I got a call from 18559258327 about a payday loan I'm sure I paid off please look into this mumber

I was called with multiple harrassing calls from Phone number 916-304-5183 and 516-828-8366.

Now these ppl are harassing my mother in law. It needs to STOP

THIS SO CALLED COLLECTOR/LAWYER  KNOWN TO ME AS RON ADAMS SCAMMED ME FOR 1097.00 WHICH I BELIEVE IS GRAND THEFT. HIS MOST RECENT NUMBER IS 803-393-4812 I PLAN ON FIGURING THIS GUY OUT IF IT TAKES ME YEARS. I HAVE EVIDENCE THAT HE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL STATE OF OHIO VOWS TO SOLVE THIS MANS CRIMES ALONG WITH THE FBI   HE WILL BE CAUGHT

They called 4 times today.  Each time they were told the person they are looking for is not at this number.  There response is we will put you on the do not call list.  It may take up to three days.  20 minutes later they are calling back asking for the same person.  I'm already on the do not call list.  Enough is enough.  Stop calling me!!  The person your looking for is not at this number.

If all of you applied for a cash loan from CashNetUSA, or others, what responsibility do they have for leaking your info? Obviously, the calls are fraudulant but, they all link back to certain payday loan vendors. I am no lawyer but, it sounds to me that CashNetUSA  and any others would be open to civil liability. They are responsible for protecting that information. The FTC, FBI, and US Secret Service, as well as various other State and Local law enforcement have posted bulletins, and received numerous complaints about these extortion attempts. While the payday loan vendors may not be purpetrating the calls, information which they are legally bound to secure has been given, or stolen by a criminal organization. So, in my reckoning, they are also responsible in the scam. My hope is that enough band together and sue these companies, forcing them to tighten their information security, and screen employees who may be selling info to criminals. It may not stop YOU from getting these threatening calls but, it may certainly prevent the next guy from being harrassed and possibly scammed out of their money.

To all of you with complaints about these scammers posing as debt collectors for CashNetUSA, be prepared, they won't stop. I have been getting DAILY calls from numerous people since October 2007 from these scammers, I have been treathened, I have had one of them call me in the middle of the night from his personal phone, my husband answered and this guy started screaming at my husband threatening him, and I don't mean just threats if we don't pay we going to jail, he threatened to drive to our home. I have talked to people at CashNetUSA, they informed that several personal files had been stolen with minimal information, but enough for them to contact us and try to get money out of us, they even faxed me a letter proving I owe them NO money, but these people keep calling. Until the authorities do something and catch them, we will continue to be victimized and harrassed by these people. I have started a journal that I write every number they call me from. I have caller ID, so if I recognize the number I don't answer, if I don't I answer and as soon I realize it is them I hang up, I don't even answer their questions when they try to get me to verify who I am, I say nothing but 'hello' and I can tell instantly who they are by what they say. So just hang up on them and start keeping a log of the numbers.

I wish a legit attorney would step forward and help all of us who have been victimized by these people who help open up a class action suit for all the torment we have to endure. We should not have to live with this. I have had to deal with this for over 4yrs now, enough is enough. Something needs to be done.

OBTW here is a new number they are using: 404-921-9780

I myself have taken a loan with United Cash Loans ($400) and I am paying it back and the same person that called you probably called me only this time he said his name was Robin White but did not provide a phone number. I believe that somehow they got our information from a third party when we applied for loans and are scamming this way. After I pay off the loan, I will never apply for another cash loan again. I rather go broke than to deal with this nonsense again. If you haven't already report them to the police, FTC, the BBB, and the FBI. Also place fraud alerts on your credit report and change bank accounts, that is what I did.

