They left message this is what I think she said.  This is Lori Retail calling regard to Zumba.  Something about a form in the packet that needed processing today.  She said "zumba" twice.  Have no idea what packet, form, or zumba is.

Yeah seems odd.

yeah i got a call to..a womans voice telling me to call ..she repeated the messege twice...has anybody called to find out what its about

This is Time Warner Cable, I believe,
They left me a voicemail, calling about my account balance.

funny....i didnt know who it was, so I googled it, and it makes perfect sense cause I didn't pay my time warner bill last month haha. Love the internet.

It's a collection agency.  (Mercantile Adjustment Bureau)

try to GOOGLE:  Mercantile Adjustment Bureau.
You'll get a WEIRD complaint against them.
I did NOT receive a voicemail.
IF you DO receive a voicemail from them...Be sure to report it.
This sounds like some type of fraud.

i called and got a weird recording that gave me the options of pressing a number that connected me to some department that matched my obligation to them. it said, "for medical obligation press one, for govermental obligation press two and so on".. and so when i pressed five for judgement obligation some lady answered and when i said "hello" she hung up... weird..

i didnt know who it was, so I googled it, and it makes perfect sense cause I didn't pay my time warner bill last month haha..

I spoke with a Time Warner Cable employee who said my account was late, but not too late that I should be getting calls. She did not find any notes that I was called either. If you get a call from this number, just contact TWC directly and not through the number provided on the recording. Let TWC direct you to the collection agency if they can't help you directly with your debt. That's what I did in the chance the call was a phishing scam.

Getting calls from this number as well 7-716-929-8200
We dont even have TWC available in our area.....
They are calling my parents who are in their 80's
I need to stop these rediculas calls...

Collection's.All bark and no teeth to bite you with.Can be safely disregaruded

Just got a call from them on my brand new phone (1 week old). They left a message that said they were calling from the office of Scott Windsor.

IF YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED or TEXTED BY MERCANTILE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU ON YOUR **CELL PHONE**, PLEASE CALL (626)683-8291.  THE MATHEWS LAW GROUP IS CURRENTLY FILING A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT AGAINST MERCANTILE AND WOULD LIKE TO HEAR YOUR STORY.

If you have been called or texted for any of the following reasons, please call us at (626)683-8291:

-Being called on a cell phone number that you never provided to Mercantile

-Being called for debt you do not owe

-Being called in error

-Being called because you were listed as a reference

-Being called for a family member's or friend?s debt

These c*** raoches can dial phones, they refuse to send a detailed bill on what I allegedly owe. Know your rights demand in writing to see a detailed bill don't ever give them your bank account # fight back, they will leave you alone.

Junk debt collectors - THEY CANNOT PROVE THE DEBT IS VALID AND OWED. NO PROOF at all .

report them to the NY ATTORNEY GENERAL ASAP  
use this SPECIAL Link  www.NYDebtHelp.com
This special website was created by NY AG Andrew Cuomo specifically for reporting illegal debt collection practices.  HE?S CRACKING DOWN AND SHUTTING THEM DOWN!


http://www.consumerjustice.com/consumer/agencydetail.aspx?id=6014
Mercantile Adjustment Bureau  
6390 Main Street
Williamsville, New York, 14221

jm@mercantilesolutions.com
www.mercantilesolutions.com


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phone No.  716-929-8200 800-480-7094 866-716-1545 716-929-8373 866-809-7506 877-230-8414 716-881-1426 800-724-4344 716-817-6409 866-929-8261  
Fax 716-929-8251 716-881-0875 716-929-8596 716-929-8204  

  Jeffrey P. Miller, President Robert E. Roth, CEO
 
 

Notes
Junk debt collectors


1) Never assume they have a VALID DEBT OR LEGAL RIGHT TO COLLECT
 
2) Debt collectors MUST FOLLOW your STATE laws regarding licensing.  Check your Secretary of State for licensing requirements for ANY collection agency that contacts you

Debt Collectors DO NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS INFORMATION!    
The INFORMED CONSUMER IS THE DEBT COLLECTORS WORST ENEMY!

