I received a message from Gina Martin with a foreign accent, which the number generates from Auburn, NY. She told me that I had a payday loan that was never paid. I told her that I have never had a payday loan and told them to stop calling me. She said she was going to send out my local police department and have me arrested and that bad things will befall me if I don't pay off this debt. I told her to go ahead, and I will be happy to wait for them, and then she hung up.  I called back and told them that I know they are scammers, and she hung up again. DO NOT ever give anyone your personal information or any form of payment even if you owe payday loans. I have done some reading, and if a payday loan company is not paid they will send you information via mail, not put some woman on the phone with broken english and threaten you.

This firm who identifies them selves as Legal Account Associatesbased in Illinois claim that I have an unpaid payday loan and the Payday loan company,Advance Payday Plus,has requested then to file aa suit.While I have used a payday loan service in the past, all money due has been repaid long ago.They have my SSAN and Birthdate as well as names and phone numbers of my references.Every person here speaks with an a heavy Indian accent and become quite aggitated when I say I do not understand what they are telling me and ask to speak to someone who can speak to me in understandable English.
They offer two solutions to the problem #1 requires a court appearance with costs of 5-7K,or what they call a Legal opt-out by making an immediate payment of $425.00 via credit or debit card.I claimed to have neither so they take a 3 minute pause to speak with the attorney in charge who grants permission to pay the debt in full by the next payday by purchasing a prepaid card from Wal-Mart

I got a call at work on a recorded line. Advised them that they called to customer service # and that they were on a recorded line. I Have todl them before not to call this number. I live in Texas. Anyone have any idea if I can take legal action?

I received a call from 315-294-9478 today and they had all my personal information and said that I did not repay a payday loan with Ten State Bank which is incorrect. I asked for information in writing and all she did screem at me  and said I can explain that tomorrow at the Courthouse

We received a call from this number stating that we owed money.  We asked them to send us paper work regarding the matter and if we owed it then we would pay but not until we had some proof.  Man with heavy foreign accent with an american sounding name told me that that wasnt the practice that they used...meaning to send out paperwork.  When we took care of the debt they would send confirmation number and the paperwork.

TERRANCE THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY TOLD ME BUT THIS SHAWN PERSON TOLD ME I NEEDED $8,000.00 BY FRIDAY OR THEY WOULD CONTACT LOCAL POLICE AND INFORM MY EMPLOYER OF ME COMMITTING FRAUD.

Thank you Lamet for your very helpful and informative article below.  Everyone please read this when you get calls like this, and follow through with reporting these criminals.

I have contacted serval times by these individuals.  They stated I needed to have $8,000.00 to take to court with me to cover $500.00 loan plus attorney fees.  I have never received a loan from these individuals.  They did state they are a collection agency but would not disclose any other information.  They said they would contact my employer and tell them I committed fraud and also contact the local police agency.  This is very scarey for me.  I am a mother of six and contact bear to see me taken to jail and leaving my children.  For money I have not recieved.

From Lamet's post:

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

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


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

************************************************************************************************************************
Consumer Alert: Attorney General warns Kansans of debt collection scam

January 29, 2010 -- Attorney General Steve Six is cautioning Kansas consumers about telephone calls from apparent fake debt collectors who are impersonating law enforcement officers in an effort to extort money from consumers.   Consumers are warned to not submit payments to these fraudulent debt collectors.

When calling, the scammers most often state they are attempting to collect a debt related to an internet payday loan obtained by the consumer, but which the consumer never repaid.  Consumers state they have never obtained such a loan or paid off the loan years ago.  The scam artists have most recently identified themselves as ACS, National Affidavit Processing Department and United Financial Crime Division, but may use additional phony names.  It appears the phone numbers used by the scammers are ?spoofed? numbers, so that the number appearing on a consumer?s caller ID is not the actual number of where the call originated. It appears the calls in question may be originating from outside the United States.

When questioned, the individual calling refuses to disclose the full name or address of the collection agency they claim to represent.  These scammers have been able to provide consumers with identifying information, such as the consumer?s social security number, home address, e-mail address, names of family members and the consumer?s computer IP address.  Since the callers are able to provide valid personal information, consumers may become confused and believe they are being contacted in regard to a legitimate debt.

If the initial debt collection scam is unsuccessful, consumers have been re-contacted months later with the scammers posing as law enforcement officers or officers of the court.  Typically, the consumer is threatened with arrest for fraud or some other fictitious crime unless the consumer agrees to immediately wire money via Western Union.  The fictitious officers strive to frighten and confuse consumers into compliance by using legal sounding terms such as ?We?re filing an affidavit against you? or by stating a lawsuit has been or is in the process of being filed against the consumer.

A hallmark of each scam has been calling consumers repeatedly at their place of employment.  This scam hit home when an employee of the Kansas Attorney General?s Office was repeatedly called both on her cell phone and at work.  Despite the employee?s repeated verbal disputes, the caller refused to provide any identifying information to allow her to send a written dispute. The scammer also continued to call her numerous times a day regarding a payday loan she denied obtaining. Two months later, she was again contacted by telephone by an individual identifying himself as an ?officer?.

?I denied owing the debt and refused to pay without being provided validation of the debt. I was then told, ?If that?s the case, I will have local law enforcement come to your place of business and drag you out kicking and screaming?,? stated the employee.

?It is important for consumers to know their rights under the law,? Attorney General Six said. ?If a consumer is receiving calls from a debt collection company and believe it is a scam, I encourage them to contact our office immediately.?

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), collectors are required to send consumers a written notice within five days of the initial contact.  The notification should contain  information such as the amount of the debt, the name of the creditor to whom the debt is owed and a statement informing the consumer they have thirty days to contact the debtor in writing to dispute the debt or request validation of the debt. In addition, legitimate debt collectors are prohibited by the FDCPA from making false or misleading representations, such as the consumer has committed a crime, implying nonpayment will result in the consumer?s arrest, or using the threat of violence.

More information is available on the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre27.pdf.

To register a complaint with the Kansas Attorney General?s Consumer Protection Division, call 1(800) 432-2310 or visit www.ksag.org.

http://www.ksag.org/page/consumer-alert-attor ... collection-scam

Woman calling - says name is Gina Martin,  heavy Indian accent,  she calls from multiple numbers and says I owe money,  must call immediately or some terrible thing will befall us.  Need this to stop, I told them to send me information in writing or I would not pay anything to anyone,  they do not seem to want to send any information in writing