I dont know who owns it , but he's been calling me every afternoon , and leaving a message telling me to call him back ; " its very important "  the guy has a middle eastern accent to.

yeah they are constant in calling they even call me work phone. question who are you guys phone carrier for cell service, just wondering if there was connection in company's.

Good Day,

I believe they are a junk debt collector, and will try to intimidate you into paying them money.  I've been calls from them for the past few days, and finally gave them a call back.

Was able to finally speak to someone, and they are a joke.  They refused to give me their business name or street address.  Which pretty much confirms they are not a legit business and/or debt collector.

I made a mistake years ago by falling for a scheme by a junk debt collector, and ever since they hound me every few months.  NEVER....NEVER...send them money.  Tell them to stop calling you at work, and try to get their business name and address.  Then report them to the FTC, and your states attorney general office.

These places are a complete scam, and try to threaten and intimidate you into giving them money.  The truth is that the debt they are trying to collect on is already paid off, or many times, past its statue of limitations, or even sometimes, not your debt.

Good luck and stay firm with these type of crooks.

This guy sounds like he should be on the terrorist watch list.  He identified himself as Dave Smith

Dave Smith just called me at work again.  Will not identify what company he is with just says he is with the litigation department.  When I tell him he will be receiving a phone call from my attorney, he states that he will not accept any phone calls from a local attorney.  What a crock!

I got a voice mail from this number from a guy with a middle eastern accent named "Jack Dawson" (didn't he die on the Titanic when Rose let his hand go?) Yes, definitely a scam...

i keep getting calls from JESSICA with and Indian accent my caller id says 2064456568 leaving a message to call 7025533004 and she states that its a legal matter that I should call her back immediately. The last time I called her she asked me if I had certain numbers that were supposed to be the last 4 numbers of my social security number....and they are not mine...she has been calling for almost a year now the last time i got rid of them i gave them the name of my lawyer. then they stopped calling for a few months. now they are calling again. It has to do with online payday advances...but I have paid all of mine or am paying them so...there is no reason to keep getting these calls. My attorney told me to change banks, close all the old accounts, and don't do any more online payday advances. The lenders have many offers and deals that charge fees even if you do not get the loan they still charge your bank account an "application fee" it is so hard to ever stop their harrassment even with an attorney.

This jerk has today called me 65 times. called my job threaten someone at my work that he was going to have the fbi arrest her. He told me that his name was mike anderson and he was an FBI agent. don't believe these people they are liars and are trying to get money from you. the indian guy i called and screamed at him after that he called me every minute over and over. my job knows he is a scammer so they were messing with him . the guy was nice to him but then he lost it and told him f u this and fu that. he called one girl at my job 5x another 4x and the guy a few times then he hung up on him. these people have alot of nerve to impersonate a federal agent.

Now a woman with a heavy mid-eastern accent has called. Says she doesn't have my home phone number only my work phone number.  I report all of these calls to the US Secret Service.

I have been receiving telephone calls from this nnumber to. The gentlemen by the name of: Andy Foster. Everytime that the gentlemen calls he sounds like the same person calling each time. He is asking for money that he saids is owed. I wish there was some way to stop this fellow from harrsing me at my job! Please advise me with informaton that is available that may help!!! There is defintely a scam going on!!!!!!

Just so that the caller with the telephone knows  ----- the telephone number ------ 702-553-3004 --- has been report to the offical authorities!!! Stop Harrsing and Calling my Job!!!!

The gentlemen saids his name is ANDY FOSTER -- calling from 702-553-3004.

This guy is a joke and very rude and told me he was going to continue to call my house every hour on the hour.. I'm pretty sick of it actually who do I report these guys too?

Register your number with the Do Not Call Registry file a complaint with them.  Call your local police, FBI, and State Attorney General's office!  These people need to be stopped!  They need to get a life and a REAL JOB!

Who owns this phone number?

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

this number has called my job and my cell several times. names used  Officer John Gate, Officer George Lopez, Emanuel They stated I owe I pay day loan.  I informed him my identitity was stolen. Now this week they called me back stating my payday loan was from 2006.  I owed 100.00 last week now this week it is suddenly 600.00.  This place is nothing but a scam to steal our hard earned money. So help me god,  I will get these crooks

To Sharon, tell them "Your company has contacted me about a debt you allege I owe. I am instructing you not to contact me any further in connection with this alleged debt. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practice Act, a federal law, you may not contact me any further since I have notified you not to do so"

And report them to your local states attorney general office, federal trade commission and the fbi tips

To Melissa, know your rights but in the meantime tell them "Your company has contacted me about a debt you allege I owe. I am instructing you not to contact me any further in connection with this alleged debt. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practice Act, a federal law, you may not contact me any further since I have notified you not to do so"

And report them to your local states attorney general office, federal trade commission and the fbi tips

Shawn Smith (an american name with a strong accent) called and stated that they were a third party debt collection company attempting to collect a debt from Payday loans. I told that man I haven't taken out a loan from that place and you must have the wrong person and hung up the phone. He called back and left his name and phone number. So since I had his voice message I filed complaints with my state attorney generals office, the federal trade commission and the FBI tip line with the above information.

Shawn Smith called again and left another voicemail message so I called him back with the following message: Your company has contacted me about a debt you allege I owe. I am instructing you not to contact me any further in connection with this alleged debt. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practice Act, a federal law, you may not contact me any further since I have notified you not to do so"

I will be keeping track if he calls again.
Here are the weblinks that I reported this call to: www.tips.fbi.gov   www.consumerfraudreporting.org/feedback
And I filed a complaint with my local state attorney general

I am being harrased by this individual. Would you please give me advise how to handle this situation? The gentle's name is: Nick Dowells. I have spoken with the attroney general office this morning, He has inform me that this is  a scam. I want other people to know what these people are up to no good.

I am getting calls from this number to. I glad to know that I am not in alone. What can we do for such a scam? Please advise me, I need your assistance!!!

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

I got a call from someone on this number named "Jack Dawson" (Titanic anyone?) and they claimed that I owed money on a payday loan from 2009, which I never took out. They had left messages on both my work voice mail (us gov't phone - bad idea) and my cell phone. I called them back the first time to clarify the name of their company. I did not identify myself and I just got the name and hung up. Then I went to call the FTC and while I was on the phone with them, they called back from a different number and "Jack" said that I needed to call him back immediately. After I filed my complaint with the FTC I called them back to let them know that they need to stop calling me and that they have been reported to the FTC and will be reported to the FBI. He asked me to identify myself and I refused. I told them you must know who I am because you called me back last time without me stating who I was. He then read off my work phone# and my e-mail address and told me that I had a loan outstanding from 2009 from a company called Fast Cash. I had no such loan and told them that I was on to their scam. I told them that they needed to pick a better name than Jack Dawson and I asked him how Rose was! I told them to take my information out of their system because my next step would be a call to the police.

yes i recieve one from them today and said i had a loan from march 17, which were a lie .then they call me on my job .

I have gotten calls from this number also. When I told them I was going to refer their number to the Maryland (where I live) State Attorney General's office, they stopped. Not to mention that the loan they said I had was a lie. It pays to keep ALL bank statements no matter how old.

Is there anything that can be done to get them to stop? My job is getting mad.

yes - 10 calls for the day.  they are leaving messages on every voice mail at my job for me.

I recieved one too. Something about an old pay day loan wanted me to give them 700 dollars.NO WAY

Yes I received a call today from them at work.  Its a scam.