for the past.
None of that excuses bad collection behavior, and it sure does not help public perception of debt collectors.
Real debt collectors may make empty threats about you being sued. These threats may not be as direct as the fake debt collectors, but the verbiage and tone that is used can be implied to the point that is what you think you heard an hour later.
Most legitimate debt collectors do not use “or else” type of threats to collect. They can be sued for these types of tactics.
In fact, virtually everything I mention that the fake debt collectors do, a real debt collector can and often will be sued for. The debt collection laws they would be breaking are both state and federal violations. Many consumer law attorneys will take these kinds of collection violations on at no charge to you, and instead are paid by the other side. This means all of their fees are covered. You could see some money back for your trouble too.
It is imperative for everyone who is harassed or abused by a debt collector to take action. You should connect with an experienced collections violation consumer law attorney. Post about your situation in the comments below and I can provide feedback and contact details to someone who can help you.
What to do About the Scam Debt Collector
You can legitimately owe a debt, but still be scammed, whether by real or fake collectors, so… when in doubt… never pay a debt collector making threats like I outline above. If you even have a whiff of concern the debt is not yours, too old to be collected, or that the collector contacting you is either a fake, or a collector willing to step over the legal lines and violate your rights, you should:
- Take good notes of any conversation.
- Write down names, dates, times.
- Capture the caller ID and/or write down any phone numbers they provided for return calls.
- Keep a copy of any voice mail recordings they left.
- File complaints with your state AG and with the CFPB when you have identified the collection company.
- Speak with an experienced consumer lawyer.
- Do not make, set up, or arrange for payments.
Having said all of that, I should mention again that most debt collectors you encounter are not going to be fake. They are not going to violate your rights. If you have a question about the legitimacy of a debt collector, or their behavior, lets talk about it in the comments below.
I reached out to the above reader offline to encourage getting those payments reversed. Hopefully he will share more about his experiences in the comments below.
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About Michael BoveeMichael started CRN in 2004 with a mission to provide people in need with detailed debt and credit help and education. Michael has participated as an expert panelist in federal consumer protection rule making, collaborated on state law changes governing debt consolidation, has worked as an expert witness in court matters related to the debt relief industry. He is available to speak with you about your financial struggle and helps people resolve their debt problems daily.
Definitive Consulting Services 844-349-9264. The website gives their office location as 41831 Mcalby St Ste E Murrieta, CA 92562. Someone from National Document Delivery called my mother saying that they were attempting to deliver a subpoena. They would not give my mother any information, but gave her the number for Definitive Consulting and told her that perhaps someone there would be able to give her information about what I was being sued over. My mother called and talked to a Daniel Soto, who told her it was over a loan I had taken out in 2008. I knew that I had no loans then because I was in bankruptcy then. I called Definitive and told them my mother had given me a phone number and a case number, I had no idea what it was about. Daniel said that it was for an HSBC credit card that I had in 2008. The balance was $1700,and it needed to be paid, or I would have attorney fees and other court costs added on. I told him that I did not recall having a credit card at that time. The only information he would give me was an account number. He said all the information was sealed, and that I would be able to view it during Discovery if we went to court. He did tell me the account was opened in December of 2008. I told him I was going to do some investigating of my own, and I would call back in a couple of days. He said if he did not hear from me, then he would have to proceed and file with the court. I did call Capitol One ( who bought out HSBC) and talked with a representative who was able to pull the account number, but it was opened March 25, 2006 and closed in December 2007. He told me that chargeoff had been sold to another company, but could not see what the balance was. I still do no remember having a credit card during this time. I feel like this is a scam because the information that Daniel is giving is so sketchy. He only had two old addresses. He said they had mailed settlement letters to both a couple of weeks ago. I never received any mailings at all. I lived in Indiana at the time I had the card, and I believe is it past the SOL for that state. Just looking for some advice on how to proceed. The account is not on my credit report, as it is so old it has dropped off.
What state are you in now? If this was last paid in 2007, it is highly likely it is past the SOL no matter where you live, and that these guys are running a scam on you with the legal threats.