To Whom It May Concern:

On December 19, 2011 at 2:30pm I was contacted at my place of employment by a person purporting to be from United Cash Loans.  He contacted me using information I have provided only to that company.  He identified himself as Matthew and provided the following telephone number - 866-696-6374. This person also knew my social security number and a large number of extremely sensitive personal details about my identity. He stated that I acquired a loan in the amount of $3000 from United Cash loans secured using my HSBC bank account and that since this account was unpaid, I would be prosecuted for fraudulent activity.  While I did accept a loan from United Cash Loans in the amount of $500.00, it was repaid in full and was never secured using my HSBC account which I closed months ago.

As I am sure you are aware, the actions of this person are criminal and would subject  both he and your company  to prosecution were I able to verify anything about him. I have since researched the number provided and discovered that many others have complained about these calls.

11/24/11  8:49am

Received another call, this time the man identified himself as Officer Luca Martin, last time he was Officer Robin Scott. This is the exact same person, you also hear others talking in the background as in previous messages.

Said, ?This message intended to (my name), (my name) this is Officer Luca Martin calling from the Federal Crime Investigation, hotline to my division is 646-381-3099. Lawsuit case file with 3 pressing charges against your name & your social, to be downloaded in the Federal Courthouse. Before some officer come at your doorstep & get you arrested, and before you pay some hard and unwanted legal consequences. Call me back on my division number.

If you fail to call me back I just lock down your social. If you are trying to runaway from this legal issue so you have to do one thing run it & hide. Because I send an office with your arrest warrant to your doorstep (then he provided my address). You face some hard & unwanted legal consequences, call me back good luck.?

This is the 3rd call in about a week. I have a complaint filed at www.IC3.gov and just keep updating the original complaint with as much detailed information I can after each call. I also have kept the voice mails.

I have been receiving harrassing calls on my cell and at work.  I was out on vacation and my boss forward my phone to her (I work at a call center) Lord knows what they told her all I know is that she left me a note to call MAX JOHNSON 626.239.3142 and I did, its a law office when I told them I contacted the local police department and my lawyer they hung up the phone.

I didn't pick up

This number is part of a collection scam.  They claim to be attorneys with Williams Law Firm. They give the names Ron Adams, Nick Stpehans even Prince William.  If you have ever applied for a loan online, they have managed to either but or steal your information ( and they will know alot)  They tell you that you are being arrested soon for failure to repay an internet loan and that yopu are being chatged with bank fraud, internet theft anbd other thigs.  They may give you the name of the company, and then tell you that tha company operates many loan companies so they can't say for sure which one has your loan.  They will tell you that your boss, frined and family may also be arrested.  This is scare tactic. They may contact your boss and friends to try to scare you into payhing.  They prey on your panic and fear.  Don't pay them. The worst they can do is make embarassing phone calls.  Try to find out thier address, although they gave me one on Brooklyn that does ot extst. Report their numbers and names (which I have founbd out change often, but the basic story is the same (call me immediatly or God help you as the situation unfold") to the FBI, Homeliand Security, and you states attorney general.

SCAM SCAM SCAM SCAM! Learn to spell Dumbass!

i am getting harrassing calls at work and on my cell. at least 10 a day from the following numbers 916-395-0000 and 315-538-9903. they use the name tom jefferson and is threatening me with jail time if i dont give them my banking info for a debt i owe. they will not tell me who they are with or what the debt is.

Getting calls like shown below from a "Unknown" number. All this is a scam as I have NEVER taken a Payday loan online.

Report to Authorities: Heal Comfort, Inc., 702 North Mountain Road, Newington, CT 06111; 716-941-7137 and 860-904-1200.  Payday loans. http://www.bbb.org/connecticut/business-revie ... ton-ct-87083082

Same posts at 901-457-1573:
"They Process cards Through Somthing Called Hael Comfort Inc. When It Appears On THe Card Statement Form The State Of CT. (860)904-1200"


See posts at 901-457-1573 for a list of some of the other telephone numbers that they called out on

I have gotton harrassed  by these indian guys for weeks now.  The first one was peter crider who stated he was bureau of criminal investigators.  If he gets tired  of my persistant questions he turns me over to Carl miller
phone # 1-510-227-1810
fax # 347-770-3593

