I'm really freaked out by this have you heard anything?

I just received a threatening call from these people saying that I owed money for a payday loan.  They said I would be arrested on Tues and be kept in jail until Fri.  It was a woman named Erica I spoke to.  She refused to let me speak to a supervisor.  After her hanging up on me several times finally talked to a guy named Travis who treated me like crap and finally agreed to an arrangement which included me going to Walmart and buying a green money dot card.  Seemed suspicious so I googled the law firm which went out of business in 2006.

This nasty people called me telling me an officer was coming to my arrest at my Job. The only thing I did wrong was tried to get some money from pay day to buy my daughter's college books & I'm paying for that on time. After talking to my co-worker she looked up that phone number for me & gave me the horrible news. This people not just have a horrible Indian accent but are nasty even a lady spoke to me & asked me to get a green dot kit or something like that from wallmart, kmart or CVS. I wish for the law to do something with this people is a crime to get us all scared.

Just had a large argument with this lady, said I never received anything in the mail or email. Told her didn't have any money and couldn't promise her anything. People have been calling me for over a month, if they were going to file charges they would have filed them long ago w/out talking to me. I told her to go ahead and file the papers.

These people should be stopped, I am freaking out about this :(

Thank you so much for these posts. I was tempted to pay but then became worried that this was a scam. You guys saved me, big time!!! They mentioned receiving a $5000 fine and the police at my front door, which is something I do not need right now. I wish I could sue them because they got me so scared that I ended up leaving work. What got my attention is that they told me to go to Walmart, Kmart, or CVS and call them back when I got there. You just don't know how relieved I am that I looked this number up before doing anything. He said his name is Steven McDonald. Again, thank you so very much

Same here they vallecand scared me something told me to look it up before I went to buy the green money pack card. I hope this really is a scam. I don't want to go to jail over a loan

I recently got a call from 2026212475. They claimed I have a lawsuit that's pending. For a payday loan for $521.

I too get a call from this number did not answer it glad I didnt answer. thanks for the info that it is a scam.

They called me at work with the same bs lol just now.

Threats says they will have me arrested for a loan I never applied for.

i was told that i would be arrested at my job this week for a debt i owe.. the caller had a heavy accent and was very rude and vague with the info he provided... he did say he is from 'my cash america'.... and he sounded like a guy who called me earlier in the month regarding a car loan.... this is clearly a scam

By BRIAN ROSS (@brianross) , CINDY GALLI and MATTHEW MOSK (@mattmosk)
June 7, 2012

Hundreds of thousands of cash-strapped Americans have been targeted by abusive debt collectors operating out of overseas call centers suspected of links to organized crime in India, law enforcement officials told ABC News.

The calls are part of a massive scam, one that appears to target struggling Americans -- especially those who have gone online to apply for payday loans. Armed with personal information from those pilfered applications, the threatening callers, who claim to be debt collectors poised to initiate legal action, have managed to pry loose millions of dollars from their victims -- even when the victims never owed money in the first place.

"This is what we call a phantom debt collection scam," said Jon Leibowitz, the chairman of the Federal Trade Commission. "It's a very pernicious and innovative new fraud."

Working through call centers in India, the commission estimates that the criminals have dialed at least 2.5 million calls, persuading already cash-strapped victims to send them more than $5 million. Some have reported receiving dozens of calls per hour. They are victims like Cindy Gervais, of New Orleans, who went online for a quick loan when her husband's car was hit by a driver who didn't have insurance.

Even though she paid the loan off, the so-called "phantom" debt collectors with Indian accents began calling to say she still owed money.

He more or less told me that if I didn't pay, they were going to have someone on my doorstep to arrest me," she told ABC News. "And that they were going to contact my place of business, and tell them what kind of person I am."

At first, she said she resisted. Then the calls became more frequent, and started to ring on her cell phone, and at the grocery distribution company where she had worked for 27 years.

"I was more or less was in panic mode because he told me there would be someone before noon at my place of business to arrest me and take me to jail," she said tearfully. "So I agreed to pay him."

After receiving scores of complaints, investigators with the FTC said they began tracking the calls, and following the payments. They alleged the payments led them to a California company run by an Indian-American named Kirit Patel, and that such scams would not be possible without American front men.

"I would say that all roads of this scam, or many of the roads of this scam, lead back to Mr. Patel," said the FTC's Leibowitz.

ABC News tracked Patel for weeks, from the suburbs of San Francisco to Austin, Texas.

