281-940-8220
TX, US
 | John 2013-12-18 16:05:51 Unknown |
Getting multiple calls at all time of day & night from someone with a Indian or pakastin accent claiming
| T.S 2013-12-18 16:01:17 Unknown |
Getting multiple calls at all time of day & night from someone with a Indian or pakastin accent claiming my "pay-day loan' is ready,
| FTC 2013-12-04 17:54:52 Debt Collector |
The Federal government created the national registry in 2003 to make it easier and more efficient for you to stop getting telemarketing calls you don?t want.
You can sign up for the Do Not Call Registry two ways: The FTC's toll-free phone number is (888) 382-1222 (TTY: (866) 290-4236). Online registration is available at the FTC's web site at www.donotcall.gov.
Your phone number will stay on the Registry for five years - unless you ask for your number to be removed from the list, or until you change your phone number.
If your number is disconnected and then reconnected, perhaps due to a payment lapse, you will need to re-register. If you are able to keep your same phone number when you move to a new location, we advise you to re-register to make sure your number is not de-listed. If your phone number is changed when you move, don't forget to register again. I
f you signed up for the Registry through the FTC, you can verify if your phone number is on the list by going to https://www.donotcall.gov/confirm/Conf.aspx.
You will be able to renew your registration every five years. Not all solicitation calls are covered by the Do Not Call Registry. It depends on the type of call being made. You can still be contacted by:
Charities
Survey researchers
Political campaigns
Companies with which you have a business relationship
Companies to which you have given written consent to remain on their calling list.
Companies with which you have an "existing business relationship" as well as their affiliates can call you within an 18-month window. And when you inquire about or apply for a service or product, that company can contact you within three months.
Other rules and regulations:
It is illegal to fax an unsolicited advertisement.
It is illegal if a message delivered by artificial voice and autodialer does not state clearly the caller's identity at the beginning of the message, and state during or after the message the telephone number of the caller (other than the autodialer's number).
It is illegal to make a telephone solicitation before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. at the callee's location, or if the caller does not have do-not-call procedures.
The do-not-call procedures must be in writing and be available on demand.
The caller must provide the called party with the name of the individual caller, the name of the person or business for whom they are calling, and a phone number at which you can reach that person or business.
Do-not-call requests must be honored for ten years.
Violations of the above within any one-year period entitle you to sue for $500.
Some quick facts about the Registry:
As of this writing FTC has registered 143 million phone numbers since its establishment in June 2003, received 2.8 million complaints, and has completed 29 cases for telemarketing violations.
It can take up to 31 days after the registration for your phone number to be deleted from telemarketing lists. To file a complaint against a telemarketer, your phone number must have been on the registry for 31 days.
The registration lasts for five years and is due to start expiring in June 2008.
The registry is restricted to personal phone numbers; companies cannot place their phone numbers on the registry.
The FTC said a total of 6,824 entities paid fees totaling $21,698,970 for access to the National Registry in 2006. Since inception, a total of 15,218 unique entities have paid fees for access to the registry. The total amount of fees paid by all entities since the inception of the registry through the end of FY 2006 is $59,027,775.
You can sign up for the Do Not Call Registry two ways: The FTC's toll-free phone number is (888) 382-1222 (TTY: (866) 290-4236). Online registration is available at the FTC's web site at www.donotcall.gov.
Your phone number will stay on the Registry for five years - unless you ask for your number to be removed from the list, or until you change your phone number.
If your number is disconnected and then reconnected, perhaps due to a payment lapse, you will need to re-register. If you are able to keep your same phone number when you move to a new location, we advise you to re-register to make sure your number is not de-listed. If your phone number is changed when you move, don't forget to register again. I
f you signed up for the Registry through the FTC, you can verify if your phone number is on the list by going to https://www.donotcall.gov/confirm/Conf.aspx.
You will be able to renew your registration every five years. Not all solicitation calls are covered by the Do Not Call Registry. It depends on the type of call being made. You can still be contacted by:
Charities
Survey researchers
Political campaigns
Companies with which you have a business relationship
Companies to which you have given written consent to remain on their calling list.
Companies with which you have an "existing business relationship" as well as their affiliates can call you within an 18-month window. And when you inquire about or apply for a service or product, that company can contact you within three months.
Other rules and regulations:
It is illegal to fax an unsolicited advertisement.
It is illegal if a message delivered by artificial voice and autodialer does not state clearly the caller's identity at the beginning of the message, and state during or after the message the telephone number of the caller (other than the autodialer's number).
It is illegal to make a telephone solicitation before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. at the callee's location, or if the caller does not have do-not-call procedures.
The do-not-call procedures must be in writing and be available on demand.
The caller must provide the called party with the name of the individual caller, the name of the person or business for whom they are calling, and a phone number at which you can reach that person or business.
Do-not-call requests must be honored for ten years.
Violations of the above within any one-year period entitle you to sue for $500.
Some quick facts about the Registry:
As of this writing FTC has registered 143 million phone numbers since its establishment in June 2003, received 2.8 million complaints, and has completed 29 cases for telemarketing violations.
It can take up to 31 days after the registration for your phone number to be deleted from telemarketing lists. To file a complaint against a telemarketer, your phone number must have been on the registry for 31 days.
The registration lasts for five years and is due to start expiring in June 2008.
The registry is restricted to personal phone numbers; companies cannot place their phone numbers on the registry.
The FTC said a total of 6,824 entities paid fees totaling $21,698,970 for access to the National Registry in 2006. Since inception, a total of 15,218 unique entities have paid fees for access to the registry. The total amount of fees paid by all entities since the inception of the registry through the end of FY 2006 is $59,027,775.
| ALFANO 2013-12-04 17:26:46 Debt Collector |
Anon--
They have violated FDCPA laws by refusing to provide written validation of the debt they are harassing you about:
809. Validation of debts [15 USC 1692g]
(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.
(b) If the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period described in subsection (a) that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, or that the consumer requests the name and address of the original creditor, the debt collector shall cease collection of the debt, or any disputed portion thereof, until the debt collector obtains verification of the debt or any copy of a judgment, or the name and address of the original creditor, and a copy of such verification or judgment, or name and address of the original creditor, is mailed to the consumer by the debt collector.
(c) The failure of a consumer to dispute the validity of a debt under this section may not be construed by any court as an admission of liability by the consumer.
http://www.creditinfocenter.com/legal/FDCPA.shtml#807
They have also violated FDCPA laws by verbally abusing you.
Go to the FTC's website and file a complaint:
http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/contact.shtm
If they can't (or won't) furnish proof that you legitimately owe this debt, they get NOTHING.
Also, I checked the SOL (Statute of Limitations) for the enforcement of collection of debts in the Virginia courts:
Open account: 3 years from the last payment or last charge for goods or services rendered on the account.
Written contracts (non-UCC): 5 years.
Sale of goods under the UCC: 4 years.
Virginia Judgments: 10 years, and renewable (extended) to 20 years.
Foreign judgments: 10 years.
http://www.fair-debt-collection.com/SOL-by-State.html#46
The statute of limitations on this debt will expire in 2010 (written contracts).
Therefore, STAY OFF THE PHONE! West is a notorious bottom feeder (buying charged-off debts for pennies on the dollar then then tries to extort a token payment in order to reage it). That's why you were being screamed at.
Bide your time, then send them this cease communication letter VIA certified mail with return receipt requested. Keep copies of everything you send:
Today's Date
Your Name
Your Address
Collector's Name
Collector's Address
VIA CERTIFIED MAIL
RE: [insert account number or name of account or name of debt]:
Dear [insert collector's name or company name],
This letter is in response to your [letter dated xx-xx-2005] (copy enclosed) or [phone call on xx-xx-2005], concerning the collection of the above referenced [account or date].
I do not believe I owe what you say I owe therefore I dispute this debt. I am well aware of my rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and my state laws so I hope to save both of us a great deal of time by letting you know that not only do I dispute the validity of this debt, I have also checked with my State Attorney General and verified that the Statute of Limitations for enforcing this type of debt through the courts in (insert your state or the state in which the contract was signed) has expired. Therefore, should you decide to pursue this matter in court I intend to inform the court of my dispute of this debt and that the "statute of limitations" has expired.
This letter is your formal notification that I consider this matter closed and demand that you, or anyone affiliated with your company, stop contacting me regarding this or any other matter except to advise me that your debt collection efforts are being terminated or that you or the creditor are taking specific actions allowed by the FDCPA or my state laws.
Be advised that I consider any contact not in accordance with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act a serious violation of the law and will immediately report any violations to my State Attorney General, to the Federal Trade Commission and, if necessary, take whatever legal action is necessary to protect myself. Be advised that I tape record all phone calls and violations of the FDCPA can result in you or your company being personally fined up to $1,000 per incident.
(Sign above name)
http://www.fair-debt-collection.com/Disputing ... ute-letter.html
They have violated FDCPA laws by refusing to provide written validation of the debt they are harassing you about:
809. Validation of debts [15 USC 1692g]
(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.
(b) If the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period described in subsection (a) that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, or that the consumer requests the name and address of the original creditor, the debt collector shall cease collection of the debt, or any disputed portion thereof, until the debt collector obtains verification of the debt or any copy of a judgment, or the name and address of the original creditor, and a copy of such verification or judgment, or name and address of the original creditor, is mailed to the consumer by the debt collector.