Hi Michael,
Thank you for this very informative article. Yesterday 1/9/17 someone called my father stating that they wanted to know if I would be there ( I have not lived at home for almost 10 years/ Married now) to serve me with “legal documents”. They then gave my father a #WNP26652-1190 and the following phone number 844-597-8698 and asked that I call them. I called the number and it took me 5 calls to get the “name of the company” EME Group then MEM Group then Morgan Edwards Mediation Group. The person on the phone “Amy” Ext 301 said I had a cc from 2012 that was some 2000 some odd dollars with HSBC/Direct Merchant’s. I have never been with either company ever. I told her that I have never been with any such company nor have I ever rec’d any information about this via mail. I said I needed to pull my credit report and contact our family lawyer for more information on what to do. But I told her that I never had this debt. She did not really try to get money from me but when I asked for their address she flat out refused to give it stating that it puts there safety at risk?? She did say that she put in her “system” that I dispute the dept and something about 120 days. I am really confused. I did call back and got a po box from someone else with the last name Ross it is as follows Po Box 357 Ocala FL . Thanks for any help.
Misty
Sounds like a scam to me Misty. And looks like one from what I reviewed in a few searches. I would steer clear of them if it were me, and also not give it another thought.
I have a company named Civil Court Services that wants to put a lien on my bank account due to a bill of 125.00. The debt is from an actual company and debt is owed to the company but the amounts are different. I don’t know if these people are real or not. The website they gave me was www. Civilcourtservices.com and phone exchange in 888 811 9482.
I would not take any debt collector with that shoddy website seriously if it were me.
I received a call from a restricted number. They left a message on my voicemail saying that were calling on behalf of a client and had legal papers to serve me that were refused by someone else. They called my mother also, wanting my phone number. She did not give it them. I called the number They said I needed to call “within 2 hours to avoid further legal action” and I was told by the person who answered that I had reached Robert and associates. He asked me to verify my social security number and date of birth which I refused to do over the phone. He argued with me about how he already has the information and would not tell me what they were “suing” me for unless I verified the information right then. I told him I would not do that over the phone and that I would first do some investigating to find out if they were legit or a scam. He kept saying “you know what, don’t waste my time.” The phone number to Robert and associates is 4242423147. The person I spoke with identified himself as Mark Rodriguez. How can I know if this is legit?
Any debt collector that says you have 2 hours to respond or legal action is being taken is likely a scam.
Ya I read this entire article and I believe I received a scam call today. It was a company called Trident Consulting Company. A guy named James Emery, and was pushing to have me pay the Same Day to get me off the “legal calendar” so he said he took me off the “legal calendar” for a couple hours because I told him I didn’t have a bank account or credit card, so he said he’ll give e me 2 hrs to call my family or friends and see if they will help with a credit or debit card. I said I’ll probably have to use a pre paid- but he Insisted I try and find a credit or debit card before I go the prepaid route. Now remember I said it was Trident Consulting Company…..Well when I called back the secretary answered Trident Consulting Firm….After she told me 2 times before it was Trident Consulting Company. They didn’t have all my addresses…Or phone number. They got in contact with my boss and he told me who to call. I also did some research and could find NOTHING ON THE COMPANY or the Guy James Emery. And when I told them to serve me a summons at my lawyers office, because I thought it was a scam….He got angry and said that I would have to pay for a lawyer too, and that it’s going to be way more money, and people wont stop calling and harassing me unless I make immediate payment to them today. Well I didn’t, first off the credit card was 8-10 years ago atleast…And I haven’t heard from them in years. Never received any paperwork…No voicemails…Nothing. it just seemed way too much like all the scams I hear about, even though he did have my social security number, but my address from 10-11 years ago….That would be SOL correct? And it was a 350$ credit card and now I owe $5,000.00! I Reported it to the local police and they said it definitely sounds like a scam. I put in the guys name and phone number on Google and all these scam complaint s came up. Was I right to assume this is probably a scam? Thanks very much.
I would have done the same.
hello Michael
my wife got a call from a unknown number stating that this person was a process server and is a independent legal services representing Bristol county and surrounding districts for the state of Massachusetts. I’m attending to notify (my wife name with the last 4 of your SSN (which they have correct) the i have a summons for you and i will be at your place between 12 to 5 pm. you need to make yourself available to sign however if you would like to read the charges that are filed against you or you need to reschedule your availability contact the party at 866-319-0885. if i don’t receive a receive a sub order from the party i will be escorted to your place of employment and you will need your supervisor to witness your signature. My sister in law also received this call for my wife and i also did . is this a scam and what can i do about this i have the recording as well as a transcript of the call.
