Same thing happen 2 me! Nothing but a bunch of scams. If only I can meet up w/one of them. I will shoot them close range w/my shot gun!

trust me it is a scam. i harass them back. i spoke with a detective in az...where im from....and they are looking into it. if possible i am going to press charges. and also, put a security watch on your credit scores through experian and what not because i can tell you right now that they most likely have bank account numbers social security etc. be careful.

called to say that a lawyer would be getting in touch with me because of $300 line of credit that was taken out by me. Never happened!  Strong middle eastern accent which was hard to understand.  After I did a little online sleuthing about this number, I turned the tables a bit, called the number back to say that I had reported their number to attorney general and their fraudulent scheme would be shut down.  Think from now on, I am going to harrass them by calling back.  This group of bozos does not intimidate me!  Probably had 5-6 calls from them over last month and a half.

These individuals have been calling the last few days.   Definately a scam as they said they were part of  law firm, yadda yadda yadda.   One female with a heavy middle eastern accent.  One male with a heavy middle eastern accent.    I have contacted the FTC, FCC, and FBI on these guys.   They also use number 760-221-8485.

Got another call today, this time from American Legal Claims in which a "legal claim will be downloaded against me in my local country".  This guy is funny, and today I talked to him, asked him where the "debt" originated from and I would gladly pay said company directly, he didn't have that information he was just the collector.  I told him I've worked for a collections agency in the past and have ALWAYS known where the original debt started.  He hung up on me ha!

Just got a call from 414-198.  I'm am out at my dad's house visiting him.  The call came through on my phone, I didn't pick it up because I do not answer calls from incomplete phone numbers and numbers I don't know in general.  The person left a VM.  He claimed his name was Steve.  And that I was going to be in velly velly big trouble and am investigated for fraud. I had to laugh when I was listening to the voicemail.  I quickly deleted it and pegged it for a scam (as far as I know the one bill I actually do have in collections is set up to get paid off tomorrow, and that was for a whopping $250 and that's only because I couldn't pay a dental bill off fast enough lol).  Then, they called my dad's phone, I immediately picked it up and hung up on them.  They called back right after I hung up (in the mean time I had actually found this thread) and I answered my dad's phone and said "Listen a**hole, I don't owe you any money and I've called the cops on you so you best not call again or YOU will be in very big trouble".  Not sure I really will report it but, it's annoying people can get away with something like this.

I recieved calls this morning and the caller ID was 444-198. I called my phone company to try to block this caller and they could not because it was not a full number. When talking to the people calling it was a man with a very heavy accent that I could barely understand. I ask for a call back number and they kept asking if I was ****** ******* I kept asking for a call back number to no avail so I told them I was going to report them over and over and hung up. This number called me at 9:58 am, 9:59 am, 10:00 am, 10:53 am, 11:21 am, 11:21 am, 11:23 am, 11:36 am & 11:39 am. It is now 12:43 pm and I am hoping that me telling them that I am going to report them will make them stop. He was very rude and would not give me any information about who was calling or give me any contact information at all.

I just got a call from 444-198 on Mon 10/18/2010. The guy did not hardly speak any English.  He left a call back number 619-309-4469 (I could not recognize the name) saying it was important information that I pass along to a friend.

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE GUYS.  IGNORE THIS POST.  "OR U WILL BE COME IN THE BIG TROUBLE"  LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL.   WHAT A JOKE.

This is a scam, this number called me left a message for me to call them back at 4154498744, however I checked the envelope message from my phone and they are using a fake 713 number or possibly a different number from your town to call you and then get you to call these other people and make you try and give them money! Don't they will take your money run and if you do have a legitimate debt it will not be paid off and they will still be hunting you down for it.

I too received a phone call at work on Aug. 13 from a Richard Williams. He was telling me that he was calling due to an unpaid payday loan and I began to believe it was true because I am behind on a PayDay loan. He told me he was call from a federal investigation department and that a lawsuit had been brought on me in 3 accounts being theft, defrauding a bank, and another theft. I was freaking out scared i was going to jail. This man asked me to fax a written statement signed and dated. And something told me not to do it and I thnk god. Becasue this morning i contacted the loan company that i borrowed and owed to and i asked them if they were taking a lawsuit out on me and they its hard to believe i could be in such trouble over a loan. She advised me to look into it. So then I get up here and see all this has happen to all these people. I'm just so glad that i did not fax that paper.

I recieved a call from a Ronald something from this number and tried accusing me of getting a loan that i never recieved.... I want them to stop harrassing me and they are calling my job.. I want them to leave me alone.

I just got the call from this a** hole and he wanted me to pay him money and i told  him I wasnt paying him nothing.. He can send the legal papers to my door.... I was so mad, I was shaking.... Idiot people... Sad thing is, how many people have fell for this and actually paid them money......

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

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

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

Who are they?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bottom line:

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

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

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

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

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


How to protect yourself:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So can they really do anything to you?

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

So, why haven't they?  

Authorization.  

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

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

Bottom line:

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

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

I answered the call again to tell them that THEY are under investigation and that I had called the FBI, Better Business Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission.  I said that I would pay the company directly and He kept saying "What about your payment"?  He repeated this over and over even though I told him that I have never done business with the company that he said I owed.  I hung up on him after the 10th or 12th time he asked about my payment and have not heard from him since.  When I called and made a report of this call I realized that the "ID # " that he gave me was the fax # that he told me to fax my info to.

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

They guys are not scammers they are genuine guys.Beware aware of him take seriously.If they call on ur number.Its my request to u. Otherwise u will be come in the big trouble.

This number is calling all my contact numbers, they call my work place ten times a day, I speak with them and they still call, I have asked them to not call, I have faxed them a letter revoking authorization from callim me at work eventhough I never gave them authorization.  They are relentless.

the number that shows on my caller ID is 444-198.  Says he is Adam Vice from Federal Investigation Center.  They want me to send them $400 for a payday loan that I took out about a month ago.  He gives me this number as a call back...415-449-8744.  I did not do what he asked yesterday so I have 45 missed calls on my phone in less than an hour today.  They finally left a message.  The 2 people that I spoke to yesterday did not speak English and I could not understand them.  But from what I got was they are going to issue a warrant for mu arrest now if I don't send them $500 (was $400) TODAY!  I don't know if I should be worried or not!?!?!?

I just recieved this call also, looks like they are making thier rounds again.  First it called my cell phone and came up as some wierd like 5 digit number, I ignored it, then it called my other phone came up unkown I answered it same deal.  Strong Accent I even yelled at him for not being able to speak English.  He called himself Steve and I pretended I was someone else so I got all his info so i could "leave a message for me"  and he gave me this number as a call back number..   The only thing I can figure I took out a payday loan at a time of dire desperation few months ago and they sold my contact info to every lunatic under the sun.  Consumers be ware!  Do NOT use these payday loan places they are a scam...  And after they rape you with 500% interest or some insane fee they sell your info to all thier little friends.

This happened to me as well!! Thanks for the info, because I was getting a little worried!1 I won't worry about it now!!

I also recieved a call from this number. The person identifies themselves as Roger Smith from the Federal Investigation Dept. They are telling me there is going to federal charges brought against me if I do not send them some money. Hoping this would help. They also have a very strong accent.

Call was frm someone who identified themselves as officer Johnson at one time an is now calling themselves Ronald Green, from the Federal Investigation Center.  Person claims that a law suit is being filed against me and the I need to contact them at this number.  I received calls from the same person months ago from a New York number.  I've contact the Attorney General and local law enforcement regarding the call.  They appear to be phishing for info.  There is no such agency as the Federal Investigation Center.  This person has a very strong accent.