(c) The failure of a consumer to dispute the validity of a debt under this section may not be construed by any court as an admission of liability by the consumer.
http://www.creditinfocenter.com/legal/FDCPA.shtml#807
They have also violated FDCPA laws by verbally abusing you.
Go to the FTC's website and file a complaint:
http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/contact.shtm
If they can't (or won't) furnish proof that you legitimately owe this debt, they get NOTHING.
Also, I checked the SOL (Statute of Limitations) for the enforcement of collection of debts in the Virginia courts:
Open account: 3 years from the last payment or last charge for goods or services rendered on the account.
Written contracts (non-UCC): 5 years.
Sale of goods under the UCC: 4 years.
Virginia Judgments: 10 years, and renewable (extended) to 20 years.
Foreign judgments: 10 years.
http://www.fair-debt-collection.com/SOL-by-State.html#46
The statute of limitations on this debt will expire in 2010 (written contracts).
Therefore, STAY OFF THE PHONE! West is a notorious bottom feeder (buying charged-off debts for pennies on the dollar then then tries to extort a token payment in order to reage it). That's why you were being screamed at.
Bide your time, then send them this cease communication letter VIA certified mail with return receipt requested. Keep copies of everything you send:
Today's Date
Your Name
Your Address
Collector's Name
Collector's Address
VIA CERTIFIED MAIL
RE: [insert account number or name of account or name of debt]:
Dear [insert collector's name or company name],
This letter is in response to your [letter dated xx-xx-2005] (copy enclosed) or [phone call on xx-xx-2005], concerning the collection of the above referenced [account or date].
I do not believe I owe what you say I owe therefore I dispute this debt. I am well aware of my rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and my state laws so I hope to save both of us a great deal of time by letting you know that not only do I dispute the validity of this debt, I have also checked with my State Attorney General and verified that the Statute of Limitations for enforcing this type of debt through the courts in (insert your state or the state in which the contract was signed) has expired. Therefore, should you decide to pursue this matter in court I intend to inform the court of my dispute of this debt and that the "statute of limitations" has expired.
This letter is your formal notification that I consider this matter closed and demand that you, or anyone affiliated with your company, stop contacting me regarding this or any other matter except to advise me that your debt collection efforts are being terminated or that you or the creditor are taking specific actions allowed by the FDCPA or my state laws.
Be advised that I consider any contact not in accordance with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act a serious violation of the law and will immediately report any violations to my State Attorney General, to the Federal Trade Commission and, if necessary, take whatever legal action is necessary to protect myself. Be advised that I tape record all phone calls and violations of the FDCPA can result in you or your company being personally fined up to $1,000 per incident.
(Sign above name)
http://www.fair-debt-collection.com/Disputing ... ute-letter.html
| FBI 2013-12-04 17:22:57 Debt Collector |
TCPA is short for The Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991, which prohibits unsolicited telemarketing calls whether they are robo-dialed, come from a "live" person or fax. The law was updated in 2003, to include the "Do Not Call" list. The law excludes non-profit organizations, calls that you have already given approval to receive or those in which you have "an established business relationship". The latter is what collection agencies are getting into hot water for violations of the TCPA (and FDCPA) laws, because of their relentless harassment of NON-debtors...even after they have been REPEATEDLY told that the person they are after does not reside at their number. Hence, the TCPA DOES apply to debt collectors in this situation:
Under the TCPA, a consumer has a right to file a lawsuit and recover $500 for each call that violates the TCPA. The TCPA can also be used in conjunction with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act in some situations.
Generally, the TCPA does not apply to debt collectors making collection calls to debtors. However, if you are subjected to calls from a debt collector and you are not the debtor, you may file a lawsuit against the debt collector under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the TCPA.
This right was recently recognized by Judge Legrome D. Davis in a case called Watson v. NCO Group, Inc. NCO Group is a debt collector that uses automated prerecorded collection calls. In this case, Mr. Watson alleged he was getting hundreds of calls from NCO Group after he got a new phone number. Mr. Watson claimed he owed no debt to NCO Group, Inc. Mr. Watson filed suit under both the FDCPA and TCPA.
David Israel, defense lawyer for NCO, argued that the TCPA should not apply to debt collectors. Judge Davis rejected the argument made by David Israel. The judge ruled that Mr. Watson had a right to sue NCO Group Inc under the TCPA for $500 for each call. Judge Davis wrote;
[The] Court is convinced that a non-debtor's rights are in fact violated when he is subjected to repeated annoying and abusive debt collection calls that he remains powerless to stop.
Judge Davis' ruling was based upon his interpretation that collection calls to non-debtors violate the privacy rights provided by the TCPA.
So what can you do if you receive "wrong number" calls from debt collectors?
1. Sign up for the Do-Not-Call registry.
2. Save the calls captured by your voice mail or answering machine.
3. Contact a consumer lawyer.
http://consumerlawyer.typepad.com/blog/2008/02/the-do-not-call.html
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/tcpa.html
Under the TCPA, a consumer has a right to file a lawsuit and recover $500 for each call that violates the TCPA. The TCPA can also be used in conjunction with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act in some situations.
Generally, the TCPA does not apply to debt collectors making collection calls to debtors. However, if you are subjected to calls from a debt collector and you are not the debtor, you may file a lawsuit against the debt collector under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the TCPA.
This right was recently recognized by Judge Legrome D. Davis in a case called Watson v. NCO Group, Inc. NCO Group is a debt collector that uses automated prerecorded collection calls. In this case, Mr. Watson alleged he was getting hundreds of calls from NCO Group after he got a new phone number. Mr. Watson claimed he owed no debt to NCO Group, Inc. Mr. Watson filed suit under both the FDCPA and TCPA.
David Israel, defense lawyer for NCO, argued that the TCPA should not apply to debt collectors. Judge Davis rejected the argument made by David Israel. The judge ruled that Mr. Watson had a right to sue NCO Group Inc under the TCPA for $500 for each call. Judge Davis wrote;
[The] Court is convinced that a non-debtor's rights are in fact violated when he is subjected to repeated annoying and abusive debt collection calls that he remains powerless to stop.
Judge Davis' ruling was based upon his interpretation that collection calls to non-debtors violate the privacy rights provided by the TCPA.
So what can you do if you receive "wrong number" calls from debt collectors?
1. Sign up for the Do-Not-Call registry.
2. Save the calls captured by your voice mail or answering machine.
3. Contact a consumer lawyer.
http://consumerlawyer.typepad.com/blog/2008/02/the-do-not-call.html
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/tcpa.html
| DAVID 2013-12-04 17:21:15 Debt Collector |
Val,
apparently you have never been in a situation under which you had no control. my son and I had accidents 1 hour apart on the same day. he was transported to a trauma center by helicopter I was taken to the emergency room at another hospital by ambulance. we were in different hospitals for 6 weeks. he came home in a hospital bed and I came home in a wheelchair. while we were in the hospital my husband decided to find himself a girlfriend, although they had actually been seeing each other for 2 years. I'm an electrical engineer and had upbeen laid off from my job as a contractor previous to my accident. during the course of being out of work my husband would give me no money for paying household bills and buyirTng groceries or for paying hospital bills. in my physical and mental condition I was unable to stand up for myself. my only recourse was to resort to the use of credit cards. 6 months after we came home from the hospital my husband walked out on me and 2 injured children cleaning out our joint bank account as he left. I had no money no income except for my retirement. it took 3 years to get the divorce. for the duration of those 3 years I had to use my retirement money leaving me with out any residual funds. my divorce lawyer and his lawyer spent a lot of time speaking alone with him outside of my presence. as a result my lawyer did not file for any of his financial records or for any of his phone records nor did she send out subpoenas for any of the people I gave her as witnesses to the circumstances. after several canceled court appearances we finally made it to court. while waiting to appear before the judge my lawyer informed me that my husband had people lining up to testify that I was abusing my pain medication and that I was abusing my son. I have 2 sons this son is the 1 for which he would have had to pay child support. to make a long story short I never got my day in court. we had a short meeting outside of the court room prior to the proceeding to discuss division of property child custody and all other divorce related activities. an agreement of sorts was reached that I did not agree with but did give me a small amount of spousal support. I told my lawyer I wanted to go to court and have a hearing and she said we would go in this room and discuss it. she opens the door and parked my wheelchair in front of the judge. I became hysterical because I was suffering from PTSD and clinical depression. I had no 1 with me for support and have little memory of what took place. I just know I wanted out of the room. the judge asked if a settlement has been reached we said yes and it was over. when I received the initial copy of the divorce decree it was not what I had agreed to. I spent 2 months trying to contact my lawyer and tell her that it was not with an hour agreement. after 3 months I received a finalized divorce decree without my signature on the divorce or on the child custody papers. this resulted in me being left with 60,000 dollars worth of credit card debt, no job or income at the time, and a s on in colleg e and father said he wouldnot givehim money for school. I received calls from debt collectors 6 to 12 calls an hour all day long 7 days a week because my husband had removed his name from the credit cards. he makesover 100,000 dollars a year and his father had just signed over his inheritance so that he would not have to pay inheritance tax later. his new wife owns her own house property cars have a job and I have no significant debt. the Son he took away from me also received income from Social Security my disability. I finally got approved for Social Security disability but my medical bills and medications cost over half of that amount. before you judge people about debt, loans and credit cards, perhaps you should consider that things are not always as you may see them. you have obviously always had someone to take care of you. it has been 3 years now since the divorce and he still refuses to give his other son any money to help pay for his college tuition or living expenses even though the portion of my disability that he was receiving before he turned 18 now goes to his younger brother. the child living with him had to get a job to pay for lunch money at school and gas and clothes etc cetera. I do not know what happens to the money that he receives from me even though it is supposed to be coming to me to use for expenses when my child lives with me since we have joint custody. I do not nor have I ever wanted his money he did tell my younger child that I stole the money that he took from the bank. if you ever find yourself in this situation I want you to come back to this forum and take back the hateful words you spoke. I am in a situation now where I have no money to spend for groceries or medications 2 week out of every month. I am paying for for delinquent bills for subsequent surgeries since the accident. I am also paying for visits to a primary care physician and 7 specialists. my medications can cost as much as 1400 dollars a month. when we sold the family home there was no money left because he had refinanced it without my knowledge since part of the divorce agreement was that I was to receive any money that we got after the mortgage was paid off. I had 3 days to pack up a 4000 square foot house. all of this from a wheelchair after having had shoulder replacement surgery in addition to your not being mobile. I was counting on the proceeds from the house to help me pay off the debt for my medical bills. since that time I have been able to get rid of the credit card dance and now I find myself right back in the situation over the past year but this time I have no credit cards I have no income and I'm paying to take care of 2 people. I would like for you to respond and tell me that you still feel that people are irresponsible when they get into debt. I will pray for you and hope that God will listen and soften your heart because people do not always have control over the life they are forced to live. I feel sorry for you if you have never had to cope with life altering situations because it has not prepared you for hard times. when the time comes and you find yourself in even the smallest situation that is adverse to your lifestyle you will not be prepared to cope. even with all that has happened to me and continues to happen to me I am NOT bitter I thank God everyday that my son survive d the accident that I survived the accident and that my youngest child is living a good life. I will pray for you and your family and ask God to watch over you so that you do not find yourself in this type of situation. when you wake up in the mornings look in the mirror and thank God for your life is going as well as it is because some people have nothing to be thankful 4 but they steal thank God for everything they do have. I hope you can find in your heart to forgive these people like myself who have had to resort 2 credit cards and that you'll try not to judge them in the future. after all does it not say judge not lest ye be judged? good luck to you in the present and future and may God bless.