Sounds just like many other scams. I would file complaints with the authorities outlined in the article above.
I keep receiving voicemails from an unknown number stating they are investigators and/or process servers that they will be delivering me a court summons to my job or home they have called a family member left the same message then I get a call today where the lady slipped up and told me a name Caldwell and Associates law firm 877-608-5490 looked them up couldn’t find anything googled the number nothing so I called recording says you have reached Caldwell law firm I hung up I don’t know who this is and what it’s about but it need to stop I’ve not received any correspondences nor do they have the right address
It sounds much the same as the other debt collection scams covered on this page.
I got a letter from eos cca saying I have a debt with att but I haven’t had any business with that company for more than 18 years. They said I can dispute it within 30 days otherwise they will assume the debt is valid. What should I do? I wouldn’t like to provide them with sensitive info from me. If this debt is true, does paying it reset the SOL because it is not in my credit report.
It is possible to receive a collection notice on a debt that is no longer on your credit, or that is passed the SOL to sue. Debt does not disappear after this long, but most legitimate debt collectors do not waste resources trying to collect on accounts this old.
I would ignore collections on debts this old if it were me (unless they continue to try to collect, or prove themselves a collection scam).
I received a phone message on my cell phone from a private number that said a complaint was forwarded to their office and I needed to contact them immediately as this was urgent. This is about pending action to be filed against me and if they don’t hear from me they’ll be forced to make a decision about the situation. Red flags went up for me but wanted to research this. The number they left was 855 291 1216. Anyone else heard of this?
That is the kind of message many fake debt collectors leave to begin their scam.
I received the same call today from the same number. They referenced a debt I paid two years ago but said I still owe. I asked why it was not on my credit report and all they said was some mumble then clearly stated well it was with an old bank account and bank accounts do not go on your credit. I called the previous collection company to confirm payment and they are re sending me proof. Just freaked me out because I have nothing showing on my credit report nor have I received anything. I requested they send me something in writing via email which I still have not received. I also filed with all major credit agencies that there may be fraud activities on my credit. Is there any other steps I can take?
What is the name of the collection outfit you dealt with back then, and who is contacting you now?
I just had the same thing happen yesterday and today so I called it was McKinley and associates llc a guy named Robert Carter telling me if I don’t pay them $2400 today I was going to be served papers its a load of BS it was from 2008 3 years after the sol I told him this he began to call me vulgar names
I would file the complaints outlined in the original article above.
McKinley & Associates LLC from Corona, CA called last night to say they had tried to serve my husband papers. They claimed he overdrafted a checking account in 2006 with Wachovia – but he didn’t have a checking account in 2006 because he was on the road. They said he would be taken to court anyway and have to pay for a lawyer. They threatened to put a lien on our car and savings accounts if we didn’t make a wire transfer immediately for $2877. They even gave us a wire transfer account through Chase. I Googled this web site and learned they were scammers and hung up. It is terrifying all the information they had on my husband going back decades including his SSN, drivers license number and former addresses.
I got a message with the same info, from the same number-but not for my name. Someone I never even heard of.
I called back after hours, and it said it belonged to a McKinley and Assoc. Only such company I found using Google was an architecture firm.
The whole thing definitely had a scammy whiff about it.
I just had an identical message left on my phone. Same number was left but was from an unidentified caller & no company name was given. Did anything ever come of your call? I think this screams scam personally c/s there are too many red flags (plus, I don’t have any current debts that I’m aware of either).
Hi. Somebody called my husband and left a message about a legal action against me. They called from 817 945 9267 and left a case number. I called and a woman who identified herself as Patty Phillips said she works for Zinco. She said she would transfer me with her legal department after confirming the last 4 digits of my social. I told her I wanted someone who speaks Spanish, because although I have good social English I cannot deal with legal matters in English. She said one moment and started to talk to someone then she returned to me and asked me if I understood it was something important. I said “si” and she started yelling at me saying I was pretending not to speak English, then she kept yelling I had to find someone who translate for me and I told her she had to do it because her company was calling me. She didn’t let me talk, she was yelling no, no, no while I was talking. I decided to hang up.
