(733) 714-4637.  Man with a heavy accent called my work cell.  Said that he had rec'd word that I am interested in going back to school.   I laughed out loud and he hung up.  
It would be nice that by reporting this number on this site that he could be shut down. Annoying and a little scary.

Next time this c*** nipple calls call him a( my a churo ) or ( gundo) means
Mother f and faggit lol

Next time this c*** nipple calls call him a( my a churo ) or ( gundo) means
f and faggit lol

Phantom Debt Collectors From India Harass Americans, Demand Money

By BRIAN ROSS (@brianross) , CINDY GALLI and MATTHEW MOSK (@mattmosk)
June 7, 2012

Hundreds of thousands of cash-strapped Americans have been targeted by abusive debt collectors operating out of overseas call centers suspected of links to organized crime in India, law enforcement officials told ABC News.

The calls are part of a massive scam, one that appears to target struggling Americans -- especially those who have gone online to apply for payday loans. Armed with personal information from those pilfered applications, the threatening callers, who claim to be debt collectors poised to initiate legal action, have managed to pry loose millions of dollars from their victims -- even when the victims never owed money in the first place.

"This is what we call a phantom debt collection scam," said Jon Leibowitz, the chairman of the Federal Trade Commission. "It's a very pernicious and innovative new fraud."

Working through call centers in India, the commission estimates that the criminals have dialed at least 2.5 million calls, persuading already cash-strapped victims to send them more than $5 million. Some have reported receiving dozens of calls per hour. They are victims like Cindy Gervais, of New Orleans, who went online for a quick loan when her husband's car was hit by a driver who didn't have insurance.

Even though she paid the loan off, the so-called "phantom" debt collectors with Indian accents began calling to say she still owed money.

He more or less told me that if I didn't pay, they were going to have someone on my doorstep to arrest me," she told ABC News. "And that they were going to contact my place of business, and tell them what kind of person I am."

At first, she said she resisted. Then the calls became more frequent, and started to ring on her cell phone, and at the grocery distribution company where she had worked for 27 years.

"I was more or less was in panic mode because he told me there would be someone before noon at my place of business to arrest me and take me to jail," she said tearfully. "So I agreed to pay him."

After receiving scores of complaints, investigators with the FTC said they began tracking the calls, and following the payments. They alleged the payments led them to a California company run by an Indian-American named Kirit Patel, and that such scams would not be possible without American front men.

"I would say that all roads of this scam, or many of the roads of this scam, lead back to Mr. Patel," said the FTC's Leibowitz.

ABC News tracked Patel for weeks, from the suburbs of San Francisco to Austin, Texas.

Patel refused to talk. But his lawyer, Mark Ellis, said he believes it is far too early to pass judgment on his client. Ellis, a Sacramento-based attorney, told ABC News that Patel was hired for a nominal fee to set up an American shell company, and had no idea what the call centers in India were doing.

"I can tell you, he was as snookered by the people in India as anybody," Ellis said. "He's a 69-year-old man who is nearing his retirement who thought all he had to do was set up some corporations and everything was on the up and up. He's completely dismayed that he has become the lightning rod of this entire problem."

A close friend of Patel's also defended him in a brief interview at his home, saying Patel was not trying to defraud anyone -- he was just an unwitting, bit player in a larger scheme.

"If Mr. Patel was just a cog in the wheel he seems to have been a pretty big cog," Leibowitz said. "It is clear that Patel was integrally involved with this scam."

Leibowitz points to thousands of pages of financial and phone records gathered by the FTC and filed as part of a civil case brought against him in the U.S. District Court in Sacramento last month. When FTC lawyers sought to freeze his assets and prevent his business from continuing to operate, Patel responded by invoking his rights against self-incrimination. His lawyer told ABC News he has had to be careful in how he responds to the allegations in civil court "because there is a potential criminal action," but that Patel maintains the allegations against him are false.

Federal investigators said the phantom debt collection operation that allegedly benefitted from Patel's assistance was one of several that all trace back to the same small town in Western India called Ahmedabad. Callers use technology to make it appear that the calls originate inside the U.S. Victims provided ABC News with recordings of dozens of the calls, and many of the thickly accented callers appear to be reading off a script.

"Subpoenas have been readied, and Monday morning you're going to be picked up from your home," one caller says on a victim's voicemail. "And you have children. Don't worry about your children. We have a childcare department to take care of the children."

"You will be behind bars for six months," said another caller. "And once you go behind bars, you will lose your job. Once you are behind the bars, you won't get a single drop of water."

William Peerce Howard, a Tampa attorney who represents victims of harassment from debt collectors, said it takes an especially twisted criminal to use threats and coercion to pry money from someone who is already struggling financially

"These guys really are the most visible villains in America today," he said. "They make a living scaring people."

Mark Merola, of Florida, said he just panicked when the caller told him he might be arrested at the deli where he works in a Florida retirement community.

"I was nervous. I didn't want to embarrass myself, my family," he said. He used his debit card to pay the collector $576.

Afterwards, he says he realized "how stupid I was."