apparently you have never been in a situation under which you had no control. my son and I had accidents 1 hour apart on the same day. he was transported to a trauma center by helicopter I was taken to the emergency room at another hospital by ambulance. we were in different hospitals for 6 weeks. he came home in a hospital bed and I came home in a wheelchair. while we were in the hospital my husband decided to find himself a girlfriend, although they had actually been seeing each other for 2 years. I'm an electrical engineer and had upbeen laid off from my job as a contractor previous to my accident. during the course of being out of work my husband would give me no money for paying household bills and buyirTng groceries or for paying hospital bills. in my physical and mental condition I was unable to stand up for myself. my only recourse was to resort to the use of credit cards. 6 months after we came home from the hospital my husband walked out on me and 2 injured children cleaning out our joint bank account as he left. I had no money no income except for my retirement. it took 3 years to get the divorce. for the duration of those 3 years I had to use my retirement money leaving me with out any residual funds. my divorce lawyer and his lawyer spent a lot of time speaking alone with him outside of my presence. as a result my lawyer did not file for any of his financial records or for any of his phone records nor did she send out subpoenas for any of the people I gave her as witnesses to the circumstances. after several canceled court appearances we finally made it to court. while waiting to appear before the judge my lawyer informed me that my husband had people lining up to testify that I was abusing my pain medication and that I was abusing my son. I have 2 sons this son is the 1 for which he would have had to pay child support. to make a long story short I never got my day in court. we had a short meeting outside of the court room prior to the proceeding to discuss division of property child custody and all other divorce related activities. an agreement of sorts was reached that I did not agree with but did give me a small amount of spousal support. I told my lawyer I wanted to go to court and have a hearing and she said we would go in this room and discuss it. she opens the door and parked my wheelchair in front of the judge. I became hysterical because I was suffering from PTSD and clinical depression. I had no 1 with me for support and have little memory of what took place. I just know I wanted out of the room. the judge asked if a settlement has been reached we said yes and it was over. when I received the initial copy of the divorce decree it was not what I had agreed to. I spent 2 months trying to contact my lawyer and tell her that it was not with an hour agreement. after 3 months I received a finalized divorce decree without my signature on the divorce or on the child custody papers. this resulted in me being left with 60,000 dollars worth of credit card debt, no job or income at the time, and a s on in colleg e and father said he wouldnot givehim money for school. I received calls from debt collectors 6 to 12 calls an hour all day long 7 days a week because my husband had removed his name from the credit cards. he makesover 100,000 dollars a year and his father had just signed over his inheritance so that he would not have to pay inheritance tax later. his new wife owns her own house property cars have a job and I have no significant debt. the Son he took away from me also received income from Social Security my disability. I finally got approved for Social Security disability but my medical bills and medications cost over half of that amount. before you judge people about debt, loans and credit cards, perhaps you should consider that things are not always as you may see them. you have obviously always had someone to take care of you. it has been 3 years now since the divorce and he still refuses to give his other son any money to help pay for his college tuition or living expenses even though the portion of my disability that he was receiving before he turned 18 now goes to his younger brother. the child living with him had to get a job to pay for lunch money at school and gas and clothes etc cetera. I do not know what happens to the money that he receives from me even though it is supposed to be coming to me to use for expenses when my child lives with me since we have joint custody. I do not nor have I ever wanted his money he did tell my younger child that I stole the money that he took from the bank. if you ever find yourself in this situation I want you to come back to this forum and take back the hateful words you spoke. I am in a situation now where I have no money to spend for groceries or medications 2 week out of every month. I am paying for for delinquent bills for subsequent surgeries since the accident. I am also paying for visits to a primary care physician and 7 specialists. my medications can cost as much as 1400 dollars a month. when we sold the family home there was no money left because he had refinanced it without my knowledge since part of the divorce agreement was that I was to receive any money that we got after the mortgage was paid off. I had 3 days to pack up a 4000 square foot house. all of this from a wheelchair after having had shoulder replacement surgery in addition to your not being mobile. I was counting on the proceeds from the house to help me pay off the debt for my medical bills. since that time I have been able to get rid of the credit card dance and now I find myself right back in the situation over the past year but this time I have no credit cards I have no income and I'm paying to take care of 2 people. I would like for you to respond and tell me that you still feel that people are irresponsible when they get into debt. I will pray for you and hope that God will listen and soften your heart because people do not always have control over the life they are forced to live. I feel sorry for you if you have never had to cope with life altering situations because it has not prepared you for hard times. when the time comes and you find yourself in even the smallest situation that is adverse to your lifestyle you will not be prepared to cope. even with all that has happened to me and continues to happen to me I am NOT bitter I thank God everyday that my son survive d the accident that I survived the accident and that my youngest child is living a good life. I will pray for you and your family and ask God to watch over you so that you do not find yourself in this type of situation. when you wake up in the mornings look in the mirror and thank God for your life is going as well as it is because some people have nothing to be thankful 4 but they steal thank God for everything they do have. I hope you can find in your heart to forgive these people like myself who have had to resort 2 credit cards and that you'll try not to judge them in the future. after all does it not say judge not lest ye be judged? good luck to you in the present and future and may God bless.
| DAVID 2013-12-04 17:15:23 Debt Collector |
Dear Frank,
I have been getting really violent harassing calls from some Indian sounding guys. They leave messages on my cell phone that if I do not show up for my court date, ( like in two days or a week sometimes ) I will go to jail, they say they are the Marshals office, sometimes the Sheriffs office, FBI, trying to really scare me. Than they started saying that if I did not send them some money they would have no choice but to take matters into their own hands and show up at my doorstep telling me that whatever happens to me or my family will be on my shoulders and my fault. I have some I saved on my phone.
FYI, I don't owe any money and kept asking who they were. When I called the number back it is from Pay day loans. It sounds like they are in some kind of boiler room where many guys are just sitting on phones calling people randomly telling them to send them money or else.
I would love to sue them. LOVE TO !!!! I live with my parents where I am their care giver for now because my Mom broke both legs from a fall and my dad can not walk well an also just recently this year has had 3 heart attacks so I must be around to help them at all times.
I work on my computer as much as possible. My son is with me, hes my biological Grandson that I adopted when he was born. He is now 16. But we had to move over with my parents because they could not stay alone and I drive them to all Dr's apt.'s, etc.. I am also having to go on disability. I have some Back disk problems and Lupus they think. But I hate these people who ever they think they are.
I try and reason with them bu they just over talk me. I let them leave messages but can't believe they would actually threaten to harm me and my family on a message.
Gosh I would love to kick there pocketbook all the way where the sun don't shine and than give the money to Charity. !!! Hah !!! That would be great !!!
I have been getting really violent harassing calls from some Indian sounding guys. They leave messages on my cell phone that if I do not show up for my court date, ( like in two days or a week sometimes ) I will go to jail, they say they are the Marshals office, sometimes the Sheriffs office, FBI, trying to really scare me. Than they started saying that if I did not send them some money they would have no choice but to take matters into their own hands and show up at my doorstep telling me that whatever happens to me or my family will be on my shoulders and my fault. I have some I saved on my phone.