They had called three times already. They never said what debt I had.
Got a blocked ID call today, referencing a case number and asking me to call back, It was a 800 number that dialed a call center, which eventually was transferred to someone by the name of Anthony Mendez of Harbourside Financial. He told me that I owed First Bank of Delaware/Continental credit card (which by the way got shut down 8 years ago for abusive practice) but I can settle the debt and pending legal proceeding, if I agreed to pay $500. I initially refused to provide my CC number over the phone, but he said that he’d send me an email with the info on it.
After checking up on the company and review of this person, It seemed like a scam so I replied back to him that I would not sign and not to reach out to me again.
Btw, the http://www.harboursidefinancial.com is not even up and running and this was the url attached to his email address. The email that came in was sent thru rightsignature.com.
I was to save the form, sign it and then email it his email address, which showed as axm@harboursidefinancial.com
Hi I was contacted by an Albert Banks today from an unknown number, In his voice mail he tells me I need to make myself available to him between the hours of 12-3, he says he needs to reach regarding sealed documentation requiring 2 forms of ID and 2 witnesses. He states that he is coming by my work 1st, if I am not there he will speak to my supervisor or HR Manager and then he will be entering my home and my family members homes. If I want to cancel his appearance at those places I need to call (844) 344-5267 for direct reversal. If he does not reach me today, he will take it as direct refusal and further final action will be taken. He does not tell me where he is calling from or what it is regarding. I called the number and it is a place called Oakland Recovery Group, I was not able to find out much about them on the internet and I did not speak to them, because I believe it is a scam debt collector and don’t want to get further involved. Is there any way to know for sure if this is a scam or if it’s a legitimate company?
They also called my uncle and left a message on his cell phone number for me, the weird thing is that I have never given his number out to any one as a reference. His number is only a couple years old, I don’t even really use his number, how would they get it?
Once they know the connection (social media etc), they can skip trace your uncles number, and other people too.
File complaints with your state AG and the CFPB. No legitimate debt collector says those things.
Thank you, I really appreacite your help!
I figured they were getting info from my social media.
Thanks again!
I was called by a supposed debt collector which identified herself as a Dallas county process server and that a judgement had been made against me but i could have the judge and lawyers sign off if i could pay today. This woman has now called my brother (whom I have not spoken to in over a year) saying that i put him down as a reference and he is going to be summoned to court as well. She has also called my office saying that i need to call her back by 3pm today in regards to the litigation.
I did get a free over the phone consultation with a debt attorney and was assured that this is a scam.
Is there any way that this can be legitimate and that i can actually be getting sued or as she said having a warrant issued for my arrest?
Not in my opinion. This has all the identifiers of a debt collector scam.
I spoke with them today and asked for a validation of debt to be mailed and they said that they don’t have to do that and are informing me that they are filing a suit for check fraud. I asked for the name of their agency and address. I was given the run around but finally was given a PO box address and said that the company name was ARA (I asked if they are asset recovery associates and he said no. The company name is just ARA.)
That screams scam.
That’s what I’ve been told. I’ve done even more research into these people and there are at least 15 different 800 numbers that they give to people to call them back but none of the numbers are linked to a company. Every time they call me the number is blocked. I filed a complaint with the FTC. They haven’t called me today but I haven’t been served with papers either. If they are a legitimate debt collection agency they have violated multiple things within the FDCPA as per an attorney I talked to so if something comes up I’m told I have a strong case for a counter lawsuit.
Hello I have been receiving calls for about 3 years now regarding a pay day loan from 2012 that’s about 500.00. These people have threatened me with 3 to 5 years of prison telling me I will be charged with 2 counts of fraud if I didn’t pay immediately over the phone. I never paid and several years later here they are again calling me leaving crazy voice mails talking about setting up a possible court case. They have my last 4 digits of my social number but not my current last name. The company they say they are with often changes to different ones and I did research and they either don’t exist or are a scam. Now I have a certified letter in the mail that came but I havent went to see what it is… I see alot of scams going on. These people also call from private numbers. Can’t remember all the companies they said they are with. They also said they are going to issue a warrent for my arrest if I don’t pay as well and get it approved by the judge. What is this??? They where pretending I believe to be attornies reading off all these penal codes. Told me to prepare if I had children for them to stay with someone for when I go to prison. It scared me so bad I was shaking.