THE CORRECT WAY TO HANDLE COLLECTION CALLS AND ILLEGAL TACTICS

READ DEALING WITH DEBT COLLECTORS, RECORDING CALLS AND STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS BY STATE

You can also post your questions here http://www.collectorsexposed.com/forum/   NEW URL!    

These links are to attorneys for those being scammed www.naca.net or http://www.consumerjustice.com/consumer/searchattorneys.aspx


Dealing with Debt Collectors
Http://www.budhibbs.com/First.htm    
    
Statute of Limitations by State ? always double check YOUR OWN STATE Government Website
http://www.budhibbs.com/statute_of_limitations.htm

Recording calls from Debt Collectors - always double check YOUR OWN STATE Government Website
http://www.budhibbs.com/record.htm


From Federal Trade Commission Website ? FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT
Debt Collection FAQs: A Guide for Consumers
If you?re behind in paying your bills, or a creditor?s records mistakenly make it appear that you are, a debt collector may be contacting you.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation?s consumer protection agency, enforces the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which prohibits debt collectors from using abusive, unfair, or deceptive practices to collect from you.
Under the FDCPA, a debt collector is someone who regularly collects debts owed to others. This includes collection agencies, lawyers who collect debts on a regular basis, and companies that buy delinquent debts and then try to collect them.
Here are some questions and answers about your rights under the Act.

What types of debts are covered?
The Act covers personal, family, and household debts, including money you owe on a personal credit card account, an auto loan, a medical bill, and your mortgage. The FDCPA doesn?t cover debts you incurred to run a business.

Can a debt collector contact me any time or any place?
No. A debt collector may not contact you at inconvenient times or places, such as before 8 in the morning or after 9 at night, unless you agree to it. And collectors may not contact you at work if they?re told (orally or in writing) that you?re not allowed to get calls there.

How can I stop a debt collector from contacting me?
If a collector contacts you about a debt, you may want to talk to them at least once to see if you can resolve the matter ? even if you don?t think you owe the debt, can?t repay it immediately, or think that the collector is contacting you by mistake. If you decide after contacting the debt collector that you don?t want the collector to contact you again, tell the collector ? in writing ? to stop contacting you. Here?s how to do that:
Make a copy of your letter. Send the original by certified mail, and pay for a ?return receipt? so you?ll be able to document what the collector received. Once the collector receives your letter, they may not contact you again, with two exceptions: a collector can contact you to tell you there will be no further contact or to let you know that they or the creditor intend to take a specific action, like filing a lawsuit. Sending such a letter to a debt collector you owe money to does not get rid of the debt, but it should stop the contact. The creditor or the debt collector still can sue you to collect the debt.

Can a debt collector contact anyone else about my debt?
If an attorney is representing you about the debt, the debt collector must contact the attorney, rather than you. If you don?t have an attorney, a collector may contact other people ? but only to find out your address, your home phone number, and where you work. Collectors usually are prohibited from contacting third parties more than once. Other than to obtain this location information about you, a debt collector generally is not permitted to discuss your debt with anyone other than you, your spouse, or your attorney.

What does the debt collector have to tell me about the debt?
Every collector must send you a written ?validation notice? telling you how much money you owe within five days after they first contact you. This notice also must include the name of the creditor to whom you owe the money, and how to proceed if you don?t think you owe the money.

Can a debt collector keep contacting me if I don?t think I owe any money?
If you send the debt collector a letter stating that you don?t owe any or all of the money, or asking for verification of the debt, that collector must stop contacting you. You have to send that letter within 30 days after you receive the validation notice. But a collector can begin contacting you again if it sends you written verification of the debt, like a copy of a bill for the amount you owe.

What practices are off limits for debt collectors?
Harassment. Debt collectors may not harass, oppress, or abuse you or any third parties they contact. For example, they may not:
    use threats of violence or harm;
    publish a list of names of people who refuse to pay their debts (but they can give this information to the credit reporting companies);
    use obscene or profane language; or
    repeatedly use the phone to annoy someone.