FYI, I don't owe any money and kept asking who they were. When I called the number back it is from Pay day loans. It sounds like they are in some kind of boiler room where many guys are just sitting on phones calling people randomly telling them to send them money or else.
I would love to sue them. LOVE TO !!!! I live with my parents where I am their care giver for now because my Mom broke both legs from a fall and my dad can not walk well an also just recently this year has had 3 heart attacks so I must be around to help them at all times.
I work on my computer as much as possible. My son is with me, hes my biological Grandson that I adopted when he was born. He is now 16. But we had to move over with my parents because they could not stay alone and I drive them to all Dr's apt.'s, etc.. I am also having to go on disability. I have some Back disk problems and Lupus they think. But I hate these people who ever they think they are.
I try and reason with them bu they just over talk me. I let them leave messages but can't believe they would actually threaten to harm me and my family on a message.
Gosh I would love to kick there pocketbook all the way where the sun don't shine and than give the money to Charity. !!! Hah !!! That would be great !!!
| Patricia 2013-12-04 17:14:23 Debt Collector |
Debt collectors are highly motivated to convince debtors to pay the debt because they work on a commission. This business model has created the reputation for bill collection agencies that we know today.
The collector might engage in threatening behavior and harassment. However, like any other business they are governed by laws that prohibit certain abusive practices.
There are three reasons for a debt collector to contact you: your creditor has not received a payment from you within the time frame discussed in the contract; you are a victim of an identity theft meaning someone used your identity to obtain credit and didn?t pay it off; and finally, you might be contacted by collectors who are looking for someone other than you .
When contacted by a collector, take as much information as possible from the caller. Ask for the name of the company, address, the caller name, fax and phone number, amount owned, and the name of the creditor who passed your account to them. Also, tell them you expect to receive a notice in the mail concerning this debt. The last step is very important because you need to have proof of the debt in question in writing.
If you discovered that the debt is not yours, never pay it off simply to get rid of the collector. Also, never ignore the collector either. They will not stop contacting you, and may even file a lawsuit against you. If you are repeatedly being contacted by a collector looking for someone other than you, it may be considered a form of harassment. To stop this you need to send them a letter requesting to cease calls.
If you established that the debt is yours and you don?t feel comfortable dealing with a collector via phone, tell them you want all future correspondence in writing. You need to send this request via a certified mail and request a return receipt. If you want to allow calls only between 5pm and 6pm, tell them about it in the letter. By law collection companies are required to respect your privacy and will have to cease all phone calls to your home, relatives, neighbors, and work.
Once you have their claims in writing it?s easier to seek legal help, and keep records of your correspondence.
Send all your responses to bill collectors via Certified Mail. This way you will have proof of receipt by the addressee.
Remember that the amount they claim you owe is negotiable. You can negotiate the total amount due, number of payments, and the payment deadline. Once you worked out the payment plan, request it in writing.
What a debt collector CANNOT do:
Use deceptive practices. For example, threaten you with arrest or trick you into paying for collection calls.
Use obscene language.
Call you at work after you tell them that your boss does not approve these calls.
Deny you the right to receive a written notice (within five days after your first phone conversation) that would tell you how much you owe and the name of the creditor that says you owe the money. If you do not receive the notice within five days, call the collection agency and ask for its address and fax number. Then, send a letter to the collector noting its failure to send you the required notice. As a minimum, make a note in your file.
Refuse to give its name and the name of the collection company when asked.
Put a debt on your credit report if you file a dispute. It must validate the debt by obtaining a verification of the debt or a copy of a judgment from the creditor before continuing their collection efforts. The results of the investigation must be mailed to you.
For more information on Fair Debt Collection visit http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/fdc.shtmc
The collector might engage in threatening behavior and harassment. However, like any other business they are governed by laws that prohibit certain abusive practices.
There are three reasons for a debt collector to contact you: your creditor has not received a payment from you within the time frame discussed in the contract; you are a victim of an identity theft meaning someone used your identity to obtain credit and didn?t pay it off; and finally, you might be contacted by collectors who are looking for someone other than you .
When contacted by a collector, take as much information as possible from the caller. Ask for the name of the company, address, the caller name, fax and phone number, amount owned, and the name of the creditor who passed your account to them. Also, tell them you expect to receive a notice in the mail concerning this debt. The last step is very important because you need to have proof of the debt in question in writing.
If you discovered that the debt is not yours, never pay it off simply to get rid of the collector. Also, never ignore the collector either. They will not stop contacting you, and may even file a lawsuit against you. If you are repeatedly being contacted by a collector looking for someone other than you, it may be considered a form of harassment. To stop this you need to send them a letter requesting to cease calls.
If you established that the debt is yours and you don?t feel comfortable dealing with a collector via phone, tell them you want all future correspondence in writing. You need to send this request via a certified mail and request a return receipt. If you want to allow calls only between 5pm and 6pm, tell them about it in the letter. By law collection companies are required to respect your privacy and will have to cease all phone calls to your home, relatives, neighbors, and work.
Once you have their claims in writing it?s easier to seek legal help, and keep records of your correspondence.
Send all your responses to bill collectors via Certified Mail. This way you will have proof of receipt by the addressee.
Remember that the amount they claim you owe is negotiable. You can negotiate the total amount due, number of payments, and the payment deadline. Once you worked out the payment plan, request it in writing.
What a debt collector CANNOT do:
Use deceptive practices. For example, threaten you with arrest or trick you into paying for collection calls.
Use obscene language.
Call you at work after you tell them that your boss does not approve these calls.
Deny you the right to receive a written notice (within five days after your first phone conversation) that would tell you how much you owe and the name of the creditor that says you owe the money. If you do not receive the notice within five days, call the collection agency and ask for its address and fax number. Then, send a letter to the collector noting its failure to send you the required notice. As a minimum, make a note in your file.
Refuse to give its name and the name of the collection company when asked.
Put a debt on your credit report if you file a dispute. It must validate the debt by obtaining a verification of the debt or a copy of a judgment from the creditor before continuing their collection efforts. The results of the investigation must be mailed to you.
For more information on Fair Debt Collection visit http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/fdc.shtmc
| Cruz 2013-12-04 17:10:56 Prank Call |
we had no idea that telemarketing fraud comes in so many flavors. The variations include 'cramming', 'slamming', credit card scams, calls from telemarketers pretending to be IRS, sweepstakes and lotteries scams, advance fee loan scams, phone toner scams, fat finger dialing scams, and area code phone scams.
Typically the goal is to get you to reveal personal, bank account information, or to make you do something that will result in unwanted charges on your account. Individuals and businesses are equally affected by these scams although the schemes might be different.
In this article I will outline the 16 most popular phone scams. I am sure there are more, so if you have been a victim of a phone scam, or you know of a phone scam not mentioned here, please share it with me and the readers in the comments.
Send this article to your family members, co-workers, and employees. Give it to your teenage kids and elderly parents (studies show they are the most vulnerable to the scams). As the old saying goes, "Forewarned is Forearmed".
One of the ?hottest? scams in the telemarketing industry these days involves companies that sell Auto-Warranties. It?s usually a robo-call. The recording starts with: ?This is your final notice! The warranty on your car is about to expire?? Of course, the caller has no idea whether you even have a car, not to mention its warranty. After the recording is played you are connected to a live operator who often refuses to send anything in the mail until you make your first payment. The experienced salesman will use high-pressure tactics rushing you into making a payment.
Victims, who fell for the scam and ?extended their warranties? report that the companies often fail to send any paperwork and routinely deny policy payments.
Tracing the calls to the companies is difficult. The calls often come from telemarketing centers located overseas. Also, the companies often spoof their caller ID information to display someone?s else?s real number. When people receive these calls they dial the number they see on Caller ID and leave angry messages for an unsuspecting victim. Two-three days later the telemarketers change the Caller ID number and the scam continues.
Another phone scam involves calls from ?Prize Distribution Centers? that claim that you are the winner in sweepstakes or a lottery. Of course, you are not the only ?winner? in the lottery and tens of thousands of people received the same call. The goal of the scheme is to entice you to make a relatively small payment (for example, shipping and handling fee, a sales tax) promising that a much bigger prize will be sent your way. Once the payment is sent, you will most likely not hear from the company again, and a promised ?Lincoln Navigator? will not find its way to your driveway.
Offers to Lower Your Interest Rates: The calls begin with a recording that makes a tempting offer to lower your credit-card interest rates. Then you are switched to a live agent who collects from you the credit card number and its expiration, name, address, and in some cases even your social security number. The telemarketers have no intention of giving consumers better interest rates on their cards and instead use the information to commit identity theft and run up unwanted charges.
Again, tracing these scam artists is difficult: they spoof the caller ID information and use numerous VOIP accounts set up using stolen credit cards. The best thing to do is hang up, report the call to FTC and warn others through 800notes.com.
Fake Bank Alert Messages: A fake message from a local bank says that your card is being suspended and that you need to call this toll free number to activate it. Of course, the toll free number does not belong to the bank and when you call they ask to verify your account information, which includes your name, date of birth, SSN, address, credit card number, etc. Once they have your personal information, they can use it 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.
