These people have been harassing both my sister and I. They are laughable. If you are going to be "served" important legal affidavits at your job do you really think you're going to get a courtesy call. they keep saying this is a very urgent matter. they have heavy accents and can barely speak English. yeah these people were hired to handle urgent legal matters! Please!  what do they get out of this? Is the pay that good?

It appears the number they were using for Armstrong Law Firm has been taken down, probably because they got reported too many times.  I got a call from them from "Armstrong" and at one point I even had the pleasure of a 3-way call between the real Armstrong Law Firm, them, and myself.  They now claim to be Melrose Law Firm in San Diego using the number 760-278-1861.  This is the same scam, very abusive and hang up.  I called back with call blocking, and they even went as far to yell in the background, "Hurry up and track the call".  So once again, they are done impersonating Armstrong Law Firm, and have moved on to impersonating Melrose Law Firm in San Diego.  Ironically, there isn't even a Melrose Law Firm in San Diego, it is Melrose Law Center.

This article was posted on the Federal Trade Commissios web site.

For Your Information: 03/21/2011
FTC Submits 2011 Fair Debt Collection Practices Report to Congress
At a time when many consumers are having trouble paying their debts, the Federal Trade Commission issued its 33rd annual report describing the agency?s law enforcement and other efforts to protect consumers from unfair, deceptive, and abusive debt collection practices. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) prohibits these and other improper practices by third-party debt collectors and requires that the Commission submit annual reports to Congress discussing the agency?s administration of the FDCPA.

Data in the report show that in 2010, as in other recent years, the FTC received more complaints about debt collection than any other single industry. Specifically, the agency received 140,036 debt collection complaints in 2010, up from 119,609 complaints in 2009. The top three categories of complaints about third-party collectors were:

calling repeatedly or continuously;
misrepresenting the character, amount, or status of the debt (including demanding a larger payment than is permitted by law); and
failing to send consumers a statutorily required written notice about the debt and their rights.
The annual report also reviews the Commission?s debt-collection law enforcement actions, consumer and industry education efforts, and research and policy initiatives. It describes a series of workshops that the FTC conducted about consumer protection concerns that arise in the arbitration and litigation of consumer debts, culminating in a report issued by the FTC in July 2010 that made recommendations for further actions. In addition, the report describes an industry-wide investigation that the Commission is conducting of the debt buying industry; a developing enforcement policy on collecting the debts of deceased persons; and an upcoming workshop on the consumer protection impacts of advancing technologies employed in debt collection.

Finally, the report notes that there will be changes in FDCPA administration under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, enacted last July. As of July 21, 2011, a new agency created by the Act, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, will have the authority to issue rules under the FDCPA governing debt collection practices. Both the FTC and the CFPB will have the power to enforce the FDCPA and any rules issued under it. Future annual reports to Congress on the administration of the FDCPA will be prepared by the new agency.

The Commission vote to issue the report was 5-0. (FTC File No. P114807; the staff contact is Julie Bush, Bureau of Consumer Protection, 202-326-3224.)

MEDIA CONTACT:
Office of Public Affairs
202-326-2180

Names you maybe getting when they call:  Alex Williams, Brandon Mckinze, Niomi King, Steven,  Its always American names.  If you owe on a payday loan you can't be arrested for it.  And you don't get call after call for it.  If you go onto the internet and put your info in for a payday loan, they buy your information from some of these companys.  Don't ever do it online.  There are enough Payday loans places you can walk into around where you live.  If you can't walk into the place and speak to someone face to face:  Don't give your info over the internet.

I know for a fact that this is a scam.  But the funny part is that Alex Williams tries to get you in trouble with your employers because he can't get any money from you.  At my job we wait for the calls so we can laugh at him.  If you are going to be the scum of the earth and take from people that work to support there familys and have children.  LEARN TO SPEAK ENGLISH SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND YOUR DUMB A**!!  You need to get a life and leave people alone.

serious now shish kabob called over 40 times back to back  if this was legit then im sure they would be a little more professional about what they are trying to do.. And serious American names to boot with such strong accents wow

u dumb a** ,how dare you people try to scare innocent people karma baby...
to everyone yes this is a scam

This warning is posted on the FBI's web page. For more information log on to:  www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/e-scams

Telephone Collection Scam Related to Delinquent Payday Loans

12/01/2010?The IC3 receives a high volume of complaints from victims of payday loan telephone collection scams. In these scams, a caller claims that the victim is delinquent in a payday loan and must repay the loan to avoid legal consequences. The callers purport to be representatives of the FBI, Federal Legislative Department, various law firms, or other legitimate-sounding agencies. They claim to be collecting debts for companies such as United Cash Advance, U.S. Cash Advance, U.S. Cash Net, and other Internet check cashing services.