Patel refused to talk. But his lawyer, Mark Ellis, said he believes it is far too early to pass judgment on his client. Ellis, a Sacramento-based attorney, told ABC News that Patel was hired for a nominal fee to set up an American shell company, and had no idea what the call centers in India were doing.

"I can tell you, he was as snookered by the people in India as anybody," Ellis said. "He's a 69-year-old man who is nearing his retirement who thought all he had to do was set up some corporations and everything was on the up and up. He's completely dismayed that he has become the lightning rod of this entire problem."

A close friend of Patel's also defended him in a brief interview at his home, saying Patel was not trying to defraud anyone -- he was just an unwitting, bit player in a larger scheme.

"If Mr. Patel was just a cog in the wheel he seems to have been a pretty big cog," Leibowitz said. "It is clear that Patel was integrally involved with this scam."

Leibowitz points to thousands of pages of financial and phone records gathered by the FTC and filed as part of a civil case brought against him in the U.S. District Court in Sacramento last month. When FTC lawyers sought to freeze his assets and prevent his business from continuing to operate, Patel responded by invoking his rights against self-incrimination. His lawyer told ABC News he has had to be careful in how he responds to the allegations in civil court "because there is a potential criminal action," but that Patel maintains the allegations against him are false.

Federal investigators said the phantom debt collection operation that allegedly benefitted from Patel's assistance was one of several that all trace back to the same small town in Western India called Ahmedabad. Callers use technology to make it appear that the calls originate inside the U.S. Victims provided ABC News with recordings of dozens of the calls, and many of the thickly accented callers appear to be reading off a script.

"Subpoenas have been readied, and Monday morning you're going to be picked up from your home," one caller says on a victim's voicemail. "And you have children. Don't worry about your children. We have a childcare department to take care of the children."

"You will be behind bars for six months," said another caller. "And once you go behind bars, you will lose your job. Once you are behind the bars, you won't get a single drop of water."

William Peerce Howard, a Tampa attorney who represents victims of harassment from debt collectors, said it takes an especially twisted criminal to use threats and coercion to pry money from someone who is already struggling financially

"These guys really are the most visible villains in America today," he said. "They make a living scaring people."

Mark Merola, of Florida, said he just panicked when the caller told him he might be arrested at the deli where he works in a Florida retirement community.

"I was nervous. I didn't want to embarrass myself, my family," he said. He used his debit card to pay the collector $576.

Afterwards, he says he realized "how stupid I was."

"It just happened so fast," he said. "I got scared."

Leibowitz said he hopes with more attention, future potential targets of the scam will recognize red flags before they turn over any money.

If callers say they are from the police, consumers should know that law enforcement officers do not collect debt for private parties. If the caller is speaking with a thick Indian accent, but calls themselves by a names such as Officer Mike Johnson, that should be a tip off. And if they're calling 40 times in two hours, that's another red flag. "Legitimate debt collectors, legitimate pay day lenders don't do those sorts of things," he said.

Merola said he would like to see anyone involved in the scam prosecuted aggressively.

"There's no place in society for these people," he said.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/phantom-debt-co ... 16512428&page=2

I just this moment received a call at my office number from a phone number I did not recognize.  I answered stating my department name, but not my personal name.  An person with a thick Indian (dot on the forehead kind of Indian) told me his name was "Ben Evans" and needed to speak with me.  I stated that the person they needed to speak with was not in the office and asked if I could take a message.  He told me he was calling from Gardner & Douglas Legal Firm and that it was an emergency that I contact them at 202-621-2475 and ask for extension 9757.  He said this was a very urgent legal matter and I needed to call them right away.  I thanked him for the message and hung up.  I do have a payday loan and I am in very good standing with the company that gave me the loan, so I know this is a scam.  I don't understand why people like that pray on those that are in desperate financial situations.  Aren't our problems enough to deal with than dealing with their stupid harrassment???!!!

just received a call twice and both times i reported this was a scam. he stated how do i know and how could i be sure. i called back and phone is busy. he stated charges were being filed against me.

I received a call from these idiots too.  They claimed I would be going to jail for defrauding a payday loan company called "American Cash".  They claimed they were from "Gardner-Douglas Law Firm" and read me a "legal disclosure".  When I attempted to get more information he got irate with me and told me to have my lawyer call him, so they could get me behind bars faster.  I called back and had to ask him to repeat the name of the "Law Firm" and he told me I was stupid.  When I asked him for someone who actually spoke english, he called me a dumb b*****d and said I was a b*****d who didn't understand english.  I have lodged a complaint through the Federal Trade Commission website with all the information.  These people need to be shut down, but as they appear to be in India, I don't think there is much that can be done, till everyone starts filing complaints through the same site.

