THIS IS A SCAM...It appears that if you return the call, they now can claim YOU called them as opposed to they calling you. (soliciting). DO NOT CALL BACK... If you accept the call as fact, then they can believe threatening, harrassing, and any other tactics are legitimate. It is a great way to make money. A covert operation has been on going in to this practice. This is an enormous thorn. It is causing sleep deprivity along with pure upset to normal hard working Americans.  DO NOT ACCEPT THE CALL. DO NOT ACCEPT THE CALL. DO NOT ACCEPT THE CALL. DO NOT ACCEPT THE CALL.

Got a call in my cell and office number, from a guy with thick Indian Accent posing as Officer Cooper, and I will be arrested, he said he has my phone number, social, address, about a false pay day loan that I did not pay back.  
He left two messages already.  I am not calling back.
This is the 10th time I get this type of calls, from different people, and different stories.
If you get similar calls, please do not call back and report to all agencies.  If you do call back tell them you have reported to the FBI.

Calls me and my friends at work and it is getting very upsetting.  My work place will actually report this if it keeps happening. Foreign talking I cannot understand them......THIS IS SCAM.....

got a call from Cooper Irish guy with an Indian accent!!!!  Said he was an investigator and if I didn't call him back something terrible would happen to me.....

Do these people think we are all morons?  I know it is a scam, but I'm sure many people have paid these jerk offs because they are scared.  Don't do it!  Report these calls and get these low lifes shut down.

I have gotten at least 75 calls in the last 4 months from numerous different numbers. My attorney has been dealing with them. They dont like that.

Got a call stating I have something against my name and social. Said he couldnt send me any paperwork without making arrangements first. Told him i would not make any kind of arrangements without my attorney talking to him first and my attorney letting me know this is lagit.

i recieved the same email with alicia fields  ,i fell for this scam once so i was wondering if this is real

also when i replied to this email and said i had never taken out a paydayloan and that i was suspecting it was fraud and i advised that i was gonna turn it into  a legal investigator they replied to me at 3:28 am in an email saying "go ahead" i just dont think that is something a professional law firm would say these people are pathetic be aware of them  they are pretending to be the real federal trade commision

just got the same email word for word just like everyone else had recieved this one was also from a silvia howard with the same phone number and extension number and address  i recieved it on 2/10/11  saying they where from the federal trade commision  the lender they told me was ameri cash the email they sent to me also had bad grammer like everyone elses .be aware of this fraud dont believe anything they say

Received exact copy of email from "Silvia Howard" 2/7/2011

signature:
Silvia Howard
Senior Affidavit Processor
Federal Trade Commission
Allen, TX
Contact:- 214-613-4027 Ext 2013
Fax:- 206-426-3556

I received the same email with the same contact information.1-26-2011.  I sent an email back wanting documents of this so called debt. I received a reply of its a legal affidavit paper it will not be sent to me.  And I was threatened with  " b'coz my officer will pick you up and show you how legit we are. Also they will come with all Legal Paperworks than nobody can save you to take care of this matter out side the Court House". What kind of professional uses such slang "b'coz"? Who are they trying to fool?

I got the same email, but the company the loan was through was supposedly Ameri Cash, and the person to contact was Silvia Howard.  Yeah right!  1/18/2011.  I hate how much these people like to threaten.  They should be ashamed of themselves!

saying I owe money for a payday loan

Got the same email from Silvia Howard today 12-16-2010. They have a website that even makes them look legit. Do not do anything. I have dealt with this type of scam in the past. Yes they have all of your info, but unless they actually send you written notice of the debt(which they won't do since they say that is needed), they can not do anything to you. If you actually read the email, there are many grammatical errors in it. Do you really think that an actual law firm would send something out like that?

Please do not call them back. Save everything that you get from them and this entire thread so you have backup.

******   Forgot to add, that they will sometimes call saying they are First IRS Legal as well. ******

**** Wanted to make sure that I can see other responses *****

Got the same email from Silvia Howard today 12-16-2010. They have a website that even makes them look legit. Do not do anything. I have dealt with this type of scam in the past. Yes they have all of your info, but unless they actually send you written notice of the debt(which they won't do since they say that is needed), they can not do anything to you. If you actually read the email, there are many grammatical errors in it. Do you really think that an actual law firm would send something out like that?

