colonial legal services 210-544-5782 called my wifes state issuied cell phone 10-22-13 said a restraining order had been issuied. I called the number; got voice mailbox that was full. we have never been to texas so I believe it is a scam and will be calling the FCC to lodge a complaint today

WE Received a call from this company with the same message saying we have been named respondent a restraining order etc. PLEASE QUIT CALLING!! This is the second call from this telephone number.

got same call today iam in indiana they can restrain me from texas not go there anyway its a joke needs someone hunt them down put stop to it scarying a lot good folks  donot give any of your numbers out

I have received calls repeatedly all times of the day and night from BOTH of these numbers. I refuse to be bothered by this. My initial call was about 6 months ago. The police have yet to show up at my house nor have I been served with any papers. Until the day I do, I believe this is a SCAM

I got this call from this number and it said, "This is the civil investigations unit. We are contacting you pursuant to a claim number XXXXXXXXX being filed against you. You have been named a respondent to a court action and must appear. You or your attorney will have 24-48 hours to respond. The affadavit number is XXXXXXXX Call 210-544-5782." Then when you call this number there is an answering service that is full.

This number 1-210-544-5782 belongs to the same scammer as 1-252-375-3449. Received calls from both these numbers with the same message about a lawsuit. The person that answered when I called back was Melvin Hill and the company name that he gave me was Metris....I get this scamming message about every 2 months. FYI...do not give out any info....Has anyone else been able to talk to a person?
Read more at http://www.callercenter.com/210-544-5782.html/5#X3pv8Sy8HRtl4P0g.99

got the same call on 10/ 08 / 2013 have not be to Texas in 30 years .

I received this same message on both my landline and then on my cellphone number

got same message, same wording, mailbox full filed under ignore unless I get paper work in the mail.i will report this to the nm atty general

Called my neighbors leaving that message colonial processing service telephone 210_544-5782. They have. Broken every law protecting the consumer.. I called back and the mailbox was filled. I have no idea what it's about.....

I just received that call never been to Texas it's a horrible thing to call people and say those things to them sure hope they get busted

Got this phone call this morning, called back, same as everyone. But how did they get my number? And name, I have a prepaid phone. How can we stop them from calling us or other people again?

Thanks for that information.  I plan to give it to all my family members.  Read my comment below

Got the same message.  Called back and got the same full mailbox.  Have no idea what they are talking about.  The restraining order issue is something that should be dealt with legally....against this company.  I can just imagine how many people responded to them using that as a scare tactic.  I am glad that I saw the posts when I looked this number on the reverse number of Whitepages.com.  I plan to report this to the Massachusetts Attorney General office tonight.

I received the call twice this week.  How can there be a retstraining order against me in Texas when I've never been there?  Their mailboxes are always full.  How urgent can this be?  Contact me in person or by U.S. Mail with a definite court date. Otherwise leave me alone.  This must be a scam.

Same message on 9/26/13 to my mother's home. It really scared her and she did not understand.

210-544-5782 is located in 210 area code and 544 exchange code. It must be a Cellphone phone registered on September 18, 2007 with T-MOBILE USA, INC. service provider. The phone number is registered in SAN ANTONIO, TX.

SAN ANTONIO, TX is also known as River City, San Antone, Alamo City, Military City USA, Countdown City and it was settled in . Average household income in SAN ANTONIO, TX is  and the average high school graduates are .

There are home owners in SAN ANTONIO, TX and average unemployment percentage near 210-544-5782 is .

Land area is 407.6 sq mi (1,055.7 km2) and water area 4.5 sq mi (11.7 km2).

Other area codes for 210-544-5782 phone number are 210 (majority), 830 (portions). And the official website of SAN ANTONIO, TX is http://www.sanantonio.gov/



Name: Show Now
Area code: 210
Exchange code: 544
Phone number: 210-544-5782
Phone type: Cellphone
Registration date: September 18, 2007
Service provider: T-MOBILE USA, INC.
Location: SAN ANTONIO, TX
Other area codes: 210 (majority), 830 (portions)
Other names for the city: River City, San Antone, Alamo City, Military City USA, Countdown City
Settled year:
Average household income:
Average number of highschool graduates:
Average number of home owners:
Unemployment rate:
Area: 407.6 sq mi (1,055.7 km2) land and 4.5 sq mi (11.7 km2) water
Official website of the city: http://www.sanantonio.gov/

looks like a scam to me!

I have received the same phone call.  Now they have called my parents and left the same message at their house for me.  This is ridiculous.  Any ideas who I need to get into contact with to stop the from harassing me and my parents?

Called my sister-in-law first, scared her into getting my number. Says in texas have not been there in 10 or more years

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.

http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0258-fake-debt-collectors

This message was very disturbing for me. The caller : Stating that this is a Civil investigation Unit and I am named as a respondent and I must appear in court . I am suppose to call back with 24 to 48 hours . Even if this is B***S*** , is very disturbing to hear that there is a court order against me . How can I report this to the FBI ???????

I got this same voice mail today.  The funny, (not ha ha funny), they left the message for my ex-sister n law that just passed away a few weeks ago in Massachusetts and I live in Tennessee!! Is there anything being done about this??