"It just happened so fast," he said. "I got scared."

Leibowitz said he hopes with more attention, future potential targets of the scam will recognize red flags before they turn over any money.

If callers say they are from the police, consumers should know that law enforcement officers do not collect debt for private parties. If the caller is speaking with a thick Indian accent, but calls themselves by a names such as Officer Mike Johnson, that should be a tip off. And if they're calling 40 times in two hours, that's another red flag. "Legitimate debt collectors, legitimate pay day lenders don't do those sorts of things," he said.

Merola said he would like to see anyone involved in the scam prosecuted aggressively.

"There's no place in society for these people," he said.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/phantom-debt-co ... 16512428&page=2

I got a very strange phone call this morning from a man with a very heavy indian accent. He claimed his name was Allen Adams. The number he told me to call was 707-506-6790. He told me I was to call back with my lawyers number and information. When I tried to call back (3 times) I got no answer. This was not cool for my Monday morning.

Hi:

I just got the call this morning.  I did in fact take out a payday loan, but have been paying it back, and have worked out the payment options with the company.  The guy screamed and yelled saying he was going to send the cops to my work and have me arrested.  He did have my social, but this happened to my Aunt last year, so she said they wouldn't be calling if they didn't need more info, i.e. your bank account number.  Do not say a word.  My aunt and I both blocked all the numbers, and when I talked to him I said I had already contacted the police.  It stopped it for my Aunt, we shall see for me.  I want to GET THIS GUY!

I Also Got A Phone Call From This Idiott, Except The Phone Number Was 213-261-5790 And He Told Me I Was Going To Jail. Didn't Say What For Only I Will Be Going To Jail And They Will Garnish My Soc Sec. That Was 2 Days Ago. I Finally Got Him On The Phone Today And Told Him I Had Turned Him In To The FTC And He Started Yelling Telling Me He Didn't Give @&$&$& Who I Turned It In To. That I Will Be Going To Jail Tuesday Morning. I Ended The Call With A Few Choice Word Of My Own...... This Guy Is A TOTAL IDIOTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please stop these scam call from this number.

Thank you so much.  I will do.  I hope the authorities get these people soon.  It just makes me mad for someone trying to scam money and I have had to work all my life for money.

Kathi....very good you didn't panic yes it is a scam, also about garnishing your SSN check its against the law not even a law firm can do that only the IRS can do that,next time they call you about garnishing your SSN check just laugh real loud over the phone and try to waste there time on the phone those LOW LIFE IDIOTS HATE THAT.

I have also been receiving these calls.  I was told I they are going to garnish my Social Cecurity beneifits for ten (10) months and they even had someone call stating they were from the Scocial Security office by the name of Stephanie Davis and ths is 1-12-11 Saturday moning and we all know Social Security is closed on the week ends, I was told to go to Western Union and send money to  Rajesh Bhatt Sugarland, Tx 77498.. This person said he was Attorney Alex Watson from Ca and that I will still be picked up by the police today becasue of this money I owe.  I do not owe these people any money and I have no idea what they are talking about.  I know this is all a scam
Thank you
Kathi
Also I did call Homeland Security on 11-11-11 to report, but they are still calling.

I have been harrassed at work by ppl who claim to be calling from a law firm. They have thick accents so I could barely understand what they were saying but they were very rude and even hung up on me when I tried to divulge additional information from them such as how they got my work number and ssn number. I will be contacting the police and filing a report against these ppl. I will also be contacting all three credit bureaus to put an alert on my ssn.

Isn't it amazing how they're going to have everyone arrested at their place of employment?  Pathetic!

I was at my stepmom's house and she recieved this call. None of us recognized the number, so we let it go to the machine. Some guy (don't remember what name he used) left a message saying that he was with an attorney's office and that my stepmom needed to call back...NOW, or she wouldn't see tomorrow. So, she tried calling back, and the only message she got was an automated system saying "You have a 0 balance." Wtf?

I work for a police agency and a complainant called saying this number called him and threatened his life.  I advised the complainant not to answer any more phone calls from this number.

I just got a call from an foreign speaking person on my work number. He stated that he was with Attorney Alex Watson's office and that he needed information in order to complete the charges against me. He said that I took out a loan and never paid it back. He told me that if I did not pay the amount in full, that the local TN police would be at my place of employment tomorrow morning to serve paperwork. He also stated that I will lose my job, have tons of court costs, and will have a "black" mark on my credit report. I told him that I had NO IDEA what he was referring to. He told me to shut my mouth and to listen because I was about to be arrested. For what? I own no one anything at all. I am freaking out over this. He told me my social over the phone and where I work at. Who are these people and what can we do about it?

i just had the same thing happen to me! he just F(@& with the wrong person, Im in the military in florida and know many police officers. this ws suppose to be my day off this guy just pissed me off and now hes going to get it!!!