Advanced Fee Loan Scams: In this scenario a telemarketer promises a consumer a loan or a credit card on very attractive terms. All the consumer has to do is just send a processing fee, or provide checking account info, and the offer was guaranteed. To make the offer sound even more attractive the scammers might throw in a free laptop, an iPod, or any other 'hot item'. After the payment is made the company disappears, and the victim is often left with an empty checking account and NSF (Non-sufficient funds) bank fees.
Fat Finger Dialing Scam: A simple mistake in dialing - or writing down - a phone number can be costly. The type of con it plays into is called a "fat finger dialing" scam. Consumers make a mistake dialing a number and end up connected to someone who leads them down a rip-off path. Almost any frequently called number is likely to be a target for the "fat finger" approach. Take the national number for the Do Not Call list run by the Federal Trade Commission. The correct number is (888) 382-1222. But if you are off by just one digit, you can end up calling a number that tells you the number has been changed. The number it directs you to call will charge you $5.49 plus an "administrative recovery fee," for "a new national directory assistance service."
Free Listing at Yellow Pages: This scam targets businesses. The caller says that he is from Yellow Pages and is calling to update their records. He proceeds by asking to confirm some basic information such as owner?s name, business phone number, address, and company name. Then they start billing the victim and only then the business owner realizes that it?s not a free listing and it was not Yellow Pages directory that called.
The victims report that when they call to complain, the company plays the recorded conversation with the victim saying 'Yes' except that the caller is reading from a completely different script. The scammers replace one side of the conversation, making it sound as if the business owner agreed to a paid listing and a monthly fee.
Bogus Fund-Raising Operations: 800Notes.com users report getting calls from scam artists posing as a charity and asking for donations. However, the charity is either non-existent or unaware of the solicitation.
When it comes to donations, it?s best to never make donations over the phone and donate directly to the beneficiary not the solicitor. This way 100% of your money will go to the charity not 10-15% as it often happens when donations are made through a telemarketer or even 0% if the money goes to a bogus charity.
International Phone Calls Scam: It's not always easy to tell if you're dialing an international telephone number. In most cases, you have to dial 011 to begin a call to a foreign country. However, there are locations outside the U.S. where telephone numbers may look like domestic long-distance calls, but are actually international calls and international rates will apply.
For example, 284 (British Virgin Islands), 242(Bahamas), 246(Barbados), 268(Antigua/Barbuda), 345(Cayman Islands), 664(Montserrat), 670 (U.S. commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), 758(St. Lucia), 787(Puerto Rico), 767(Dominica), 809(Dominican Republic), 869(St. Kitts & Nevis), 868(Trinidad & Tobago), and 876(Jamaica) are all area codes in the Caribbean.
The scheme: the scammer often leaves a message typically asking consumers to call what appears to be an ordinary long-distance telephone number to confirm a lottery prize, or to get information about a relative who has been injured in an accident. In each case, you are told to call the number right away. Since there are so many new area codes these days, people unknowingly return the calls. Once the number is dialed, the scam artist will try to keep you on the phone as long as possible to increase the charges. Unfortunately, when you get your phone bill, you might find that you?ve been charged $2500 per minute.
If you are asked to call unknown number, google the area code to check if it?s local. Also, ask your cell phone and land line companies to put a block on international calls. This way you will hear an error message when you try to call an international number.
Phone Toner Scam: The scam artist poses as a warehouse representative or vendor and makes contact with a targeted company. He will say "This is (first name), I need the model number off your copier". If the person who answers gives this info, the scammers will try to set up a shipment of toner. Of course, the deal is so good that the offer is based on a limited supply or limited time, pressuring the employee to act fast and get their money's worth. Upon delivery, both the employee and the company are usually in for a big surprise. The price of the invoiced toner is 2-3 times higher than expected, and the scam artist threatens with legal fines if the company fails to pay.
"Cramming": When monthly charges pop up on your telephone bill for optional services that you never authorized such as voice mail, paging, or club membership, it's called "cramming." You may be asked to return a missed call because it?s 'Your lucky day' and you?ve won a trip to Las Vegas. When the call is made, an automated system is activated and you are unknowingly enrolled in a club or program, and the charge is placed on your phone bill. The crammer might not even need to do anything except simply pick your phone number out of the blue and place charges on your bill through your local telephone company, claiming that you agreed to purchase some services.
Look at your bill closely every month. Charges for optional services should be itemized and show the name of the company providing them and its phone number. If you did not authorize the services, call that number and insist that they be canceled and the charges removed from your bill.
Also, consider putting a third party block on your phone service. It's often free and it does not let any third party add charges to your phone bill.
"Slamming": Slamming occurs when customers have their telephone service switched to a new carrier without their permission. You may receive a call from a telemarketer asking you to switch your long distance provider. Although you say you are not interested in switching, your long distance provider is changed anyway.
Caller ID Spoofing: Generally, the scam works like this - you receive a call where total strangers pretend to be someone else and they back up their claims with spoofed Caller ID. The scam artists might then ask for money, demand a payment, request your personal information, addresses, or banking info. People report getting calls from 'Secretary of State', grandchildren, law firms, IRS, and government officials.
For example, in one scheme the caller identified himself as a court official and informed the victim that she is being prosecuted for failing to show up for Jury Duty. When the victim replies that this is the first time she hears that she was summoned for jury duty, the caller suggests that this may be a clerical error in the court system, and he asks for her full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number to check the official summons files. The scam artist informs the victim that this data will be kept confidential, but it is required for cancellation of the outstanding arrest warrant.
In another variation of this scam 'government officials' call to offer a 'Government Grant': 'Because you pay your income taxes on time, you have been awarded a $12,500 government grant! To get your free grant, simply give us your checking account information, and we will deposit the grant into your bank account!' You may receive a message like this, where the caller claims to be from a government agency or some other organization with an official sounding name. The caller might claim that you will qualify to receive a "free grant" to pay for education costs, home repairs, home business expenses, or bills. In any case, the claim is the same: your application for a grant is guaranteed to be accepted, and you'll never have to pay the money back.
Scam IRS calls: In this scheme people receive phone calls from a caller who impersonates an IRS employee. The caller asks the taxpayer for their Social Security and bank account numbers, claiming that the IRS needs the information to complete the processing of the taxayer's payment. In another variation of the scheme, 'an IRS employee' states that the check issued by IRS has not been cashed, and the IRS is calling to verify the individual?s bank account number.
Hang up, find the official number of the organization and call to report the incident. Also, don't send money - cash, check or money order - by courier, overnight delivery or wire to anyone who insists on immediate payment.
Call Forwarding Scam: You may receive a call or message where the caller, requests you to dial a 2-digit code preceded or followed by the * or # key (such as *79 or 72#), and then another phone number to claim some prize. This procedure programs your telephone to forward your calls to another number, possibly a toll or long distance number. Scammers can then call your number, be forwarded to the number you dialed and place calls that are billed to your home telephone number.
Telemarketing Travel Fraud: These scams have many variations and often involve travel packages that sound legitimate. You get a phone call and the caller is saying that you have been selected to receive a free trip. Skilled salespeople will tell you, to be eligible for the free trip, you must join their travel club. Later, you may find another fee is required to make your reservation. In the end, you may never get your "free" trip because your reservations are never confirmed or you must pay different fees, or comply with hard-to-meet or expensive conditions.
Check out the company with your state, provincial and local consumer protection office before you buy any product or service. Also, be wary of "great deals" and free offers. Few legitimate businesses can afford to give away products and services of real value or substantially undercut other companies' prices.
Get Rich Quick Schemes: Scam artists lure both would-be entrepreneurs and people looking for home-based work with false promises of big earnings for little effort. The schemes often require an initial investment and involve selling items on Ebay or making sales calls. However, once the payment is sent the companies often disappear.
The truth is everyone is susceptible to phone scams. Scam artists will devise a highly believable story to solicit information from their victims. That's why it is important to never give out any personal information over the phone if you are not the one who initiated the call even if that person claims to be a law enforcement official or someone from your financial institution. If you are returning a missed call, research the caller first. Also, always check 800notes.com to read other people's experiences with the caller. If you stay alert, you can certainly reduce your risk of falling victim to phone scams.
Typically the goal is to get you to reveal personal, bank account information, or to make you do something that will result in unwanted charges on your account. Individuals and businesses are equally affected by these scams although the schemes might be different.
In this article I will outline the 16 most popular phone scams. I am sure there are more, so if you have been a victim of a phone scam, or you know of a phone scam not mentioned here, please share it with me and the readers in the comments.
Send this article to your family members, co-workers, and employees. Give it to your teenage kids and elderly parents (studies show they are the most vulnerable to the scams). As the old saying goes, "Forewarned is Forearmed".
One of the ?hottest? scams in the telemarketing industry these days involves companies that sell Auto-Warranties. It?s usually a robo-call. The recording starts with: ?This is your final notice! The warranty on your car is about to expire?? Of course, the caller has no idea whether you even have a car, not to mention its warranty. After the recording is played you are connected to a live operator who often refuses to send anything in the mail until you make your first payment. The experienced salesman will use high-pressure tactics rushing you into making a payment.
Victims, who fell for the scam and ?extended their warranties? report that the companies often fail to send any paperwork and routinely deny policy payments.