I received the same call...Indian accent people calling from some law firm name that wasn't clear. They stated I received a loan which I never did. They have my information from an application that was submitted online as well...this is not legitimate. I told them this was a scam and to discontinue contacting my phone. I'm going to contact my lawyer to have them sued if any further harassment occurs. These people are a scam and the general public needs to be aware of this.

This man with a heavy accent called and gave me an american name said I owed a payday loan and if I didn't give him any of my attorneys info they would come and arrest me. They said they tried to send me emails with no response. This is a scam do not fall for it!

Called Me 4 Times Today Saying That My Husband Owed For A $800 Cash Advance That He Never Took. Said Police Were Going To Arrest Him. I Said I Was Calling My Police And He Said He Would Hold. He Hung Up Local Police Came And Called Them Back. When He Found Out He Was Talking To A Cop He Had Nothing To Say

I am a victim. because I do owe a payday loan for $300.00. I gave them money, $200.00.  The would not allow me to use my prepaid card I had to purchase a money pak card.  They scared me I didnt know what to do. untill i spoke with the FBI.  Everything that has been posted is true. This is crazy.

I keep getting this call and they say they are from an atty office and if I don't contact then I will regret it...how doo I stop these harassing calls

I kept getting calls from this number saying that i need to contact them immediately, the caller's name was "Jasmine Lewis". When i did contact them back i was told that i was the prime suspect in some large scale crime and they needed my lawyers info asap.  I preceded to tell tell them that if i was the prime suspect i would already know because the cops would've contacted me by now not some random "Law Office" calling me asking for my Attorneys info. Load of crap. I told her to call the authorities and have them come get me.

This office (202) 621-2475) called our main switchboard for a former employee.  They say "it's an attorney?s office."   They were so rude & confrontational.    A "corporate law office" is how they answer this number."   I asked if it was a collection call.  ?Absolutely Not!?  Now let?s get real.  The attorneys around our area charge between $400 and $600 per hour.  At that rate are they going to waste time on calls like this?.I think not.
Also, the call sounds like it's outsourced to the Philippians (very poor connection).  It is not in their culture to be good listeners, patient,  with respectful or caring people skills. I will put this no. on our company ?s "problem phone numbers list."   I?d recommend that the company paying for these calls get the drift from these postings and look elsewhere.    How about someone in the good old USA.  Thanks for having this available.

These people keep calling me from this number above saying I owe them money and they are going to arrest me tomorrow at my work.

They say they are a law firm contacting me about a loan that I never recieved! They went on to say they were going to send the police to my address witch they do have because I did fill out a loan application on line . Then I called.them out on there scam so they proceeded to tell me that he was going to send the cops with a box of condoms so that when they get here they are going to F*** me and my wife in the a**. In there accent. Some Indian sounding accent the dot on the forhead one. These people are hilarious!

This number has called me about 10 times in the last 48 hours and leaving me messages saying I've got a lawsuit against me. I called back and the man who I could barely understand told me I took out a payday loan and when I didn't pay it back I got a lawsuit. I started asking questions and he got mad and told me I'm gonna get arrested tomorrow at my work and Hung up! Wtf!? These people are unbelievable and Do Not Give Them Any Info At All!!!

This number called my home several times trying to get information. They also left messages but the accents were so thick that I could not understand them. When I talked to one guy on the phone, he told me that they had given us a payday loan and could not withdraw the funds.  He said they had sent my wife emails trying to contact us as well, which was not true.  He also said that they would file charges and we would be arrested if we did not pay.  SCAM! SCAM! SCAM! SCAM!

call them back and tell them. posting what you posted isn't going to stop it. let them know you know they're fake.

these morons are not legitimate; they don't even live in this country. do not give them any of your information. they're bottom feeder scammers from India; they give american names and they have a real heavy accent. do not fall for it!

I called her back and told her to speak English - her response was the b word several times and then hung up. trust me, call them on their crap and they will stop calling once they realize you're on to them. They may switch their numbers around and try pulling the same thing but don't take it seriously.

thanks and tell them to f'off!

They keep calling and said they r calling from the  attorney  general investigation office. I msu return their call to result the issed.  If not they will send arrest warrnt to the attorney offide and will arrest you.  OMG. Gthese people r crazy and total scam. They think there r no law in america or what.   Stop calling people and you guy should all go to jail.

this is the third time i have gotten the same type calls but from three different numbers
Its a scam, they give american names with foreign accents, call you police dept and file
a report.  They need to go to jail