i had missed calls from this number over and over again for about a week and i never answered because it was at like 2 in the morning every single time. i live in california and had never seen this area code before. i called back once and got no one picked up (or even a recorded message). last night i rolled over in time to put on my glasses and pick up and it was a man with VERY bad english and a thick accent telling me that the cops were going to arrest me at my place of work within the next few days for not paying back a cash advance loan from 2009.
i explained to him that i have never had a cash advance loan in my life and that he had the wrong number. he couldn't even pronounce my first or last name, so i genuinely thought he had the wrong number. he was adimant that he did not (i could barely understand him). he gave me the location of the cash advance, the amount, and my social security number.
the idiot said that the company was out of california, and i asked where in california? he said the name of a city that doesn't exist (PRIMM BEACH).
this is a total scam. everyone should just block this caller. no truth to it whatsoever. however, if these lowlives have your SS#, as they do mine, it's cause to be worried. i contacted lifelock today and am working on obtaining a cell phone record for the convo

a guy with a foriegn accent called me from this number said his name was alex watson and that i was being sued for not  paying back payday loan said the company i worked for and said i was goin to b served with court papers,plus my ss#. when i asked him to send me a copy of the paperwork he coped an attitude and told me not to call back ne more. he says he works for a lawfirm named jennifer young. plz lets catch this person

They keep calling me on my cell and at work threating me i'm being sued its such a lie and they talk
foreign this is getting out of hand.

YES HE DID HAVE A STRONG FOREIGN ACCENT  AND SAID THE SAME THING THE POLICE WILL BE COMING TO MY JOB THEN CALLED ME A B---CH AND YES WHEN ANSWER THE PHONE FROM A LAW OFFICE OF JENNIFER YOUNG I WAS SUPPOSE HAVE GOTTEN SOME MONEY FROM SOME LOAN

THIS MAN NEEDS TO BE STOPPED AND FAST I TRIED TO PULL THE FAKE CRY MOVE SO I COULD KEEP HIM THE PHONE LONGER AND THE FOOL START SAYING IN THE NAME OF JESUS PLEASE DON'T CRY THAT'S WHEN I KNEW THEN HE WAS A SCAM ARTIST CAUSE HE TOLD ME NOT TO LET ANYONE SCAM ME AND NOT TO ANSWER ANY CALLS FROM THE NUMBER INSTEAD HE KEEPS CALLING ME THREATENING AND CALLING ME OUT OF MY NAME I NEED HELP PUTTING THIS PERSON AWAY HE TOLD ME I NEEDED TO PAY BACK MONEY I BORROWED

I HAD THIS ISSUE TODAY A MAN THREATEN ME AND TOLD ME THAT I WAS GOING TO BE PICKED UP MONDAY MORNING AT MY JOB BY THE POLICE AND I WAS CALLED OUT OF MY NAME AND PLEASE IF SOMEONE CAN HELP ME SO WE CAN PUT THIS A***OLE AWAY!!!!!

So I just got this message today too his name is alex watson..before that I got some really WEIRD guy leaving a message on my phone saying that it is important for me to call them back.  Threatning me about a loan I did with one of my bank accounts and If I did not return his call good luck and god bless? I then called back and spoke with Alex watson  He then told me in order to clear this debt I had to go to a WALMART? and get a pre-paid bank card..Fill it with money (because he said that was the only way the court would take my payment to clear my case...Red flag there..I have never heard of that)  Fax my pre-paid card info with a COPY of my drivers license and everything will be in the clear...I asked to speak with someone Higher up because at this point he was acting like a pushy A***ole and I just was not clear on the whole walmart pre-paid card and my license getting faxed..If I wanted to settle my account I know for a fact I don't have to get a pre-paid visa from anywhere.to pay off my account.  This is weird because he knows my work info.  He then said something about me being difficult and saying that since I don't seem to be cooperating he told me good luck and the police will see me monday morning.  WHAT the heck?  after that I got called back about 8 or 9 times in a row.   I really hope they get caught they scared the crap out of me.

Call them back and jam there phone lines.. keep calling them as many times as possible.. and until they stop answering... I did that so much.. i have not heard from them since..

Call them back as many times as possible.. and just ask very stupid question... tie there line up.. and they will stop calling..

They are not bill collectors they are scam artist.. trying to get your credit card number... !!!!

I had the same issue. I traced there number back to a VoIP carrier in the California. They have purchased VoIP service from this carrier so they think there connection is untraceable. They are calling from another country and using the carrier to make inbound calls to the usa and out bound calls. When i called the number back I realize that it was the jerks mobile phone. So I decided to call him 150 times with in the next 30 minutes... every time the guy answers... i would say in a fake accent.. " Mr. Patel... why why why are you rude... " I did that so much that turned off his mobile phone.

These people have been harassing my son. The final straw was the call this morning where Alex (but with a very strong foreign accent) told him that they will be sending the police with a subpoena for arrest on his job tomorrow. Their claim is that he took a pay day loan, stole the money, and owe over $700. They have his ss# and personal information. He never took out a loan, nor does he owe anyone any money. They said they were from the Law Offices of Jennifer Young.

What can we do to stop these people? Obviously it's a scam ring.

do you know that they have been calling my sister and my parents??i just blocked their number on my cellphone what do I do in regards to my parents and my sister? i am so embarrassed!