I talked to the wonderful gentlemen from Bradstreet Associates on 2-04-2013.  Brad was such a lovely man, haha.  They made me so angry, The first things out of his mouth was the name of my home business. He says "are you guys still up and running?", We just started our business and have been open for a month and how did this guy have my name and phone number?  Brad tells us that if we dont fill out a packet he is mailing to us, he is sueing us, I asked what for and what the packet was, he stuttered and he says "basically your being sued, get a lawyer and have him look over the paperwork".  I called for Brad at Bradstreet later that night and asked the guy who answered the phone "what is going on and why are you guys calling my phone repeatedly?". He would'nt tell me his name, he starts throwing political b.s. at me about President Obama not having a birth certificate, he then tells me he doesn't want to talk to me an doesnt care to talk. He cut off every one of my questions, he answered questions with questions that didnt make any sense.  According to my research, there are 6 people who work at Bradstreet in Minneapolis and from my experience, they all need customer service training and need to learn people skills.  When you answer a phone or make a phone call, you must state your name, company name and what your calling about. Dont start it off with a "your going to get sued and your wages garnished.  My wife and I both repeatedly told 2 different guys that we run a daycare, the guy asked If he should send the papers to our payroll, we dont have payroll man. the man I talked to when I called them back that night told me that I am my wifes employer. my wife and I are both co-owners as in 2.  Very unpleased about the way they run their scamming business and if it is a legitimate business, their ethic makes it seem like a joke and unbelievable.

Look here!! First of all u sound like Bradstreet employee trying to pretend you are one happy satistifed customer who claims this particular Company such ad BRADSTREETS n ASSOCIATES magically help you wipe off all your debts that you haven't paid in years..first of all..did they give you a real confirmation #? And also did u even pull up your credit to see if its gone? My POINT is..they are a CON!!! They con people for quick fast money, and throw all these legal mumbo jumbo @ u to scare you. JUSTIN is a prim example of a do***e bag..what kind of a debt collector are you??? Who can call me and threaten my fmaily and my life? Obviously he's an a** and will always be a dirty a**.because he thinks this is a fast easy way to get money from ppl when he's in trouble himself. YOU will come get anything out of me..this entire company itself is soooo fake.

Justin Balfany is a fony, lie, and a con!!! I agree with "pissed off consumer" this piece of s*** did the exact same thing, by sending a letter he basically typed up himself and try to force me to may everything on his own date!!! Whatever if you can't provide legal legit document, I refuse to give u any penny. Don't let this man or the people who work for this company harrass you or threaten you. Just hang up..and t them to f*** off!!

Called my cell.

So, if a creditor can't validate a debt:

   * They are not allowed to collect the debt,
   * They are not allowed to contact you about the debt, and
   * They are also not allowed to report it under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Doing so is a violation of the FCRA, and the FCRA states that you can sue for $1,000 in damages for any violation of the Act.

creditinfocenter.com/rebuild/debt_validation.shtml

If Justin can't provide 'legal' and real documents, you can sue him.  Based on his fraudulent mortgage background, I would not trust anything this man says.  He is scum of the earth and a piece of s***!!!

You don't need an attorney.  Knowledge is power, this is all online.

Justin Balfamy is a fraud.  He used to be in the mortgage business and the person he worked for and with was busted for forging documents on loan files to mortgage companies. [removed:lang]  We asked for a VALIDATION OF DEBT because there is no debt anyone listed on my credit and we felt this to be fraud.  Justin would not provide us with any proof of debt, because he has none.  They are required to show proof positive that you owe them this debt. It's not enough to send you a computer-generated printout of the debt, which is what Justin did to us.  Anyone can just type of a letter and say you owe.  MAKE THEM PROVE TO YOU THAT YOU OWE THIS DEBT.

Justin from bridgestone was a jerk hands down.  I just had my court hearing on the 25th and things went well.  US Banks screwed up my accout and than sold It off to Bridgestone.  I tried to tell Justin that it was a mistake and even offered to pay about 1/3 of what they claimed I owed.  They demanded half plus court cost so i said see you in court.  I talk with one of their lawyers and he at least listened to me and again tried to either have me pay half up right than or set up a payment play for 985 plus court fees.  I was already at the courthouse so I said thanks but no thanks I'll take my chances with the judge.  When my time came I spoke well, i was dressed well and I presented myself the best that I could.  The Judgement was not made that day so I sweat it out over the weekend and checking the mail Monday I found a letter from Hennepin County.  In it I found judgement that I found pretty favorable.  The courts decided that I owed just $37.50.  They lost a bunch of money on me.  They didn't even get the court fees back.  I think that I am going to head over there with a payment in full... a bag full of pennies and ask that they count it our and give me a note saying that I paid in full.

what do you mean global management?  is that the  company like e-check where you can use their card to get cash at a casino and they pull it out from your bank check?

Same experience from same people rude, mean and ruthless. Get an attorney and go after them if they violate their rights as collectors. Attorney general web page has a nice summary of what they can and cant do....

being illegally harrassed by Bridgestone?  

Include the URL to this thread with your complaints - so the FTC, and THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERALS see a pattern of harrassment that goes way beyond collecting a debt.  these postings by employees are ILLEGAL SCARE TACTICS,  ABUSIVE LANGUAGE ETC..

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  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

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

Dealing with Debt Collectors
http://www.budhibbs.com/start.html


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

They are a collection agency.  I am getting everything on track.  I did get 20 percent off.  I have been doing that with all my debts.  I even got half off on a couple. Stop your whining.  Its people like you who give someone like me a bad who made an honest mistake in life and now is clearing up everything.  Just call them.  Two wrongs do not make a right.  Just cuz you are mad about them doesnt give you a right not to pay.  How many complaints would there be if everyone paid.  ZERO.  I had a few bad collectors but, I was a big enough person to work with them and face the music.  No wonder democrats are in office right now.

You didn't get a call from them, you didn't "forget" about any debt, and you certainly didn't get "20% off" some settlement. You are obviously a low life collector who works there, and you're crying on this website because you can't collect from people who KNOW THEIR RIGHTS.

Just some advice: stop lying on websites that are set up to help people, not deceive them, and get honest work (though it's unlikely you're qualified to do ANYTHING HONEST).

Just pay instead of crying on some website.  I got a call from this company and I forgot about the debt and paid, they even gave me a 20 percent off settlement.  Guess what, they provided me a receipt and were very professional. Maybe if you paid they wouldnt be mean to you.  Just some advice. How about you call and work with them, im sure you can speak with someone else than Justin?

this company was called Global management assests. They have one main person you need to watch out for Justin Roger Balfany.. I did some research on him and his company. they had to change there name because of someone BBB complaint and know its called Bridgestone. They are A** holes and rude sons of bi****s..  and if i knew the other guys full names you can easily go on mncriminals.com and you can pull up there info.. i know one guys name is Brad... and they use public networkng places (ei facebook and myspace.) so when you see his name for friend request decline it. ASAP!!! they call family members and fiance's familys and TELLS THEM WHAT YOU OWE MONEY FOR!!! He did this on SEVERAL occusions...  
PLEASE BE CAREFUL WITH THIS COMPANY!!!