Please do not call them back. Save everything that you get from them and this entire thread so you have backup.

funny to say i received the same email word from word but the contact person was Alicia Fields, same contact number but extension  2015.

Did the email have your SS# in it, mine did?

Got the same exact email today 12/7/10 but the loan company is US Cash Advance, Never had a loan there, and my person is:  

Silvia Howard
Senior Affidavit Processor
Federal Trade Commission
Allen, TX
Phone: 214-509-7608 Ext 2013
Fax: 206-426-3556

Yes I received this same e-mail yesterday 12-2-10 almost word for word with the exception that the loan company is listed as "Cash Now" with the telephone extension as 2016 with the person's name as "Carole Williams" from the same Texas addreess.  I was about to call them and see what is going on when I discovered your notice from the e-mail.  I had changed my telephone number but they still have my e-mail address & all my pertinent information.  Thank you so very much for your insight and advise.  I definitely will not call the telephone number or make any attempts to answer them.

I just received this email - has anyone else received anything like this b/c this is really freaking me out!

Here is the email:

Mr. /Mrs.My Name
Adress xxxx xxxx xxxxxxxx, xx xxxxx
Phone Number :-xxx-xxx-xxxx

Let me introduce myself, I am Senior Affidavit Processor Joy Freeman from Federal Trade Commission. As we were trying to reach you since couple of days regarding a very serious matter about a lawsuit filed on your name stating that you are doing some fraud and criminal activities and I am really very sorry to say you that you are going to be legally prosecuted in the Court House within couple of days and your SSN is put on hold by US Government, so before something goes wrong I thought I shall call you and notify you about this matter, but as I was not able to reach you I am sending you an Email. So please take a piece of paper and write down your case file PIF32852 and second thing since it?s a legal matter you will be needed my help so write down my call back number is 214-509-7608 Ext 2014.

For the records you...

My Information and email information - Which I've removed
The Factual Basis for the complaints are as follows:-

1)  Mr. / Mrs. Name ertained an income advancement from US
Cash Adavance with your Bank Account Information as collateral for said
advancement.
2)  Mr. / Mrs. JC
agreed to return the funds from the
aforementioned income advancement as per contract.
3)  As of today?s date the funds have yet to be returned and the collateral
has proven to be null that is to say of no value.

At present US Cash Adavance is seeking either of the following remedies:-

1)  All funds be returned as per terms of initial contract.
2)  Mr. / Mrs. Name
proceeded against to fullest extent
permissible by current Federal Banking Law.

Mr. / Mrs. Name
I investigate your profile I found you as a
genuine person so it is my duty to help you out but for that I need some
right answers from your side & also want to know your intension. So you want
to resolve this issue out of court or you want to go to the court house.?

This was a final notification Email to you if u want to resolve the issue by
paying the out of Court Restitution Amount than you can do that, or do you
want to face legal action? You have to give me a flat answer without any
excuse!!!!!!!!!
Reply me back on my phone number:- 214-509-7608 Ext 2014 or Email me.

Thank You

--
*Joy Freeman*
*Senior Affidavit Processor*
*Federal Trade Commission*
*Allen, TX*
*Contact:- 1-214-509-7608 Ext 2014*
*Fax:- 1-206-426-3556*

PROTECT YOURSELF!  IMPORTANT INFORMATION YOU MUST READ ? HOW THE SCAM WORKS AND WHAT AGENCIES TO REPORT THEM TO

LONG RUNNING AND KNOWN SCAM ? ALL OVER INTERNET AND NEWS FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS NOW


Fake Debt Collectors ? Terrorizing Consumers

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=5621205&page=1


MORE ON FAKE DEBT COLLECTORS
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-904-425-9141
http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/call4action/17285785/detail.html
http://www.800helpfla.com/newsletter/2008/092008.html