Tracing the calls to the companies is difficult. The calls often come from telemarketing centers located overseas. Also, the companies often spoof their caller ID information to display someone?s else?s real number. When people receive these calls they dial the number they see on Caller ID and leave angry messages for an unsuspecting victim. Two-three days later the telemarketers change the Caller ID number and the scam continues.
Another phone scam involves calls from ?Prize Distribution Centers? that claim that you are the winner in sweepstakes or a lottery. Of course, you are not the only ?winner? in the lottery and tens of thousands of people received the same call. The goal of the scheme is to entice you to make a relatively small payment (for example, shipping and handling fee, a sales tax) promising that a much bigger prize will be sent your way. Once the payment is sent, you will most likely not hear from the company again, and a promised ?Lincoln Navigator? will not find its way to your driveway.
Offers to Lower Your Interest Rates: The calls begin with a recording that makes a tempting offer to lower your credit-card interest rates. Then you are switched to a live agent who collects from you the credit card number and its expiration, name, address, and in some cases even your social security number. The telemarketers have no intention of giving consumers better interest rates on their cards and instead use the information to commit identity theft and run up unwanted charges.
Again, tracing these scam artists is difficult: they spoof the caller ID information and use numerous VOIP accounts set up using stolen credit cards. The best thing to do is hang up, report the call to FTC and warn others through 800notes.com.
Fake Bank Alert Messages: A fake message from a local bank says that your card is being suspended and that you need to call this toll free number to activate it. Of course, the toll free number does not belong to the bank and when you call they ask to verify your account information, which includes your name, date of birth, SSN, address, credit card number, etc. Once they have your personal information, they can use it 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.
Advanced Fee Loan Scams: In this scenario a telemarketer promises a consumer a loan or a credit card on very attractive terms. All the consumer has to do is just send a processing fee, or provide checking account info, and the offer was guaranteed. To make the offer sound even more attractive the scammers might throw in a free laptop, an iPod, or any other 'hot item'. After the payment is made the company disappears, and the victim is often left with an empty checking account and NSF (Non-sufficient funds) bank fees.
Fat Finger Dialing Scam: A simple mistake in dialing - or writing down - a phone number can be costly. The type of con it plays into is called a "fat finger dialing" scam. Consumers make a mistake dialing a number and end up connected to someone who leads them down a rip-off path. Almost any frequently called number is likely to be a target for the "fat finger" approach. Take the national number for the Do Not Call list run by the Federal Trade Commission. The correct number is (888) 382-1222. But if you are off by just one digit, you can end up calling a number that tells you the number has been changed. The number it directs you to call will charge you $5.49 plus an "administrative recovery fee," for "a new national directory assistance service."
Free Listing at Yellow Pages: This scam targets businesses. The caller says that he is from Yellow Pages and is calling to update their records. He proceeds by asking to confirm some basic information such as owner?s name, business phone number, address, and company name. Then they start billing the victim and only then the business owner realizes that it?s not a free listing and it was not Yellow Pages directory that called.
The victims report that when they call to complain, the company plays the recorded conversation with the victim saying 'Yes' except that the caller is reading from a completely different script. The scammers replace one side of the conversation, making it sound as if the business owner agreed to a paid listing and a monthly fee.
Bogus Fund-Raising Operations: 800Notes.com users report getting calls from scam artists posing as a charity and asking for donations. However, the charity is either non-existent or unaware of the solicitation.
When it comes to donations, it?s best to never make donations over the phone and donate directly to the beneficiary not the solicitor. This way 100% of your money will go to the charity not 10-15% as it often happens when donations are made through a telemarketer or even 0% if the money goes to a bogus charity.
International Phone Calls Scam: It's not always easy to tell if you're dialing an international telephone number. In most cases, you have to dial 011 to begin a call to a foreign country. However, there are locations outside the U.S. where telephone numbers may look like domestic long-distance calls, but are actually international calls and international rates will apply.
For example, 284 (British Virgin Islands), 242(Bahamas), 246(Barbados), 268(Antigua/Barbuda), 345(Cayman Islands), 664(Montserrat), 670 (U.S. commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), 758(St. Lucia), 787(Puerto Rico), 767(Dominica), 809(Dominican Republic), 869(St. Kitts & Nevis), 868(Trinidad & Tobago), and 876(Jamaica) are all area codes in the Caribbean.
The scheme: the scammer often leaves a message typically asking consumers to call what appears to be an ordinary long-distance telephone number to confirm a lottery prize, or to get information about a relative who has been injured in an accident. In each case, you are told to call the number right away. Since there are so many new area codes these days, people unknowingly return the calls. Once the number is dialed, the scam artist will try to keep you on the phone as long as possible to increase the charges. Unfortunately, when you get your phone bill, you might find that you?ve been charged $2500 per minute.
If you are asked to call unknown number, google the area code to check if it?s local. Also, ask your cell phone and land line companies to put a block on international calls. This way you will hear an error message when you try to call an international number.
Phone Toner Scam: The scam artist poses as a warehouse representative or vendor and makes contact with a targeted company. He will say "This is (first name), I need the model number off your copier". If the person who answers gives this info, the scammers will try to set up a shipment of toner. Of course, the deal is so good that the offer is based on a limited supply or limited time, pressuring the employee to act fast and get their money's worth. Upon delivery, both the employee and the company are usually in for a big surprise. The price of the invoiced toner is 2-3 times higher than expected, and the scam artist threatens with legal fines if the company fails to pay.
"Cramming": When monthly charges pop up on your telephone bill for optional services that you never authorized such as voice mail, paging, or club membership, it's called "cramming." You may be asked to return a missed call because it?s 'Your lucky day' and you?ve won a trip to Las Vegas. When the call is made, an automated system is activated and you are unknowingly enrolled in a club or program, and the charge is placed on your phone bill. The crammer might not even need to do anything except simply pick your phone number out of the blue and place charges on your bill through your local telephone company, claiming that you agreed to purchase some services.
Look at your bill closely every month. Charges for optional services should be itemized and show the name of the company providing them and its phone number. If you did not authorize the services, call that number and insist that they be canceled and the charges removed from your bill.
Also, consider putting a third party block on your phone service. It's often free and it does not let any third party add charges to your phone bill.
"Slamming": Slamming occurs when customers have their telephone service switched to a new carrier without their permission. You may receive a call from a telemarketer asking you to switch your long distance provider. Although you say you are not interested in switching, your long distance provider is changed anyway.
Caller ID Spoofing: Generally, the scam works like this - you receive a call where total strangers pretend to be someone else and they back up their claims with spoofed Caller ID. The scam artists might then ask for money, demand a payment, request your personal information, addresses, or banking info. People report getting calls from 'Secretary of State', grandchildren, law firms, IRS, and government officials.
For example, in one scheme the caller identified himself as a court official and informed the victim that she is being prosecuted for failing to show up for Jury Duty. When the victim replies that this is the first time she hears that she was summoned for jury duty, the caller suggests that this may be a clerical error in the court system, and he asks for her full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number to check the official summons files. The scam artist informs the victim that this data will be kept confidential, but it is required for cancellation of the outstanding arrest warrant.
In another variation of this scam 'government officials' call to offer a 'Government Grant': 'Because you pay your income taxes on time, you have been awarded a $12,500 government grant! To get your free grant, simply give us your checking account information, and we will deposit the grant into your bank account!' You may receive a message like this, where the caller claims to be from a government agency or some other organization with an official sounding name. The caller might claim that you will qualify to receive a "free grant" to pay for education costs, home repairs, home business expenses, or bills. In any case, the claim is the same: your application for a grant is guaranteed to be accepted, and you'll never have to pay the money back.
Scam IRS calls: In this scheme people receive phone calls from a caller who impersonates an IRS employee. The caller asks the taxpayer for their Social Security and bank account numbers, claiming that the IRS needs the information to complete the processing of the taxayer's payment. In another variation of the scheme, 'an IRS employee' states that the check issued by IRS has not been cashed, and the IRS is calling to verify the individual?s bank account number.
Hang up, find the official number of the organization and call to report the incident. Also, don't send money - cash, check or money order - by courier, overnight delivery or wire to anyone who insists on immediate payment.
Call Forwarding Scam: You may receive a call or message where the caller, requests you to dial a 2-digit code preceded or followed by the * or # key (such as *79 or 72#), and then another phone number to claim some prize. This procedure programs your telephone to forward your calls to another number, possibly a toll or long distance number. Scammers can then call your number, be forwarded to the number you dialed and place calls that are billed to your home telephone number.
Telemarketing Travel Fraud: These scams have many variations and often involve travel packages that sound legitimate. You get a phone call and the caller is saying that you have been selected to receive a free trip. Skilled salespeople will tell you, to be eligible for the free trip, you must join their travel club. Later, you may find another fee is required to make your reservation. In the end, you may never get your "free" trip because your reservations are never confirmed or you must pay different fees, or comply with hard-to-meet or expensive conditions.
Check out the company with your state, provincial and local consumer protection office before you buy any product or service. Also, be wary of "great deals" and free offers. Few legitimate businesses can afford to give away products and services of real value or substantially undercut other companies' prices.
Get Rich Quick Schemes: Scam artists lure both would-be entrepreneurs and people looking for home-based work with false promises of big earnings for little effort. The schemes often require an initial investment and involve selling items on Ebay or making sales calls. However, once the payment is sent the companies often disappear.