Peter crieder state he is a trooper and carl is a lawyer.  they want $469 or they will see me in court and garnish my wages for years.   lol.  I have called them a fraud several times.  

then within a few hours of peter calling a Daniel hopkins called and stated he was from the American law division and he was in charge of my case.   He is a lawyer from LA.  He told me to tell the other guys to call him and deal with the case.   So I told the BCI scammers to call the American Legal division and they said they would.  But of course they didn't and just kept bugging me.  Even at work now.  So I called them myself. Then 3 way called the other group.  That was completely ridiculous.  they did not even know what was happening and finally daniel hopkins put someone representing the Supreme Court of California on the phone.   They eventually hung up.  Believe you me none of them speak very clear english.
Then later this week I got a call from Thomas Lee he stated he was pittsburgh pa and that he was local.  He stated everyone was scamming me but him and I owed him $390.00.  These guys are nuts.  

phone numbers I have is
1-510-227-1810
fax # 1-347-770-3593
american division
1-424-261-4651
fax # 1-206-457-1971

they say they also work under broadway global master

Thomas lee
1-412-290-7063
fax # 1-206-337-4485

I have been getting phone calls from a 000-00 as early as 7:30 in the morning . An Indian person reading a script saying that I must immediately respond to this message  and the rest is not intelligable  then at the end he says i feel sorry for you and good luck . Here are the other numbers he calls from ? when I call it seems I am being connected to an overseas line. I am also getting calls which state privat at my home phone  line ?  Help                                                                        

Phone number              date                                time  called

000                                2/16/11                           9:40    am                            
0000                             2/15/11                             3:24   pm                                

0000                             2/15/11                            2:35 pm                              
302 777-8777              2/15/11                             2:21 pm
0000                            2/15 /11                            3:08 pm

0000                           2/15/11                              3:16 pm

0000                           2/15/11                              3:11 pm                                    

916-395-0000            2/15/11                              3:10 pm

0000                          2/15/11                               3:08 pm

210-390-8365           2/11/11                              2:31 pm
                                                                               
210-390-8365           2/11/11                              11:39 pm

210-390-8365           2/14/11                              6:54 pm

000                            02/03/11                            7:30 am                                          

000                             1/31/11                              9:10 are

000-0                         1/31/11                                8:28 are

0000                           1/25/11                                7:46 am                                        

0000                           1/24/11                               7:32 am                    
spk to person told him illegal to contact me  still continued  to read script .       Told him not to call identify why ,who what company etc . just hung up . called again .         I kept a record all  ten calls made to my place of employment . Left messages on cell phone      . Who is this ? Help

sheryl;
this number is still active? you have received calls recently from the date on your msg.

recvng calls from and individual that has a "thick" Asian or Indian accent by the name of John Anderson, who says he an officer. If I dont call him back, they will have me arrested. I'm sick of them..help!

I am hoping you will see this, You seem to know a lot of.... I was contacted by someone from a number close to the number here 646-351-1232. They did the same thing that everyone here did, except they said they are from the US department of Justice.

That I owed 1095 to an unpaid payday loan. and that they were bringing me to court for being ffraudlent, stealing amongst other things. Asked if i had ever been arrested, if i was on parole, to tell my parole officer.

they scared the s*** out of me. Not only did they say they were going to bring me to court, but then told me it would be somewhere between 5-6k at the end of all of this.  That they have send me emails at my old work email address. (I have no been working there since Sept, and no computer access from Middle of August.. soo umm... No email)

Caller says he is Mark White, from the US Justice Department, Once they found out i was unemployed they asked if I knew how much I owed, I said No i didn't, they said I owed 1095.  I said i couldn't get the money for them then, he told me he would talk with the retribution department. Had me on hold for 5 mins, came back and said they could do 30 percent of that. I said no, I couldn't he said well we need at min 150 by tomorrow, to hold off till your taxes come in, to settle this out of court.