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2010/01/ks_debt_collection.html   latest release of information on this scam

http://www.wvago.gov/internetloanscam.cfm
If you are targeted by these criminals, be sure to report them to all the following federal and state law enforcement agencies (most of which you can do online or over the phone):
1.    The U.S. Secret Service is responsible for protecting the country's financial infrastructure and payment systems from international and domestic threats. Call or write your local Secret Service field office to alert them to the details of this attempted extortion. The addresses and phone numbers for the local Secret Service field offices are listed at http://www.secretservice.gov/field_offices.shtml or in your phone book.
2.    Alert the FBI at https://tips.fbi.gov Be sure to tell the FBI that you are being targeted by extortionists over the phone. And if the crooks claim to be law enforcement or lawyers, officers of the court or bankers, be sure to include that information in your report.
3.    File a complaint with your local police. Most police departments will take a report over the phone.  Be sure to tell them that you're being targeted by an extortionist and give them all the details.
4.    File a complaint your state's attorney general, the contact information for whom is at www.wvago.gov
5.    File a complaint online with The Federal Trade Commission at https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/FTC_Wizard.aspx?Lang=en
If these crooks call back, promise them nothing, pay them nothing and tell them nothing other than that you know they're a scam and that you've reported them to law enforcement. (And be sure to report them to all the agencies above each time they call you.)

By the way, here's just a small sample of numbers used by this particular group of scammers. Read the reports and you'll see the same pattern time and again -- phony organization names, thick foreign accents, and oddly worded threats that are so melodramatic and ridiculous that it's laughable:


http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-771-9249   Scammer posting here as GARY and GARRY JONES
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-866-860-4509   Scammer posting here as Mike Henderson
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-212-500-0839   Scammer posting here as Ricky
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-201-244-7722   Scammer posting as Carole, David Brown and Amanda
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-626-200-4646   Scammer false postings at this new number as silshan kanniue and Tina ? preparing a new number to use.
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-424-354-4270   Scammer false postings as Rose
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-785-4479   Scammer posting as Robert
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-909-327-4870   Scammer false postings as Marry
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-646-274-1143   Scammer false postings as Karen Miller, Chichi and Tom Little
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-561-300-8018   Scammer false postings as Marco Polo (real original)
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-226-7488   Scammer false postings as SAM, David S
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-706-7463   Scammer false postings as George
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-209-349-7382   Scammer false postings as Towanda Robinson, Shannon Walsh, Jack Dawson and Cynthia
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-760-514-0132   scammer false postings as Suzy01, Johanna Hall, Cindie McMellon, Michael Dublin, Mark Williams, Carol and Rio   (800notes removed some of the scammers posts because the all came from the SAME IP ADDRESS)
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-209-797-2212   scammer false posting as Jaison Connar
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-707-401-4056   Scammer false posting as John Carner, KSR
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-650-241-4604   Scammer false postings as jhon and Kevin
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-708-401-0535   Scammer false posting here as JHON
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-518-212-0219  Scammer false posting as Prince Christian, Arpit
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-718-705-8669  Scammer false postings as Alicia

Scam alert: Bogus debt collectors
By Leslie McFadden ? Bankrate.com
Monday, Aug. 3
Posted 2 p.m.
Bankrate reporter Leslie McFadden contributed this entry.
This scam isn't technically about credit cards, but it is scary enough to post a warning. The Better Business Bureau issued an alert today saying consumers across the country are getting phone calls from bogus debt collectors claiming default on a payday loan. Of course, the consumer needs to pay a large fee to avoid arrest -- as much as $1,000.
The caller poses as a lawyer, and may threaten extradition to face trial if the consumer doesn't pay up immediately.
What makes these calls alarming -- and perhaps convincing -- is that the perpetrators reference the consumer's personal information, such as the person's Social Security number, driver's license number, previous bank account numbers, home address -- even personal references.
"The amount of information they have is really troubling," says BBB spokeswoman Alison Southwick. She adds that the amount of data points to a possible security breach.
Spread the word to your friends and family: Don't give out personal or financial information to an unknown caller. Scammers can spoof Caller ID to display different numbers, so trust your instincts over technology.
The BBB offers these tips:
?    Ask the debt collector to provide official documentation which substantiates the debt.
?    Do not provide or confirm any bank account, credit card or other personal information over the phone until you have confirmed the legitimacy of the call.
?    File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission online if the caller is abusive, uses threats or otherwise violates federal telemarketing laws or the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
?    File a complaint with the Better Business Bureau online if you believe a debt collector is trying to scam you.

