On another note...
This is the number Optus is providing.... Somethings gotta give...

We just called 1300 662 061 ... He answered with "Hello, Blake speaking"...
Now what kind of Debt Collection Company answers their phone by saying Just that... Its a little dodgy... I don't trust them... I went to the CMA website... has a different number again... 1300 893 988...

I don't think anyone should be calling the 061 number and offering them their private details... perhaps you should all do a little more research in the number.. I for one will not be paying anyone over the phone using VISA or MasterCard... or BANK ACCOUNT details... without knowing EXACTLY who they are... and who they represent... if anyone...
Call the company they you owe money too... if they have referred your debt to a different company... ask them for the number directly...
Then, I would be asking that company for an invoice...

My thoughts...
You can never be to careful.

Wanted to speak to a fellow work collegue about a personal business matter regarding his name would not give any more information so did nothing further reckon it is just a nuisance call if it was legitate or important they would have given more info.

They are debt collector's. lol

Im not getting CMA, Im getting a company called IRL? They have called me 3 times now asking for address and DOB. Ive been into 2 different Optus stores and nobody has heard of this company but they keep calling me. I wont give my address because I dont want to and I dont owe anyone any money!! They asked if I have recieved all the letters from them but again I said no! Optus has my address and I get all their other mail so why cant they get it right???!
All you people saying google it, try google IRL. Nothing... They say they are a financial service?

Customer Agreement - signed by Optus Customers

8.7 What happens if you do not pay your bill by the due date?
If you do not pay your bill by the date the payment is due, we may:
(a) charge you a late fee.  You should see the relevant standard pricing table for the service concerned to check the late fee that applies;
(b) suspend or cancel the service, in accordance with clause  or  as relevant or the relevant service description. If we suspend or cancel the service, we may charge you a suspension fee or cancellation fee.   If the service is cancelled and the service disconnected or deactivated, you may have to pay a reconnection or reactivation fee for the reconnection or reactivation of the service. You should see the relevant standard pricing table for the service concerned to check what fees apply, and if fees do apply, what that fee is;
(c) engage a mercantile agent to recover the money you owe us.  If we engage a mercantile agent, we may charge you a recovery fee;
(d) institute legal proceedings against you to recover the money you owe us.  If we institute legal proceedings, we may seek to recover our reasonable legal costs reasonable incurred; and
(e) on-sell any unpaid amounts to a third party.  If we do this, any outstanding amounts will be payable to that third party.

Try the number once. the matter might be sorted in one call

CMA = CHARTER MERCANTILE AGENCY

http://www.chartermerc.com.au/contact.html

I got a call from a person who said his name was x, got my first name wrong (similar but wrong), wrong suburb, said he was calling on behalf of Optus. Wanted my DOB and address which I refused. When I insisted on more information he gave me this 1300 phone number and a reference number. I then rang Optus. They were great- stated this 1300 number is for a credit agency that Optus uses but end result, they rang the company and my phone number is now removed from the credit company's data base. It seems the credit agency targets anyone with a similar name and will harrass you until they get a result. My suggestion is to give NO information to anyone over the phone and ring Optus or whoever the company claims to be representing and get it sorted. There are so many scams these days and it can pay to ignore calls but there is always a chance that someone is using your identity, putting you in debt and stuffing up your credit rating. Having said that there must be a better way for debt collectors to ensure they have the right person before they make endless calls to the wrong person demanding personal information- for eg cross checking the phone number and details with Optus would be a good start. Shame on you Charter Mercantile for being so lazy and unethical.

I just recieved a call from a private number asking for my daughter  and when i said she wasnt here they left a ref number and a phone number 13000662061 and said it was a business matter and his company was just called Charter this time!

One of ur creditors cud've passed ur details to the debt collection agency..so pay ur bills on time and u will not receive any calls....ur credit rating will be safe as well...

If you dont have any outstanding bills just send a notice advising to cease collection attemtps and resolve it....lol

They area debt collection company...you may want to call and check what is it in realtion to..it could be some outstanding debt... owise they will keep chasing you...

If you believe u have no debts ...just call them or send a notice advising the same to their address and should stop calls....

I received this text to telling me to call jack back :s is there point in ringing back?

Just got a call from CMA!!!  asked if this was the XXXXXXXX household.  Wanted to talk to Mr Bruce XXXXX claimed he had the number from white pages and it relates to an urgent personal business matter!!!!

His name Jack and return n number 1300662061.