I was said ok, well how do we go about this. They wanted me to write up a paper, saying that I give them permission to take the money out of my account. I said, i dont understand why they can not email it to me, and why I had to do this.

He could not give me an answer and just kept on saying they needed it faxed today.  When i told him my skeptism, he said I should get a walmart prepaid card, and that way only as much as I say they can, can they bill my card.

I also asked to have this paperwork sent to me.  They said they couldn't do it to for me. That the only way to get paperwork to me now, is by paying it, and then they can send out that it has been paid, or by not paying it, and being handed papers from a law enforcement.

After telling him i would get this done, i researched a bit. Called my attorney general of NH, and am waiting for a paralegal to get back to me. Also was told by the Department of US, in NYC to call the FBI, which i will do that.....

The phone number I called, 646-351-1232  Mark White

170 Bark Road
NYC, NY 11040

fax number 206-888-2001

YES OKAY,WHAT IS YOUR REAL NAME,BECAUSE THEY WILL INFORM YOU OF COURT PROCEDURE IN WRITING AND OWING MONEY IS CIVIL NOT CRIMINAL

Maybe you should have been arrested for your spelling and grammer chichi

karen go away you scammer!! its not going to work with us!! twit!

they love to post FALSE information here as well

http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-771-9249   Scammer posting here as GARY and GARRY JONES
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-866-860-4509   Scammer posting here as Mike Henderson
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-212-500-0839   Scammer posting here as Ricky
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-201-244-7722   Scammer posting as Carole, David Brown and Amanda
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-626-200-4646   Scammer false postings at this new number as silshan kanniue and Tina ? preparing a new number to use.
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-424-354-4270   Scammer false postings as Rose
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-785-4479   Scammer posting as Robert
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-909-327-4870   Scammer false postings as Marry
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-646-274-1143   Scammer false postings as Karen Miller, Chichi and Tom Little
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-561-300-8018   Scammer false postings as Marco Polo (real original)
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-226-7488   Scammer false postings as SAM, David S
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-706-7463   Scammer false postings as George
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-209-349-7382   Scammer false postings as Towanda Robinson, Shannon Walsh, Jack Dawson and Cynthia
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-760-514-0132   scammer false postings as Suzy01, Johanna Hall, Cindie McMellon, Michael Dublin, Mark Williams, Carol and Rio   (800notes removed some of the scammers posts because the all came from the SAME IP ADDRESS)
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-209-797-2212   scammer false posting as Jaison Connar
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-707-401-4056   Scammer false posting as John Carner, KSR
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-650-241-4604   Scammer false postings as jhon and Kevin
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-708-401-0535   Scammer false posting here as JHON
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-518-212-0219  Scammer false posting as Prince Christian, Arpit
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-718-705-8669  Scammer false postings as Alicia
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-707-633-2789  Scammer false postings as Rojer, Minni, Rhone, Smith, Lisa Jack, Julie, Sean, and Carol. ? preparing a new number to use to steal money
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-205-294-6271  Scammer false posting as Thomas Jhonson
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-661-263-4011  Scammer false posting ?ILLEGALLY claiming to be an attorney Charles F Robinson
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-321-684-4117  Scammer false posing as Harry Patt
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-518-565-0306  Scammer false posting as Wellvishers
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-678-791-4673  Scammer false posting as Sherrie Ann and Elvine Buris
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-305-390-0607  Scammer false posting as James and Mark
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-209-349-3112  Scammer false posting as Roger Brown