For at least the last four years, possibly longer, a group has been calling former payday loan applicants advising them that they have defrauded a bank and are now being sued for non-payment of a loan.  The callers will claim to be calling on behalf of an attorney's office (name varies), the Dept. of Law and Investigation, ACS, or other similar combinations below:

United Legal Processing Division
Midline Marketing
Crime Monitoring Services
Monetary Crime Division
U.S. National Bank
Attorney General?s Office (usually in California)
American Legal Services
Affidavit Consolidation Services (ACS)

You will be threatened with arrest, a costly trial and possibly worse.  In no shape, way or form can you be arrested for non-payment on a consumer debt.  Do not believe these threats, as they are without merit and cannot be carried out in the manner they allege.  

Who are they?

In the past when pressed by law enforcement for an address, the callers have provided the following information:

David Morgan and Associates
Morgan & Associates
Morgan Associates
954-727-8481
1155 Northwest 85th Street
Wintergarden, Florida  33150
(Address is likely invalid)

The collector's MO matches a once legit collections agency called Ellis Crosby & Associates.  Here are some links on them:

http://www.budhibbs.com/collectorpages/ellis_crosby_and_associates.htm
http://www.budhibbs.com/collectorpages/EllisCrosbyJudgment.pdf

They have been previously fined over $1.3 million for various violations.  They have been known to use phone banks in India to make their calls, which more or less coincides with the difficult to understand accent many of us detect when we are contacted.  

The last time this group went by any "official" name was back in 2008:

Ellis Crosby & Associates / Douglas & Morgan Associates
4494 Southside Boulevard Suite #200
Jacksonville Florida 32216
Phone:  800-928-3536 / (904) 928-3536
(Address is likely invalid)

There are NUMEROUS consumer alerts out against this group of individuals:

Florida:
http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/061107/met_176207561.shtml

Kansas:  
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2010/01/ks_debt_collection.html

Colorado:  
http://www.coloradoattorneygeneral.gov/press/ ... lls_likely_orig

Rhode Island:  
http://www.collectionscreditrisk.com/news/rho ... -3002135-1.html

West Virginia:
http://www.wvago.gov/internetloanscam.cfm

Missouri:
On July 15th, 2010 a Public Awareness Bulletin was sent out by Missouri Information Analysis Center.  

"..received reports from individuals in Ohio and Illinois reference suspicious telephone calls they received. In both instances, the callers are reporting that a voicemail is received from a man, with a Middle Eastern accent, identifying himself as an officer working with the Financial Crimes Unit.  The message indicates that the reason for the call concerns a loan made by the receiver or someone in the receiver's family. The voicemail requests that a return call be made and a telephone number is provided. When a return call is made, the caller is asked to provide personal identifying information such as their date of birth and social security number.

Reports indicate that the calls are frequent and persistent and that they even threaten arrest or legal action if information or money is not provided. It appears that the individuals making these calls may have access to some records connecting individuals and their relatives.  Missouri does not have a Financial Crimes Unit and all indications are that this is a fictitious agency. If you receive a similar phone call, please be advised that it is a scam and please contact your local law enforcement agency or the Missouri Information Analysis Center at 866-362-6422."

Bottom line:

Do not supply the callers with any additional information.  Inform them you have reported them to law enforcement and hang up.  If you haven't already, go ahead and report the calls to local law enforcement, your state's Attorney General and beyond.  Look up the local Secret Service branch's information in your area and get in contact with an agent there.  

If you ever applied for a cash advance online, your information is out there.  
Possible sources for the breach of your privacy are:

* The scammers obtained your information from Teletrack - a reporting agency used by many cash advance lenders to determine their risk lending to you.  The service is able to tell cash advance lenders if you have existing loans with other companies, for example.  Many state laws prohibit borrowers from having more than two cash advances out at the same time.

* The scammers created their own fake payday loan application site.  People looking for a cash advance went to the site and applied, thus freely providing the scammers with their information for malicious use at a later time.  