The newest number I was given to call is 18775051694. However when I call there is never an agent available and it goes to a voicemail that doesn’t even tell me what company they are with. I erased all my other voice mails and only have 1 now. Thought they would stop calling but they havent. I still refuse to see which certified mail they sent me because I think that will be a scam as well. None of the past businesses they gave me was found online. They are using my past pay day loan from ace cash express from 2012.
File the complaints with the agencies I reference above. You may also want to think about filing a police report.
I often encourage people to speak with an experienced debt collections violation attorney in your state. You can often pursue collectors for bad behavior at no cost to you. The problem with scammers is that they cannot be found to sue, or simply shut down that operation and start as a new scam.
If you would like to talk to a knowledgeable consumer law attorney in your state that handles things like this, post a reply with your state and I will email you a list.
Yes I would like to speak to one. I am in Texas. Thanks.
Thanks so much for your help. These people are calling themselves RNA recovery group which can’t be found on the Internet and they hung up on me when I asked them for their physical address because I refused to give them my personal info. I’m just writing this just incase for anyone else they might try and scam. The names always change. This time I will keep all records to turn into attorney.
Greetings. I have a scammer who has now called my place of employment twice. It’s a scam but the secretaries don’t know and I am incredibly upset. What can I do? Can I call the police? Please advise. I live in Miami.
You may be able to file a police report about harassment. The problem here is that scammers… scam. They often do not care. They do not think they will be caught.
You can file complaints with your state attorney general and the CFPB.
My mother received a phone call and message stating theor a complaint against me, she gave me the name of theach guy number and case number. I called and gentleman stated that back 2005 I had a capital one credit card, never I had a credit card in my life and there is a remaining balance of $1200 or more on this card loan, there was one yr of payments made and then the payments stop. He states that they sent notice to my house which I haven’t lived at for about 3 yrs and sent notice to my mother house but I never received no such letter. He stated that the account has been sold to HSCB to collect the debt and if I don’t come up with a payment arrangements they will be taking me to court to sue me for $5000 due to interest. Doesn’t sound right, because when I explained to him I don’t live at either address so I’ve never received any notice in regards to credit card ba lance due. What I find strange is I check my credit report often and I don’t see anything on there in regards to capital one or HSBC for those dates or amounts……if I owed or was late on any payments wouldn’t I see it on my credit report? I live state of PA
Trying to collect on a debt from 11 years ago, and threatening to sue in the same breath, is typically something I would call a scam.
Who is the collection company involved? What is the guys name and phone number?
He never says were he is from he just saI’d house Renaissance collection agency or Renaissance collection agency something to that effect. His nane is Keith Abram, file number is 361526-01 and call 855-758-7836
I Received an automated voicemail on my cell phone while I was at work on Friday about about an outstanding debt with Victoria Secret. I called back and spoke with a man who claims to be Michael Salerno from Delta Group (888-607-9251). He proceed to tell me that this was in regards to my Victoria’s Secret account. This was a legitimate account that was opened in 2006 and charged off in 4/23/2009. He actually gave me that date. My initial response to him was that this account is well outside the statute of limitations for California and that I did not owe the debt.. He gave me an explanation as to how it never really goes away when it is charged off.
He stated that I had 48 hours to settle this debt by payment or it would be automatically referred to a court calendar for hearing and that I would be responsible for the $748.57 plus court fees and attorney’s cost. He caught me completely off guard, as I was at work and already in “fix-it” mode. I was not on a recorded line this entire time but I started to buy what he was saying and didn’t want to go to court. He said he would contact the other attorneys office to see if they would accept less. He said for me to send a money order for $475 to the following address:
PERSOLVO
7421 Douglas Blvd.
Douglasville, Georgia 30135
He said that the name “PERSOLVO” stood for every one of the attorneys that own the firm. He said that I needed to call him back by 12:00 today with the next day air tracking number or else it will automatically default to the court calendar for hearing. He asked told me that he needed to switch to a recorded line for a second to protect him. He asked my name and if I agree to pay $475″. He then said he turned off the recording.