more false postings by scammers

http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-771-9249   Scammer posting here as GARY and GARRY JONES
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-866-860-4509   Scammer posting here as Mike Henderson
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-212-500-0839   Scammer posting here as Ricky
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-201-244-7722   Scammer posting as Carole, David Brown and Amanda
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-626-200-4646   Scammer false postings at this new number as silshan kanniue and Tina ? preparing a new number to use.
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-424-354-4270   Scammer false postings as Rose
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-785-4479   Scammer posting as Robert
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-909-327-4870   Scammer false postings as Marry
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-646-274-1143   Scammer false postings as Karen Miller, Chichi and Tom Little
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-561-300-8018   Scammer false postings as Marco Polo (real original)
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-226-7488   Scammer false postings as SAM, David S
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-706-7463   Scammer false postings as George
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-209-349-7382   Scammer false postings as Towanda Robinson, Shannon Walsh, Jack Dawson and Cynthia
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-760-514-0132   scammer false postings as Suzy01, Johanna Hall, Cindie McMellon, Michael Dublin, Mark Williams, Carol and Rio   (800notes removed some of the scammers posts because the all came from the SAME IP ADDRESS)
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-209-797-2212   scammer false posting as Jaison Connar
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-707-401-4056   Scammer false posting as John Carner, KSR
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-650-241-4604   Scammer false postings as jhon and Kevin
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-708-401-0535   Scammer false posting here as JHON
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-518-212-0219  Scammer false posting as Prince Christian, Arpit
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-718-705-8669  Scammer false postings as Alicia
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-707-633-2789  Scammer false postings as Rojer, Minni, Rhone, Smith, Lisa Jack, Julie, Sean, and Carol. ? preparing a new number to use to steal money
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-205-294-6271  Scammer false posting as Thomas Jhonson
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-661-263-4011  Scammer false posting ?ILLEGALLY claiming to be an attorney Charles F Robinson
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-321-684-4117  Scammer false posing as Harry Patt
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-518-565-0306  Scammer false posting as Wellvishers
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-678-791-4673  Scammer false posting as Sherrie Ann and Elvine Buris
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-305-390-0607  Scammer false posting as James and Mark
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-209-349-3112  Scammer false posting as Roger Brown

Consumer Alert:
Williams Law Office
Debt Collection Scam

The Washington State Department of Financial Institutions is warning consumers to verify the license of any lending professional they are considering doing business with to avoid becoming victims of potential scams.

Please note that these scammers are frighteningly well informed, very persistent and extremely threatening. Anyone who has been contacted by them should take steps to protect their personal financial information and treat this as a matter of identity theft.

The Williams Law Office may be conducting a debt collection scam. They have no listed address. The Williams Law Office does not appear to have a website.

The contact information provided by the company is false. They are not at the listed address and telephone numbers that may appear on your caller ID. The company may in fact be located in a foreign country.

The company is not licensed by the Department of Financial Institutions. The company is not registered to do business in Washington by either the Department of Revenue or the Washington Secretary of State.

How the Potential Scam May Work
Representatives of Williams Law Office 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 claim to be attorneys collecting a debt
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 demand immediate payment of the debt 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

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 1-877-FTC HELP (382-4357) 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 on its Web site.

Consumers should know that Washington state law prohibits threatening or harassing behavior by individuals attempting to collect a payday loan. Only licensed companies are permitted to make payday loans in Washington.

The federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act says debt collectors must send consumers a written notice within five days of their first phone call, showing how much the consumer owes and where the debt is from. The law says collectors can not say or even imply that nonpayment is a crime.

They can't call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. Collectors are not allowed to speak to a consumer?s employer about their debt. They are prohibited from harassing or abusing consumers and they must stop calling if the consumer asks them to.

http://www.dfi.wa.gov/consumers/alerts/williams-law-office.htm

The scam:

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.

I got the same call telling me that I was going to be arested the next day at 11 AM, the freaky thing was at 11:47 the morning the cops was gona arest me one came to my door but NOT with papers but to tell me to turn down my music lol, i about s*** on myself when i seen them, so i told them the story about the call and all thay could do was laugh and the first thing thay asked me was did i give them any info, after telling them no thay whent on to tell me not to pay those callers any mind...so if anyone gets one of these calls hang up on them and NEVER give them any of your info