C'mon people, where is your common sense?  It's a scam!  One of the old ones that's been around forever.  Try to scare you into paying them/giving them your bank acct number.  Never EVER give info over the phone.  If it was an LEGITIMATE debt collector they will MAIL proof of the debt through the US Postal Service (not on phone, NOT email).  DO NOT give them your address, do not CONFIRM your address.  Again, if indeed they are legit, they will have all this info.  Puhleez!!  "Restraining order" in regards to a debt?  These morons like to throw legalese around in the hopes of scaring people.  Debt is a civil matter, not criminal; if there was a warrant out for you they would not warn you first; the list of their stupidity goes on and on!!

I just received the same message on 9.23.2013, but it also said something about a restraining order being issued against me as the person from Ohio above also mentioned.  I called the # right away and tried every voice mail option and all had full mailboxes and would not accept messages.  What is this?  Should I be worried?

Got a call from the same # on 09.16.13 using the same language other posters have stated.  I'm in Ohio, so if someone in Texas wants to take a restraining order out on me, so be it.  I believe it is a scam and will not call.

My boyfriend got this call yesterday about me...So of course we feel its serious...What? Who? Where did this come from? I don't want to get in or be in trouble...

Got the same call on Monday 9/16, same language as described above.  All options from the Voice Response Unit were full and not taking any messages

The number above called my phone and left message for me with some kind of number and for me to get ahold of attorney

i just got this call and they left message  with the same number with a name i hadnt had in over 10 yrs this has got to be some bs

Informational purposes..

Section 809 of the FDCPA http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre27.pdf requires 3rd-party debt collectors to give debtors written notice of debt (the key word is *shall*) :
"§ 809. Validation of debts
(a) Within five days after the initial communication with a consumer in connection with the collection of any debt, a debt collector shall, unless the following information is contained in the initial communication or the consumer has paid the debt, send the consumer a written notice containing?
(1) the amount of the debt;
(2) the name of the creditor to whom the debt is owed;
(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."
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A Collection Agent May Not?

Here are the top 11 actions prohibited by the The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act:

Misrepresent Him or Herself

  A debt collector may not misrepresent himself as an attorney or law enforcement officer.

Use the Telephone to Annoy or Harass

  A collection agent may not cause a telephone to ring or engage any person in telephone conversation repeatedly or continuously with an intent to annoy, abuse, or harass anyone at the called number.

Threaten Arrest or Lawsuit

  A collection agent may not threaten a consumer with arrest. It may not threaten legal action that is either not permitted or not actually contemplated. In other words, a the threat of a lawsuit may be an empty one.

Use Abusive or Threatening Language

  A debt collector may no use abusive or profane language in the course of communication related to the debt.

Publish a Bad Debt List

  Publishing the consumer?s name or address on a "bad debt" list is prohibited.

Contact By Embarrassing Media

  A debt collector may not communicate with a consumer by post card. It may not use any language or symbol, other than the debt collector?s address, on any envelope when communicating with a consumer by use of the mails or by telegram. A debt collector may use its business name if such name does not indicate it is in the debt collection business.

Contact a Consumer at Work

  A collection agent may not communicate with consumers at their place of employment after being told this is unacceptable or prohibited by the employer.

Seek Unjustifiable Amounts

  A debt collector may not demand any amounts not permitted under an applicable contract or as provided under law.

Contact a Consumer Represented by an Attorney

  A collection agent may not contact a consumer after it learns the consumer is represented by a lawyer.

Communicate With a Consumer After Receiving a Validation Request

  If a consumer sends a written §1692g response within 30 days, the collection agent may not communicate with the consumer until it mails the consumer the requested verification of original creditor's name and address.

Communicate With Third Parties

  A debt collector may not reveal or discuss the nature of a consumer?s debts with third parties other than the consumer?s spouse or attorney. A collection agent may contact neighbors or co-workers only to obtain location information. It may contact a third party again if it has reason to believe the information the party provided previously is false.

Bills.com FDCPA FAQ

Below are questions Bills.com readers ask frequently:

Can a Collection Agent Call My Cell Phone?

  Yes. However, if you tell the debt collector it may not use that number because it is a cell phone, it may not contact you again at that number.

I Keep Receiving Dozens of Calls From Collection Agents. Is That Legal?

  No. Unscrupulous collection agents will use "block parties" or "office parties" where they contact a consumer, multiple neighbors, or co-workers telling them they need to reach the consumer on an urgent matter. This is not permitted under the FDCPA.

A Collector Says I Will Be Arrested if I Do Not Pay

  This was a true statement before the US Civil War, but has not been true since. People may be arrested if an aggressive judge files a bench warrant for a person who does not appear at a hearing relating to a lawsuit regarding a debt. However, in that case, the offense is the failure to respond to a court order, and not the existence of the debt. As stated above, it is illegal under the FDCPA to threaten a consumer with arrest if the consumer does not pay the debt.

Please do file reports with the FBI, your state attorney general and Department Of Justice,FTC & FCC..

http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx
http://www.fbi.gov/
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/
https://esupport.fcc.gov/ccmsforms/form1088.action
https://complaints.donotcall.gov/complaint/complaintcheck.aspx?panel=2

Also read up on the laws and your rights:

http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fdcpajump.shtm
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb/search ...
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/pdf-0096-fair-credit-reporting-act.pdf

And see:

http://800notes.com/forum/ta-86217073a9c8dad/ ... 077595690349410
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http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0258-fake-debt-collectors
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http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/pressreleases/extortion_scam.htm