One of the most insidious aspects of this scam is that the callers have accurate information about the victims, including Social Security numbers, dates of birth, addresses, employer information, bank account numbers, and names and telephone numbers of relatives and friends. The method by which the fraudsters obtained the personal information is unclear, but victims often relay that they had completed online applications for other loans or credit cards before the calls began.

The fraudsters relentlessly call the victim?s home, cell phone, and place of employment. They refuse to provide to the victims any details of the alleged payday loans and become abusive when questioned. The callers threaten victims with legal actions, arrests, and in some cases physical violence if they refuse to pay. In many cases, the callers even resort to harassment of the victim?s relatives, friends, and employers.

Some fraudsters instruct victims to fax a statement agreeing to pay a certain dollar amount, on a specific date, via prepaid visa card. The statement further declares that the victim would never dispute the debt.

These telephone calls are an attempt to obtain payment by instilling fear in the victims. Do not follow the instructions of the caller.

If you receive telephone calls such as these, you should:

Contact your banking institutions;
Contact the three major credit bureaus and request an alert be put on your file;
Contact your local law enforcement agencies if you feel you are in immediate danger;
File a complaint at www.IC3.gov.

I'm now being harrassed at work by these people.  Frustrating!! Very frustrating,  and I am going to pursue getting these people to stop no matter what it takes.

Calls from 214-269-8845 are NOT from the Armstrong Law Firm in Dallas.

It belongs to a group of India debt collectors trying to cash in on a payday loan portfolio they purchased.

They are a scam, have no license, bond or authority to collect in the U.S.

They are using call-spoofing which is the same number as Armstrong, Kellett, Bartholow Law in Dallas.

Armstrong Law is in no way involved in their illegal and criminal debt collection calls.

Do not belive anything they say, NEVER give them money or personal information.

That personal information they have on you was contained in the portfolio they purchased.

If you have information to share please post it here or on www.collectorsexposed.com

I am the real Gary Armstrong of Armstrong Law Firm in Dallas. You can find my website at Armstrongattorneys.com in Dallas.

I do not represent debt collectors. I do not collect debts. Our firm settles debts for consumers and we file bankruptcy cases for consumers.

At least one of our clients, and many other people, have called us and complained about receiving these phone calls from our firm. We did not make any of these phone calls. And, the number being called from, 214-269-8845, is NOT our phone number.

We are gathering data with the intention of filing a complaint with the FBI. If you have received a phone call I strongly encourage you to contact my firm and give my assistant the data about the call and information about how we can contact you and how law enforcement can contact you, if you are willing to serve as a witness.

Thank you all who recognize that this is a scam. Please do not pay any money to these folks. Seek a lawyer in your area to assist you, if necessary.

Gary Armstrong
Armstrong Law Firm
Armstrong Kellett Bartholow P.C.
Dallas, Texas

hi this george those attorny the help me to pay which i have owe dont put this kind of follish things on net, you need to support them u know........

Do u know about a Law you Mr. Whatever you are...
They give the same date because they are handling the case by date n date wise first they will clear the case of date 8-4-10 then they will work in the case of 8-5-10 and then 8-6-10 and dates on which they have case files... so if you dont know any thing about law then shut your mouth and just wait and watch what will happen to you... Thanking you....

If that person is not working at your employer place than tell to Alex Williams... i m his seniour Attorney i will talk to him about your case....

This is a Valid Law Firm and If u dnt belive then just wait and watch what u will face and u will get in your future as gift in legal consequences....

no...again i believe you are not right . at this time they are officer they can contect u and ask for their client  money which you have to pay back

I just got a call from this number and Alex Williams .
This is a scam and I don't know how they have my info, but it sounds like the same has happened numerous times to you other people. He said the same date 8-4-10.
Someone needs to shut this down

This is a scam. I called Armstrong law firm in Dallas and they are well aware of this scam. Wen I called the number back, they told me that I was going to jail and that they were calling my boss and have me fired.

Then I got a call from "Officer Ryan McDonald" of the local country police station. ****Note COUNTRY****

no....this is a valid company dont worry and pay ur debt.................

They are calling my business line.  Alex Williams with Armstrong Law Firm...asking for a person who is not employed by our company.

i am receiving phone call from the number listed about an internet loan dated 08/04/10.  They have the name of my bank and ss #  will not give me any information said that an officer would show up at my office Monday by 3.00pm with information...told me they did not have to give me information and not to call back to that number.  is this a valid company or a scam

Note: fake positive comments about this phone number have been detected and removed from this thread.