False statements. Debt collectors may not lie when they are trying to collect a debt. For example, they may not:
    falsely claim that they are attorneys or government representatives;
    falsely claim that you have committed a crime;
    falsely represent that they operate or work for a credit reporting company;
    misrepresent the amount you owe;
    indicate that papers they send you are legal forms if they aren?t; or
    indicate that papers they send to you aren?t legal forms if they are.

Debt collectors also are prohibited from saying that:
    you will be arrested if you don?t pay your debt;
    they?ll seize, garnish, attach, or sell your property or wages unless they are permitted by law to take the action and intend to do so; or
    legal action will be taken against you, if doing so would be illegal or if they don?t intend to take the action.

Debt collectors may not:
    give false credit information about you to anyone, including a credit reporting company;
    send you anything that looks like an official document from a court or government agency if it isn?t; or
    use a false company name.

Unfair practices. Debt collectors may not engage in unfair practices when they try to collect a debt. For example, they may not:
    try to collect any interest, fee, or other charge on top of the amount you owe unless the contract that created your debt ? or your state law ? allows the charge;
    deposit a post-dated check early;
    take or threaten to take your property unless it can be done legally; or
    contact you by postcard.

Can I control which debts my payments apply to?
Yes. If a debt collector is trying to collect more than one debt from you, the collector must apply any payment you make to the debt you select. Equally important, a debt collector may not apply a payment to a debt you don?t think you owe.

Can a debt collector garnish my bank account or my wages?
If you don?t pay a debt, a creditor or its debt collector generally can sue you to collect. If they win, the court will enter a judgment against you. The judgment states the amount of money you owe, and allows the creditor or collector to get a garnishment order against you, directing a third party, like your bank, to turn over funds from your account to pay the debt.
Wage garnishment happens when your employer withholds part of your compensation to pay your debts. Your wages usually can be garnished only as the result of a court order. Don?t ignore a lawsuit summons. If you do, you lose the opportunity to fight a wage garnishment.

Can federal benefits be garnished?
Many federal benefits are exempt from garnishment, including:
    Social Security Benefits
    Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefits
    Veterans? Benefits
    Civil Service and Federal Retirement and Disability Benefits
    Service Members? Pay
    Military Annuities and Survivors? Benefits
    Student Assistance
    Railroad Retirement Benefits
    Merchant Seamen Wages
    Longshoremen?s and Harbor Workers? Death and Disability Benefits
    Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Benefits
    Compensation for Injury, Death, or Detention of Employees of U.S. Contractors Outside the U.S.
    Federal Emergency Management Agency Federal Disaster Assistance
But federal benefits may be garnished under certain circumstances, including to pay delinquent taxes, alimony, child support, or student loans.

Do I have any recourse if I think a debt collector has violated the law?
You have the right to sue a collector in a state or federal court within one year from the date the law was violated. If you win, the judge can require the collector to pay you for any damages you can prove you suffered because of the illegal collection practices, like lost wages and medical bills. The judge can require the debt collector to pay you up to $1,000, even if you can?t prove that you suffered actual damages. You also can be reimbursed for your attorney?s fees and court costs. A group of people also may sue a debt collector as part of a class action lawsuit and recover money for damages up to $500,000, or one percent of the collector?s net worth, whichever amount is lower. Even if a debt collector violates the FDCPA in trying to collect a debt, the debt does not go away if you owe it.

What should I do if a debt collector sues me?
If a debt collector files a lawsuit against you to collect a debt, respond to the lawsuit, either personally or through your lawyer, by the date specified in the court papers to preserve your rights.

Where do I report a debt collector for an alleged violation?
Report any problems you have with a debt collector to your state Attorney General?s office (www.naag.org) and the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov). Many states have their own debt collection laws that are different from the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Your Attorney General?s office can help you determine your rights under your state?s law.

For More Information
To learn more about debt collection and other credit-related issues, visit www.ftc.gov/credit and MyMoney.gov, the U.S. government?s portal to financial education.
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad
February 2009

File complaints with

Federal Trade Commission  https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/FTC_Wizard.aspx?Lang=en

Your State Attorney General
State Attorney General is every state they have offices

Link to all State Attorney General Websites www.naag.org

If you or they are located in NY ? use this SPECIAL Link  www.NYDebtHelp.com
This special website was created by NY AG Andrew Cuomo specifically for reporting illegal debt collection practices.  HE?S CRACKING DOWN AND SHUTTING THEM DOWN!
    