I was very angry with myself after I hung up because I actually studied consumer credit law on my own for months and was able to clean up my credit because of it. I know that although this debt did exist, it is so far outside of the 4 year statute of limitations in California.
I am hoping that this was a fake debit collector and not a real one. If it was real, they violated my rights by actively pursuing a debt that they knew was outside of the statute of limitations and by not sending me a debt validation notice within 5 days of their office receiving the file.
Of course I did not send the money and he was calling me first thing this morning. I told him this debt was outside the statute of limitations and that he was violating my rights. He did not argue and just said he would send it to the courts.
Do you think I have anything to be worried about? If it was real, do you think I may have accidentally re-set the statute of limitations?
My opinion is that you have nothing to worry about, it is not a legitimate debt collector (even though the debt may be a valid).
It is true that the debt does not go away after the SOL to sue passes. But his threats result in an attempt to scam you.
I would file complaints with the agencies referenced above. Check out this recent video I did with an excellent California debt collection violations attorney, Jeremy Golden. You may want to call in to his office for a free consult.
Does a Linda Kirkwood ring any bells? I received an email from her today saying I owed $890. And to avoid going to court for wire fraud for using the internet to commit to a debt, that I should pay today. There was no company name listed. No phone number. No info at all really.
I would not say she rings a bell, bit the scam you just outlined is real familiar.
I was contacted today by an unknown number and was told to call 832-709-2096 because I was going to be served tomorrow!! I was terrified and called the number right after hanging up with the lady that called me and I spoke with a John Mason and he told me I was being taken to court for a payday loan from back in 2013. He told me the only way to not be taken to court was if I gave them a credit card to put on file so they could deduct every payday! So I put my debit card on file and had my husband contact his lawyer ASAP. Well my husband contacted the 832-709-2096 and gave them my case number and no one could find the “case” so they asked who I had spoke with and he gave them John Masons name and he was the only one that knew about my “case.” My husband asked for their attorneys number and address so his attorney could contact them and Mr Mason said he didn’t know which attorney would be serving me but when I had spoken to him he had said ” Just a second let me get the hard copy from the attorneys desk” which then flagged me that I was being scammed so I rushed to my bank to close my account! Please people don’t fall for this debt scam! They knew the last 4 of my social and my date of birth which made me believe it was all true. My question is how did they get that info about me??
The accurate private information collection scammers use can be the result of access to your credit reports. It can also be due to stolen or hacked information that was part of a once legitimate collection, or that was purchased legitimately, but that is not be collected on with the intent to deceive.
Received a call today from a private number, stating he was going to serve me tomorrow and was seeing if I would be at my address. I told him no I had moved out of state. He proceeded to give me a case number and a phone number to the company proceeding with the law suit. He also stated it was with the same County in which I had used to reside in. The number given was 832-709-2096. I called that number hurriedly since I was at work. The other man answered and proceeded to tell me there was a lawsuit against a debt from a payday loan from 2013. I was to pay the amount and the lawsuit would be ceased. I payed the amount however am considering flagging the charge on my card as fraud. The company that is supposedly filing a suit, has publicly stated on their site that they are no longer a company as of June 2015. Do you believe I was scammed? If so should I proceed to cancel the charge?
Yes I do believe that you were scammed. I would call my bank and stop payment or trigger a fraud alert if it were me. What is the name of the company?
National recovery is trying to. Collect on a debt is 9 years and 11 month old
What state are you in? What was the debt at issue about (credit card, personal loan, etc)?
I was called by Allied Financial threatening a law suit for $2,000 and that I had been served at my old addresses and they will put a lean on my car and more threats. The debt was from Wells Fargo so I thought it was real and got scared because I did owe Wells Fargo $150 five years ago. The original debt they claimed was for $965 and I was in such a hurry that day I wasnt thinking and I was scared so i gave him my bank account number to take the funds out in 24 hours if I settled for $335. Well anyways I had time to google them later and they didnt even have a website or anything and a whole bunch of scam pages came up in google for them so I realized I was probably scammed. So I called my bank and froze my account and cancelled my debit card. Now I am going to use the advice on this page to help me.