The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation's consumer protection agency, is warning consumers to be on the alert for scam artists posing as debt collectors. It may be hard to tell the difference between a legitimate debt collector and a fake one. Sometimes a fake collector may even have some of your personal information, like a bank account number. A caller may be a fake debt collector if he:

?is seeking payment on a debt for a loan you do not recognize;
?refuses to give you a mailing address or phone number;
?asks you for personal financial or sensitive information; or
?exerts high pressure to try to scare you into paying, such as threatening to have you arrested or to report you to a law enforcement agency.

If you think that a caller may be a fake debt collector:

?Ask the caller for his name, company, street address, and telephone number. Tell the caller that you refuse to discuss any debt until you get a written "validation notice." The notice must include the amount of the debt, the name of the creditor you owe, and your rights under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
If a caller refuses to give you all of this information, do not pay! Paying a fake debt collector will not always make them go away. They may make up another debt to try to get more money from you.?Stop speaking with the caller. If you have the caller's address, send a letter demanding that the caller stop contacting you, and keep a copy for your files. By law, real debt collectors must stop calling you if you ask them to in writing.
?Do not give the caller personal financial or other sensitive information. Never give out or confirm personal financial or other sensitive information like your bank account, credit card, or Social Security number unless you know whom you're dealing with. Scam artists, like fake debt collectors, can use your information to commit identity theft ? charging your existing credit cards, opening new credit card, checking, or savings accounts, writing fraudulent checks, or taking out loans in your name.
?Contact your creditor. If the debt is legitimate ? but you think the collector may not be ? contact your creditor about the calls. Share the information you have about the suspicious calls and find out who, if anyone, the creditor has authorized to collect the debt.
?Report the call. Contact the FTC and your state Attorney General's office with information about suspicious callers. Many states have their own debt collection laws in addition to the federal FDCPA. Your Attorney General's office can help you determine your rights under your state's law.

You've been given good advice twice - this is a scam.  These criminals calling you are violating the law - I suggest you research the FDCPA to learn your rights when alleged debt collectors call you.  They are probably not calling from the US, and are spoofing the number.  Debt is a civil, not criminal matter;  therefore you will not be arrested.  Asking you to pay by Green Dot card is a sure sign of a scam also.
I would not recommend talking to them again, but if you do, do NOT give them any information.  Also ask for their mailing address.  I'll bet they won't give you an address, but if you get one, you should certified-mail them a debt validation demand letter.

I just wanted to let u know I received a call today from first Nicolas he stated that I had 3 consecutive complaints against me an if I didn't pay 490 on a green dot card before 5pm they were going to issue a warrant for my arrest of course I started crying and got really upset  with the whole incident I then call the sheriffs dept where I live an they told me don't worry that it was a scam I also called a parole officer and he stated don't worry it sounds like a scam. I am frightened don't know what to do help please anyone have any information please post.  Also the name Leo Fernandez is the so called attorney that's involved.

If you have even attempted to do business online with a payday loan company, your information is right out there to be stolen and sold on the black internet market by these criminals.

I had just got a call from this number and I tried to ignore it but they kept on calling so I answered and he proceeded to tell me that they had 3cases against me and needed to talk to me or my lawyer when I asked what it was regarding he told me to call the same number and speak to a Leo Fernandez.  I called and he told me the same thing but couldn't tell me anything about the cases against me. The only reason that I can think of the reason why these people are calling me is I applied for a payday loan a couple months back but I never went through with it and never received any money. These property are full of s***. I told them that I would be waiting for a letter or the police to be showing up which I'm sure I wont see either.

just got a call from nicolas pointer he told me there is going to be a warrent out for my arrest i asked to speak to supervisor but he refused so he hung up on me after further research i found out it is a scam so i called him back and told him i just got off the phone with my father inlaw who works for homeland security and told him he is going to be under investigation again he hung up the phone. just shows you are financial security is at risk and the government needs to address this issue soon. To protect our private information

I applied for a payday loan in february to help out a friend. Before i even got the money this person called me and told me that they have filed papers against me. I said for what? He was unable to tell me. that first call scared me and freaked me out. he then called me at work I told him to quit calling me and to send me papers to my home address that has never happened. nothing happened. a few weeks later i got the same type of call. again he called me at work and cell. i ignored the calls. i haven't been arrested, i haven't been sent any legitimate papers. a few more weeks went by. i then got a harassing email. i told him that i had never done business with that company and filed a complaint. i then have looked up the phone numbers on google. each number that has called me has been a SCAM. i will not pay a debt unless it is legitimate.

Today i have received 2 phone calls from this number 202-803-4729. he is telling me that if he doesn't hear from me or my attorney he wants me to be prepared for the bad consequences. i am ignoring him. the name is Nicholas Pointer. He has also called me with name of David Jackson. He may also be using the name Victor Thompson. All of these names are threatening me with legal action. I am paying off my loans and all my other debts are in good standing.

I wish they would leave me alone

Add 916-245-0240 to the list.  It is the same Indian man..same type of message.

Just got the same call.

This is a first for me.  I am getting calls from them too.  They threaten to send an officer to the house and to my place of employment, and press charges against me.  I have some loan out from 45 days ago.  I am well aware of what goes in and out of my bank account, and know how debt collectors work.  They identify themselves as debt collectors and state who they are..whether it is the creditor or the law firm for a creditor or entity.

All I can say is don't fall for it.  Play along and give them a taste of their own medicine.  I may call back again..and instead of blowing up and threatening to call the police, I may ask: "What is taking so long? I have not seen an officer show up at my house on this matter yet."    
lol

---Annoyed from Virginia

These people just called me telling me there were charges being brought against me. I told them that they could kiss my Brown !@#. He was Indian and tried to convince me that his name was Robin Miller. Yeah Right.

This is a criminal extortion scam operating out of India. They are making the calls utilizing VOIP and the names of legitimate firms to make it appear the calls are originating from within the US. There is NO "company" or "debt" and you will NOT be arrested. They are harvesting and/or buying consumers' personal identifying information from unscrupulous websites like the one you may have filled out an application with, and you need to do whatever you can to protect yourself. This includes: Notifying the FTC: https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/, placing fraud alerts with all three credit bureaus, notifying your bank and employer and letting these criminals know you are aware they are attempting to extort money for a non-existent debt and have alerted the authorities.

ABC News released an investigative report on this scam a year ago:

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/phantom-debt-co ... 16512428&page=1

this guy also called me and said it was a legal matter and i told him don't even start that s*** with me. where are these people getting our phone numbers from and what are they trying to pull

This number has called me a few times now and when i asked what they do they told me they "cut childrens throats." This doesnt sound like something we as americans need in our country. I have filed a police report citing the comments told to me on the phone.

I urge everyone who is called to file a report, its what good people do when faced with people like this.

This number has called me like six times today saying it's very important that he talk to me or my attorney and If the matter at hand will fall on me I have no clue what he is talking about

Someone at this number calls claiming his name is Nicolas and that he needs me (using my real name) or my attorney of record to give him a call back as soon as I get the message. He says that I should not ignore this call or all he can say is "good luck as the situation crashes down on" me. I have no legal issues so this BS does not scare nor intimidate me.