Also report your calls and contacts with debt collectors at http://www.budhibbs.com/index.html  If the company is listed under agencies ? report there. If not on the list YET, click on Watchlist! and add to the list.   You can also post here http://www.collectorsexposed.com/forum2/index.php?board=2.0




Time-Barred Debts
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt144.shtm

There?s no doubt about it: you are responsible for your debts. If you fall behind in paying your creditors ? or if you dispute the legitimacy of a debt ? a debt collector may contact you.

?Time-barred? debts are debts so old they are beyond the point at which a creditor or debt collector may sue you to collect. State law varies as to when a creditor or debt collector may no longer sue to collect: in most states, the statute of limitations period on debts is between 3 and 10 years; in some states, the period is longer. Check with your State Attorney General?s Office to determine when a debt is considered time-barred in your state. You can find contact information for your State Attorney General at www.naag.org.

Federal law imposes limitations on how debt collectors can collect debts, including time-barred debts. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), a ?debt collector? generally is any person or organization that regularly collects debts owed to others. The term includes lawyers who collect debts for others on a regular basis, but it does not include creditors collecting their own debts.

The FDCPA prohibits debt collectors from engaging in any unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices while collecting debts. It does not erase any legitimate debt that you owe. To learn more about your rights under the FDCPA, click on www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/fdc.htm.
Collecting Time-Barred Debts

Most courts that have addressed the issue have ruled that the FDCPA does not prohibit debt collectors from trying to collect time-barred debts, as long as they do not sue or threaten to sue you for the debt. If a debt collector sues you to collect a time-barred debt, you can have the suit dismissed by letting the court or judge know the debt is, indeed, time-barred.

Whether a time-barred debt ? or any debt for that matter ? can appear on your credit report depends on how long the debt has been delinquent: debts that have been delinquent more than seven years cannot appear on your credit report, with certain exceptions. In addition, a debt collector may not try to collect a debt that has been discharged in bankruptcy, no matter when it was incurred. To learn more about credit reporting, click on www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/fcra.htm.
Contact with Collectors

Can a debt collector continue to contact you about a time-barred debt you don?t think you owe? According to the law, if you send the debt collector a letter stating that you do not owe some or all of the money within 30 days after you receive written notice of a debt, the collector must stop trying to collect until you?ve been given written verification of the debt, like a copy of the bill for the amount you supposedly owe. The collector can renew collection activities once you?ve gotten proof of the debt.

You can stop debt collectors from contacting you about any debt, regardless of whether you owe it, by writing a letter telling them to stop contacting you. Once the collector gets your letter, it may not contact you again ? except to say there will be no further contact or to let you know that the collector or creditor intends to take some specific action. Sending a letter doesn?t absolve you of the debt if you actually owe it; the debt collector or creditor still could sue you for the debt.
Future Collection Efforts

The best way to protect yourself from future collection on any disputed or partially settled debt is to get a form or letter from the creditor or collector that releases you from further obligation. To make sure the release is valid, you may want to consult an attorney. If you believe that a debt collector violated the law, you have the right to sue in a state or federal court within a year from the date the law was violated. If you win, you may recover money for the damages you suffered, plus an additional amount up to $1,000. You also may recover court costs and attorney?s fees. You also may want to report any problems you have with a debt collector to your State Attorney General and to the Federal Trade Commission.

The FTC works to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint or get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. Watch a new video, How to File a Complaint, at ftc.gov/video to learn more. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
October 2004

Collection's.All bark and no teeth to bite you with.Can be safely disreguarded.

These people are NOT funny to me...they are
looking for someone that lives in Ohio...if I could find them by just googling why cant they?
They are constantly calling my parents, which are in their 80's
the number is unlisted and private....
I want to get these guys bad....

This idiot company hangs up on you the minute you offer a settlement. THey are not legit and the people are absolutely incompetent. Too funny.