* The scammers were able to get into the database(s) of cash advance lenders - probable targets being Sonic Payday and Cashnet USA.  


How to protect yourself:

* Inform your employer.  You are likely getting calls at home and/or at work, so make sure your employer is aware the calls are part of a scam and to not take them seriously.  Advise the callers that they are no longer allowed to call you at work.  If they continue to call, document the date and time of the calls you received.  Save voice mails left if at all possible.  

* Change your number(s).  For some this may not be an option, for others a one-time number change can be done free of charge.

Be advised - any references you listed on your payday loan application will be contacted.  Let those people know that this is a scam, and they can disregard.

* Use Google Voice.  Google Voice is a great replacement voice mail system for just about any phone number you use.  Messages can be transcribed and voice mail recordings can be saved as mp3 files.  

Pro Tip - call the scammers with a Google Voice number before turning off your old phone numbers.  Make sure when you call you identify yourself so they can start up their script.  At any point after they have your information pulled up just hang up.  They will then start religiously calling your Google Voice number.  At this point, you are free to change your regular phone number(s) and enjoy not having these people ever call you again.  (And laugh at the fact these people are basically talking to a brick wall several times a day)

The scammers change their numbers frequently.  Law enforcement used to think it was because the callers ran out of minutes on their prepaid wireless accounts or they were shuttered due to fraud, but now they understand it's simply to evade detection by savvy consumers online.  With the proliferation of VoIP, it's even easier for the crooks to stay a couple of steps ahead of law enforcement.  Below is just a sampling of the 30+ numbers that have been used in recent memory.

1-201-244-7722
1-209-349-7382
1-209-797-2212
1-212-500-0839
1-213-256-0408
1-213-995-3039
1-281-763-0433
1-347-289-3902
1-347-844-6817
1-347-844-6831
1-424-354-4270
1-516-232-8905
1-516-232-8935
1-518-212-0219
1-561-300-8018
1-561-210-4185
1-626-200-4646
1-631-456-4041
1-646-274-1143
1-646-810-8635
1-650-241-4604
1-707-401-4056
1-707-633-2789
1-708-401-0535
1-716-442-2824
1-717-862-4080
1-718-705-8669
1-760-514-0132
1-760-563-5384
1-772-318-4938
1-850-201-1111
1-858-777-1977
1-859-908-2281
1-866-860-4509
1-877-226-7488
1-888-706-7463
1-888-771-9249
1-888-785-4479
1-909-327-4870

So can they really do anything to you?

It's not a simple yes or no answer.  Logic dictates that, if they really wanted to take you for a ride and drain your bank accounts, they already would have.  

So, why haven't they?  

Authorization.  

Why do you think you are being called so much?  Perhaps it is because they like the sound of your voice?  No, they have to have your authorization to take any form of payment from you, period.  The callers know their audience, and that audience is typically a bunch of people that have applied for payday loans in the past.  Most of those people they call couldn't afford an attorney if they wanted one, and are so used to receiving collections calls that so long as they sound like a real collector, they will likely be perceived as one.

Furthermore, they don't even really want to talk to your attorney - that just sounds official and scary enough.  A real attorney would take the callers to task and write them off as two-bit con artists.  The callers need you, in writing, to authorize payment against the fictitious debt they claim you owe.  Go ahead, ask them for proof you owe the debt - more commonly known as verification of debt.  See what they say.  A phone authorization carries very little weight, so if they have something signed by you on file, you are done for - and the callers know that.  That authorization is the only thing these callers are doing by the book, and for good reason.  If they just went all willy nilly and made an ACH debit from your checking account, without your written approval, you could in turn report the transaction as fraudulent to your financial institution.  In about 7-10 business days, you would get the funds returned to your account.  Then the scammers would be up against a bank and their team of lawyers and investigators.  

Bottom line:

If you haven't paid the callers a dime, don't.  If you planned on paying them to shut them up, just don't.  Remember - you are not being contacted by a legally licensed, ethically owned and operated collector.  Read up on the FDCPA - http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre27.pdf - and know your rights.

http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-646-274-1143/3