The truth is everyone is susceptible to phone scams. Scam artists will devise a highly believable story to solicit information from their victims. That's why it is important to never give out any personal information over the phone if you are not the one who initiated the call even if that person claims to be a law enforcement official or someone from your financial institution. If you are returning a missed call, research the caller first. Also, always check 800notes.com to read other people's experiences with the caller. If you stay alert, you can certainly reduce your risk of falling victim to phone scams.
| TERA BAPU 2013-12-04 17:09:39 Debt Collector |
Initially, I received an email, from Loan Company- Advance Cash America, which showed/said I owed nearly 1,000, and I needed to contact them. I sent a reply email back informing them I knew nothing about it and that they needed to send me something to confirm. Today, I just received a call from the "State Attorney's office" to notify me that I am being arrested for bank fraud, etc., they are going to fax the subpeona to the local sheriff's office, who will proceed. He (very heavy accent) from When I was finally able to ask questions, he had a lot of information, how/where he got it, I have no idea. He says, I know your kind, "we gave you money" so with that, it leads me to believe (surprise) that this was not the State Attorney's office. I told him to come on, send the Sheriff's office here, I'll take care of them. hmmmmm
Why must some people steal, I'm sure if I had said, I will send you $500 he would have agreed and that would have been my loss. Who do I contact about this scam? I have never heard of this company, never applied for a loan thru them.
Reply !
Why must some people steal, I'm sure if I had said, I will send you $500 he would have agreed and that would have been my loss. Who do I contact about this scam? I have never heard of this company, never applied for a loan thru them.
Reply !
| Clenteria 2013-12-04 17:08:58 Debt Collector |
It's purely a payday loan scam!
This explains how these scumbags behind these scams work:
http://www.nclnet.org/personal-finance/64-fra ... hen-theyre-down
"In a typical payday loan scam, the victim, who may or may not have ever actually applied for or taken out a loan, receives a call or email demanding that they pay back an overdue debt. Because of porous information-sharing practices, consumer's personal information often finds its way into the hands of fraudsters, making it easy for them to recite the consumer's personal and confidential information.
The scam artist may threaten the consumer with immediate arrest if he or she does not pay right away. This is a clear giveaway that it's a scam, but it also causes people to act irrationally out of fear. Scammers have been known to make dozens of such threatening phone calls to victims' homes or places of work in order to extract funds. Victims are often accused of perpetrating check fraud, forgery or money laundering to scare them into paying up immediately, when in fact no money is owed.
Consumers shopping for an online payday loan should be aware that even legitimate-looking Web sites could in fact be fronts for scammers. Some ?red flags? of a possible scam loan Web site include:
Requests to pay upfront before receiving a loan
Payment is requested via wire transfer
Payday loan Web sites that lack working phone numbers or mailing addresses
The payday lending company is based overseas
Loan packages that sounds ?too good to be true? "
These lowlives always use such intimating tactics! And, like mentioned above, always pretty much overseas!
Another example:
http://www.dfi.wa.gov/consumers/alerts/national-payday-loans.htm
"How The Potential Scam Works
Representatives of National Payday Loans make unsolicited telephone calls to consumers at home or at work. The scammers tell consumers that they are being prosecuted for loan fraud, bank fraud or check fraud because they have defaulted on a payday loan
The scammers may threaten the consumer with immediate arrest
The scammers usually tell consumers that they received a payday loan of several hundred dollars in 2008, they may tell the consumer that the debt has increased to several thousand dollars
The scammers have the personal financial information of the consumer, including bank account numbers, social security numbers and the names of relatives
The scammers demand immediate payment of the debt by wire transfer or by providing a checking account or credit card number
If a consumer pays the scammers, they will continue to aggressively contact that consumer for even more money
These scammers are highly persistent and may make dozens of threatening calls in a short period of time"
And below that ... something that might prove helpful:
"If You Feel You're A Victim
If you feel you have been a victim of a loan scam, please contact the Federal Trade Commission at 382-4357 (1-877-FTC HELP), or online at www.ftc.gov. Because the scammers have access to bank account information and social security numbers, victims should consider themselves victims of identity theft and take appropriate precautions. The Federal Trade Commission has information for victims of identity theft available online at www.ftc.gov."
Those that are intimidating, harassing and threatening you with arrest may not be the ones you got the loan from. But nonetheless what they're doing is flat out wrong .... and illegal!
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/reporter/finance/paydaylending.shtml
http://www.ag.state.mn.us/Consumer/Publications/PhonyCollectionScams.asp
This explains how these scumbags behind these scams work:
http://www.nclnet.org/personal-finance/64-fra ... hen-theyre-down
"In a typical payday loan scam, the victim, who may or may not have ever actually applied for or taken out a loan, receives a call or email demanding that they pay back an overdue debt. Because of porous information-sharing practices, consumer's personal information often finds its way into the hands of fraudsters, making it easy for them to recite the consumer's personal and confidential information.
The scam artist may threaten the consumer with immediate arrest if he or she does not pay right away. This is a clear giveaway that it's a scam, but it also causes people to act irrationally out of fear. Scammers have been known to make dozens of such threatening phone calls to victims' homes or places of work in order to extract funds. Victims are often accused of perpetrating check fraud, forgery or money laundering to scare them into paying up immediately, when in fact no money is owed.
Consumers shopping for an online payday loan should be aware that even legitimate-looking Web sites could in fact be fronts for scammers. Some ?red flags? of a possible scam loan Web site include:
Requests to pay upfront before receiving a loan
Payment is requested via wire transfer
Payday loan Web sites that lack working phone numbers or mailing addresses
The payday lending company is based overseas
Loan packages that sounds ?too good to be true? "
These lowlives always use such intimating tactics! And, like mentioned above, always pretty much overseas!
Another example:
http://www.dfi.wa.gov/consumers/alerts/national-payday-loans.htm
"How The Potential Scam Works
Representatives of National Payday Loans make unsolicited telephone calls to consumers at home or at work. The scammers tell consumers that they are being prosecuted for loan fraud, bank fraud or check fraud because they have defaulted on a payday loan
The scammers may threaten the consumer with immediate arrest
The scammers usually tell consumers that they received a payday loan of several hundred dollars in 2008, they may tell the consumer that the debt has increased to several thousand dollars
The scammers have the personal financial information of the consumer, including bank account numbers, social security numbers and the names of relatives
The scammers demand immediate payment of the debt by wire transfer or by providing a checking account or credit card number
If a consumer pays the scammers, they will continue to aggressively contact that consumer for even more money
These scammers are highly persistent and may make dozens of threatening calls in a short period of time"
And below that ... something that might prove helpful:
"If You Feel You're A Victim
If you feel you have been a victim of a loan scam, please contact the Federal Trade Commission at 382-4357 (1-877-FTC HELP), or online at www.ftc.gov. Because the scammers have access to bank account information and social security numbers, victims should consider themselves victims of identity theft and take appropriate precautions. The Federal Trade Commission has information for victims of identity theft available online at www.ftc.gov."
Those that are intimidating, harassing and threatening you with arrest may not be the ones you got the loan from. But nonetheless what they're doing is flat out wrong .... and illegal!
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/reporter/finance/paydaylending.shtml
http://www.ag.state.mn.us/Consumer/Publications/PhonyCollectionScams.asp
| Stacy Davis 2013-12-04 17:07:51 Prank Call |
A 911 number?
The only 911 number there is that that goes to is the Emergency call number! These moron's are really showing their stupidity now!!! As to that other number ... more likely than not a Caller ID spoofed number.
And here we go:
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/2819408220
Let's see these a**les claimed to be the "sheriif's Department," "Collection Agency," and I'm sure others and have also used other spoofed numbers in this assine scam of theirs. And the fact that the one that called you had an Indian accent is another red flag too.
Most likely these vermin, although the action hasn't seemed to slow them down any. F'ing j*cka**es!!!
http://ftc.gov/opa/2012/02/acc.shtm
"Court Halts Alleged Fake Debt Collector Calls from India, Grants FTC Request to Stop Defendants Who Often Posed as Law Enforcement
At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a U.S. district court has halted an operation that the FTC alleges collected phantom payday loan ?debts? that consumers did not owe. Consumers received millions of collection calls from India, and that since January 2010 the operation took in more than $5 million from victims, according to the FTC.
In tough economic times, many consumers turn to high-interest, short-term payday loans between paychecks. The FTC alleges that information submitted by consumers who applied online for these loans found its way into the hands of the defendants.
Often pretending to be law enforcement or other government authorities, the callers working with the defendants would falsely threaten to immediately arrest and jail consumers if they did not agree to make a payment on a delinquent payday loan, the FTC?s court papers stated. Claiming to be law enforcement, such as a local police department, the ?Federal Department of Crime and Prevention,? or simply a ?federal investigator,? the callers typically demanded more than $300, and sometimes as much as $2,000. At other times, the callers said they were filing a large lawsuit against the consumer because of the delinquent payday loan or would have the consumer fired from his or her job, according to the FTC.
But the consumers did not owe money to defendants ? either the payday loan debts did not exist or the defendants had no authority to collect them because they are owed to someone else, according to the FTC. The court order stops the illegal conduct and freezes the operation?s assets while the FTC moves forward with the case."
Thhe stupid moron's must foolishly think EVERYONE takes out an (online) payday loan and/or will fall for their stupid idiotic scam!!!