I get calls from these people all the time.  they are looking for someone else, I tell them that and they still call.  I've told them to stop calling and even if I knew the person they are after, I wouldnt rat them out.  So now, I call back and harass them.  Nothing like getting an earful of heavy metal or me belching into the phone.  I hate them....but I love to mess with em!!  I wish everyone would do that, make their life a living hell.

credit card bill collector

You can look up any number and any scam artist can make a web site.  If they threaten you or say they are going to take it to court.  Do not fall for it.  By law they have to send you a letter in the mail.  If you do not get a letter then it is false.  Report them and do not fall for thier scam.

For those of you having trouble with this agency please inform yourself about the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act aka FDCPA.  It governs collection agencies' practices.  From what I have read here they seem to break every rule over and over.  What most don't know is that for each documented occurence in which they break the FDCPA they become liable to you for $1,000 easily wiping out any debt they say you may owe(erroneous debt or legit).  Educate yourselves on the protections you have with the FDCPA and use it to your advantage.  Record phone calls (check your state laws about recording phone calls), keep incriminating voice mail, and keep call records for when they call outside of permissable hours.

They keep calling over and over again in the morning and waking me up it really pisses me off! its a machine that talks about bill payments. But I have absolutely no bills that I pay and I don't even have any credit at all. This is probably the 20th time they called its very annoying

Started receiving calls from Tom Matthews (Mercantile Adjustment Bureau) this past Friday (08-14-09), asked for me by using my 1st & Last name, he stated the last 4 digits of my SS# on the voicemail, said he was trying to reach a friend of mine, mentioned he/she never met with them, and they were now calling me...

Received same phone call (from 866-889-5222) at my parent's house on Monday (08-17-09), they stated the same thing as the last message "needing me to reply back ASAP," Tom Matthews stated at the end of his voicemail on my parent's voicemail, "Michael, you need to check your messages more often..."  

If I don't recognize the phone number or if the caller is UNKNOWN or TOLL-FREE, I don't even bother answering.  Anyways, I don't appreciate the unprofessionalism of people who are calling me and telling me, "I should check my messages more often..."

DO NOT ACCEPT PHONE CALLS FROM

716-929-8200
866-889-5222

Received a call, picked up, but there was no response, then I realized that cockroaches can't talk.

Mother died in February, changed her service from Bellsouth to Comcast and were issued a new number.  Evidently the deadbeat that previously had the number owes a whole bunch of companies and his child is a truant.  I get calls all day (July, now) claiming that I am the previous owner, or his deadbeat wife from New Jersey.

This is constant.  Today I contacted Chris Williams, #8272 at 800-480-7094 who stated that he is the assistant to Jeffrey P. Miller, purported manager of Mercantile Adjustment Bureau.  The gentleman was helpful and stated he would block the number from autocalls and that our number had been removed from their call list.  We'll see.  In the meantime, Chris Williams, sorry, but I have no recourse.  Hopefully you won't get a zillion calls, like I have, for no reason at all.

These people are constantly calling my house several times a day and from different phone numbers. First they said they are Mercantile and then they said this is the office of Susan James. Now I get the hang ups! How the h3ll do you stop these people? My husband works strange hours and these morons call and wake him up and he is NOT a happy camper at all! First of all, we have no debt, so what are these people looking for? Our local news company does investigative reporting on this kind of crap, so I think I will be giving them a call and will see what happens.

In order to get around the law of harassment (calling from one phone number more than once a day and even after telling them not to call), this "company" has a LOAD of numbers (I'll try to provide if I can find all the websites repeating the same stuff on this board) and names. REPORT them! It's the only way to stop!

BTW, I DO NOT have any debt - they call to get information about people you know (parents, siblings, spouse) who may have debt (in case they moved and now the phone number and home address are unlisted and not recorded for the agency): WHICH IS ALSO ILLEGAL! These idiots are drop-outs with no other job available and they are vile, foul-mouthed brutes with NO intelligence - they don't even know that calling again and again is unlawful because, as they say, "they're just doing their job."

Here are the other numbers to block:
214-221-9430
866-550-6858
877-254-0943

I receive a call from this number almost every day.  I never pick up and they do not leave a message.  It's just annoying.

calls every week getting tired of it, they should come over instead I have a 357 for them.