Privacy details stopped him talking about matter.  Cant even get the name of the person he is chasing right, meaning cant read.  Sounds like a BIG SCAM.......

get this phone call every second day sometimes 2 times a day why ??????????????????????????????????

http://www.chartermerc.com.au/
They are a debt collection agency for many companies not just optus that is the link to the website above. I called the number back and went to a receptionist who first asked me for a reference number not my name and date of birth. I would return their call so you can organise payment and keep a good credit rating. Cheers

Hi,
I was just reading all this as I am away on holiday and I had the same problem. I called Optus from overseas which is really annoying as I have to pay the call charges.. Anyway Optus has made an error and so the system shows that we owe them money. On actually checking, they said that the error is on their path and now I owe them nothing and they will speak to Chartered Mercantile Agency. Debt Recovery Agents and sort it all out.
I advise you folks to speak to Optus directly and please ask for a Reference Number for your call and also ask them to put the whole episode on email so that you have proof...



Caller: Optus

I've received 2 calls from them so far.
They also claim they calling behalf of Optus.
I refuse to give them my details over the phone, because they would not explain who they are.  and even if they did, why should I believe them?  In this day and age.. how can you give up your date of birth of any detail to any Matthew, Luke or John?  
if optus wants to talk to me, why isn't optus calling me directly?
The first person said he will send a mail to me.  Which I never got.
the second call, they gave me their number and ask me to check them out myself.... ?  are they paying me for waste my time?  these people are crazy.  If I do own any money to optus, why wouldn't optus be sending me a bill?  if optus have my number, why aren't they calling me themselves?

this is a scam, silly me fell for it ... someone saying they r collecting moey for optus, i thought i owed onmy phone bill.. i pid them to then realize im actually with vodafone. it is now me calling them .... pls ppl do not respond to them!!

You people, before blaming someone or a company, please go through a web search. Charter people are not scam. If you visit google , you will come to know about them. It is true that they ask our personal details, but it is for our privacy reasons only. Because they don't wish to reveal our personal matter or debts to someone else. Yes, they are debt collectors. They collect debt on behalf of their clients. With or without you knowledge (Fraud) you might have fallen into some debts and charter is trying to collect it from you. And let me remind you friends, you are putting you Credit Rating into risk by ignoring their calls........

Thanks
Craig

People in your colony, lol.

It's not a scam, it is a collection agency. I missed a call from it, and  - after Googling the number and coming to this site, as I always do when I get weird calls! - decided to call Optus first. I am not an Optus customer, but I was years ago, and apparently they had incorrectly transferred debt into my old account, resulting in this debacle. I'm now having to go through the grief of getting Optus to fix the issue, as it will otherwise ruin my credit rating.

If you get a call from this number, call Optus first and try to sort it out, or else you too might end up with no credit rating due to their idiocy.

I have been recieving two calls from an unknown number, first calling person asks my date of birth and address, I just stop it.
Second call I asked the lady what is her company she told me CMA and gives me the number 1300662061 to call her back.

You sound as rude and with poor English as the phone calls.

I had a call from a private number and i ignored it and then got sent a text saying David please call back on 1300662061... uhh my name is Steve. So i called back and got the receptionist who i informed i was not David and she stated that she will make sure no one bothers me again... but im a tad worried as to how these people have my number?

By the sounds of it; it is more than likely a division of Optus. But they are all tools anyways.

I also got a call today from this umber saying they were a debt collection company working for Optus. They also mentioned they were the Charter Mercantile Agency - but that number is not listed anywhere on the Charter Mercantile Agency website.

I am almost positive this is a scam.

I keep getting calls from CMA regarding my brothers debts!!!  I am nothing to do with his finances!! My elderly mother also gets these calls which are VERY upsetting to her.  We have requested many times that they not contact us.  So I disagree that this company adhere's to regulations set out by the ACCC which state that family/friends should not be hassled by debt collectors about someone else's debt!!! Shame!!!  I will making a formal complaint to Consumer Affairs

I don't answer any calls on my phone from unknown numbers, if the credit agency do not want to display their name on the phone, I don't talk to strangers!!

I have been recieving call from an unknown number on mobile and calling person asks Date of birth and address and without it does not want to proceed further.
When i asked them the number to call back they gave me the number 1300662061.
After calling this number it just does not get answered i think it is fake company.

Driving me crazy!!!! - can't understnd them when they do leave a msg only got CMS and the ret number today - got to the point my phone is perm on silent.