The only 911 number there is that that goes to is the Emergency call number! These moron's are really showing their stupidity now!!! As to that other number ... more likely than not a Caller ID spoofed number.
And here we go:
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/2819408220
Let's see these a**les claimed to be the "sheriif's Department," "Collection Agency," and I'm sure others and have also used other spoofed numbers in this assine scam of theirs. And the fact that the one that called you had an Indian accent is another red flag too.
Most likely these vermin, although the action hasn't seemed to slow them down any. F'ing j*cka**es!!!
http://ftc.gov/opa/2012/02/acc.shtm
"Court Halts Alleged Fake Debt Collector Calls from India, Grants FTC Request to Stop Defendants Who Often Posed as Law Enforcement
At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a U.S. district court has halted an operation that the FTC alleges collected phantom payday loan ?debts? that consumers did not owe. Consumers received millions of collection calls from India, and that since January 2010 the operation took in more than $5 million from victims, according to the FTC.
In tough economic times, many consumers turn to high-interest, short-term payday loans between paychecks. The FTC alleges that information submitted by consumers who applied online for these loans found its way into the hands of the defendants.
Often pretending to be law enforcement or other government authorities, the callers working with the defendants would falsely threaten to immediately arrest and jail consumers if they did not agree to make a payment on a delinquent payday loan, the FTC?s court papers stated. Claiming to be law enforcement, such as a local police department, the ?Federal Department of Crime and Prevention,? or simply a ?federal investigator,? the callers typically demanded more than $300, and sometimes as much as $2,000. At other times, the callers said they were filing a large lawsuit against the consumer because of the delinquent payday loan or would have the consumer fired from his or her job, according to the FTC.
But the consumers did not owe money to defendants ? either the payday loan debts did not exist or the defendants had no authority to collect them because they are owed to someone else, according to the FTC. The court order stops the illegal conduct and freezes the operation?s assets while the FTC moves forward with the case."
Thhe stupid moron's must foolishly think EVERYONE takes out an (online) payday loan and/or will fall for their stupid idiotic scam!!!
| John 2013-12-04 17:06:47 Debt Collector |
I've received a few calls today from a 911 and 2819408220 number stating they will press charges against me on Friday.. Some Indian chic call from Texas Department of ???? I figure y'all need to at least be able to sound like yu from my state....Numb nut scuzz bucket individual...
| FTC 2013-12-04 17:04:49 Prank Call |
t the FTC's Request, Court Halts Alleged Phony Payday Loan Broker
Consumer Losses Estimated at More Than $5 Million; Defendants Promised to Help People Find Loans, But Instead Just Debited Their Bank Accounts, FTC Alleges
At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a U.S. district court has halted a Tampa, Florida-based operation that promised to help consumers get payday loans. Instead of loans, the defendants used consumers? personal financial information to debit their bank accounts in increments of $30 without their authorization, the FTC alleged.
Claiming to be affiliated with a network of 120 potential payday lenders, the defendants misrepresented that 80 percent of applicants got loans in as soon as one hour, according to the FTC. The court order freezes the defendants? assets to preserve the possibility of providing redress to consumers.
?Repeatedly, we?ve seen situations where consumers provide sensitive financial information when inquiring about a payday loan online, and that information falls into the wrong hands,? said Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC?s Bureau of Consumer Protection. ?The FTC is committed to shutting down these fraudulent operations.?
The FTC alleged that defendants Sean C. Mulrooney and Odafe Stephen Ogaga and five companies they controlled used websites with the names Vantage Funding, Ideal Advance, Loan Assistance Company, Palm Loan Advances, Loan Tree Advances, Pacific Advances, and Your Loan Funding to collect consumers? names, Social Security numbers, bank routing numbers, and bank account numbers, which allowed them to access consumers? checking accounts.
The defendants obtained other consumers? financial information by paying more than $500,000 to third parties, and debited those consumers? accounts without authorization as well, according to documents filed with the court. In all, the defendants victimized tens of thousands of consumers, taking more than $5 million from their bank accounts. Many of the victims were in difficult financial straits to begin with, and as an added insult, often began receiving harassing telemarketing and debt collection calls shortly after the defendants made their unauthorized withdrawals, according to the FTC. Consumers who complained to Defendants? Philippines-based customer service agents were frequently offered refunds and $100 gasoline vouchers that never materialized, according to the FTC.
Mulrooney and Ogaga apparently used proceeds from their allegedly illegal scheme to finance a lavish lifestyle. Mulrooney is the registered owner of a 2012 Maserati GranTurismo, while Ogaga owns a 2011 Rolls Royce Ghost and a 2006 Ferrari 430, according to documents filed with the court.
This is the FTC?s third recent case involving allegedly fraudulent online payday-loan-related operations, and the first one in which the defendants claimed to broker payday loans. In two previous cases, American Credit Crunchers, LLC and Broadway Global Master Inc., the defendants allegedly attempted to collect on payday loan debts that either did not exist or weren?t owed to them.
The complaint charges the defendants with violating the Federal Trade Commission Act by using unfair billing practices, and by misrepresenting that they will help consumers find a payday loan and use their personal and financial information to get the loan. The complaint also alleges that the defendants untruthfully claim four of five consumers who applied were approved for a payday loan.
For more consumer information on this topic, see, Online Payday Loans.
In addition to Mulrooney and Ogaga, the Vantage Funding complaint names Caprice Marketing LLC; Nuvue Partners LLC; Capital Advance LLC; Loan Assistance Company LLC; and Ilife Funding, LLC, formerly known as Guaranteed Funding Partners LLC.
The Commission vote authorizing the staff to file the Vantage complaint was 4-0. The complaint and request for a temporary restraining order were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. On August 29, 2013, the court granted the FTC?s request.
NOTE: The Commission a files complaint when it has ?reason to believe? that the law has been or is being violated and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. The case will be decided by the court.
The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC?s online Complaint Assistantor call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC?s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.
Consumer Losses Estimated at More Than $5 Million; Defendants Promised to Help People Find Loans, But Instead Just Debited Their Bank Accounts, FTC Alleges
At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a U.S. district court has halted a Tampa, Florida-based operation that promised to help consumers get payday loans. Instead of loans, the defendants used consumers? personal financial information to debit their bank accounts in increments of $30 without their authorization, the FTC alleged.
Claiming to be affiliated with a network of 120 potential payday lenders, the defendants misrepresented that 80 percent of applicants got loans in as soon as one hour, according to the FTC. The court order freezes the defendants? assets to preserve the possibility of providing redress to consumers.
?Repeatedly, we?ve seen situations where consumers provide sensitive financial information when inquiring about a payday loan online, and that information falls into the wrong hands,? said Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC?s Bureau of Consumer Protection. ?The FTC is committed to shutting down these fraudulent operations.?
The FTC alleged that defendants Sean C. Mulrooney and Odafe Stephen Ogaga and five companies they controlled used websites with the names Vantage Funding, Ideal Advance, Loan Assistance Company, Palm Loan Advances, Loan Tree Advances, Pacific Advances, and Your Loan Funding to collect consumers? names, Social Security numbers, bank routing numbers, and bank account numbers, which allowed them to access consumers? checking accounts.
The defendants obtained other consumers? financial information by paying more than $500,000 to third parties, and debited those consumers? accounts without authorization as well, according to documents filed with the court. In all, the defendants victimized tens of thousands of consumers, taking more than $5 million from their bank accounts. Many of the victims were in difficult financial straits to begin with, and as an added insult, often began receiving harassing telemarketing and debt collection calls shortly after the defendants made their unauthorized withdrawals, according to the FTC. Consumers who complained to Defendants? Philippines-based customer service agents were frequently offered refunds and $100 gasoline vouchers that never materialized, according to the FTC.
Mulrooney and Ogaga apparently used proceeds from their allegedly illegal scheme to finance a lavish lifestyle. Mulrooney is the registered owner of a 2012 Maserati GranTurismo, while Ogaga owns a 2011 Rolls Royce Ghost and a 2006 Ferrari 430, according to documents filed with the court.
This is the FTC?s third recent case involving allegedly fraudulent online payday-loan-related operations, and the first one in which the defendants claimed to broker payday loans. In two previous cases, American Credit Crunchers, LLC and Broadway Global Master Inc., the defendants allegedly attempted to collect on payday loan debts that either did not exist or weren?t owed to them.
The complaint charges the defendants with violating the Federal Trade Commission Act by using unfair billing practices, and by misrepresenting that they will help consumers find a payday loan and use their personal and financial information to get the loan. The complaint also alleges that the defendants untruthfully claim four of five consumers who applied were approved for a payday loan.
For more consumer information on this topic, see, Online Payday Loans.
In addition to Mulrooney and Ogaga, the Vantage Funding complaint names Caprice Marketing LLC; Nuvue Partners LLC; Capital Advance LLC; Loan Assistance Company LLC; and Ilife Funding, LLC, formerly known as Guaranteed Funding Partners LLC.
The Commission vote authorizing the staff to file the Vantage complaint was 4-0. The complaint and request for a temporary restraining order were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. On August 29, 2013, the court granted the FTC?s request.
NOTE: The Commission a files complaint when it has ?reason to believe? that the law has been or is being violated and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. The case will be decided by the court.
The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC?s online Complaint Assistantor call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC?s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.
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