Have called my phone advising I have a debt from 2007.
Cannot provide me with any information or substantial documentation.
the statue of limitations runs out in 4 years idiots!!! KMA

They Call Me All The Time. They started off calling me from a private number. I do not answer the phone when a private number appears on my caller ID. They are a debt collection attorneys office. They tried to tell me that I owed on a hospital bill from 1998 in a town I have never lived in. Truthfully, even if it was my bill, I can't afford a bucket to piss in and a window to throw it out of. BTW...The bill was for $3.05, it cost them more to make the call...LOL!!!

This number has called for my husband several times in which he was not home. When I identified myself as his wife, I was told they had to have permission from him for them to speak to me. Think twice people if you need a check!!!

These jokers have a unique scam going on.  Yes, they are debt collectors for medical facilities.  They can't even tell who you owe if asked.  They called my cell phone (which is under my dad's name) and left a message for my husband, basically saying that they were calling about a legal matter concerning the property on <my road>.

WTF?  My husband doesn't even have his name on the deed, as I am the sole owner of the property under a previous married name.  They can't have a lien or anything else against the property because it doesn't belong to my husband.

Of course, this is added to the fact that I have sent them letters that we do not owe anyone, and please provide proof of debt or cease and desist.
Caller: Carmen V. Porrea
Call Type: Debt Collector
Reply !

These jokers have a unique scam going on.  Yes, they are debt collectors for medical facilities.  They can't even tell who you owe if asked.  They called my cell phone (which is under my dad's name) and left a message for my husband, basically saying that they were calling about a legal matter concerning the property on <my road>.

WTF?  My husband doesn't even have his name on the deed, as I am the sole owner of the property under a previous married name.  They can't have a lien or anything else against the property because it doesn't belong to my husband.

Of course, this is added to the fact that I have sent them letters that we do not owe anyone, and please provide proof of debt or cease and desist.

^^TROLL^^

They keep calling our business line and that is not okay!

Quit whining, people.  pay ur legitimate debt and shut up.  So many of you just keep crying, and if you would just settle your accounts in the beginning (at the hospital) it wouldn't have to go so far. Most of you are stupid.

when is somebody going to do something about these out of control fools

They are not the brightest.... They just filed suit against me in the WRONG state lol dumb b*****ds don't know how to do an easy internet search or do not know the laws on jurisdiction!

They continue to call here looking for my daughter and her husband.  They do not live here, have never lived here, and this number has never been theirs.  Today they called again.  I again called them back and the rude, obnoxious woman who answered the phone told me, when I commented that "you people continue to call here" - she said don't refer to me as "you people" "my name is Fran".  I said had you identified yourself and I was not being rude.  You are the rude people to continue to call here after you have been told this is NOT a number for those people.  She called me a b***h and hung up.

Oh yeah, they also called my job stupid, rude, nasty people.

I got a call from this number (770) 261-1020 and they left me a message.  It is a law firm.  Probably trying to collect a debt.

i have gotten the same number to call me. they never leave a message either and i am never home to answer. what ever happened to call block?

They left a message. They say it's Carmen Porrica Law Firm, collecting a debt.

This is a number of debt related law office of Carmen V. Porreca, P.C.

Suite 303
4901 Olde Towne Pkwy
Marietta, GA 30068

Never leaves a message.

A law firm trying to collect a debt.  Scare tactic. If you want to sue me, just file the paperwork!Make my day.

They are very rude nasty people, I was trying to give them a payment. They were demanding a higher amount, I told them I didn't have what they were asking. So the sell collection agent started screaming at me like I was a child. I started to tell her to kiss my As... but I just told her not to call my phone anymore.

We just got a rude call for this office (3/15/2011 @3pm). Stating that he was a lawyer for Piedmont hospital, collecting a debt.  We informed him we have contacted Piedmont and requested a bill multiple times for the ~$23.28 they claim we owe but have not received one. He only got more rude. So I called LISA and CARMEN PORRECA (770-641-7736 ) and left a respectful request for an apology with my name and number.

http://www.yellowpages.com/findaperson?fap_terms[first]=Lisa&fap_terms[last]=PORRECA+&fap_terms[city]=&fap_terms[state]=GA&fap_terms[searchtype]=phone)

Send them this letter VIA certified mail with return receipt requested DEMANDING validation of the debt. This is your right under the FDCPA and they have five days to respond. Keep copies of everything you send. No validation, no debt. It's that simple.

Today's Date

Your Name
Your Address

Collector's Name
Collector's Address

VIA CERTIFIED MAIL

Dear {insert name of collector or company},

I am writing in response to your (letter or phone call) dated {insert date}, (copy enclosed) because I do not believe I owe what you say I owe.

This is the first I've heard from you, or any other company on this matter therefore, in accordance with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Section 809(b): Validating Debts:

(b) If the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period described in subsection (a) that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, or that the consumer requests the name and address of the original creditor, the debt collector shall cease collection of the debt, or any disputed portion thereof, until the debt collector obtains verification of the debt or any copy of a judgment, or the name and address of the original creditor, and a copy of such verification or judgment, or name and address of the original creditor, is mailed to the consumer by the debt collector.

I respectfully request that you provide me with the following information:

(1) the amount of the debt;
(2) the name of the creditor to whom the debt is owed;
(3) Provide a verification or copy of any judgment (if applicable);
(4) Proof that you are licensed to collect debts in (insert name of your state)
Be advised that I am fully aware of my rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Fair Credit Reporting Act. For instance, I know that:

Because I have disputed this debt in writing within 30 days of receipt of your dunning notice, you must obtain verification of the debt or a copy of the judgment against me and mail these items to me at your expense.

You cannot add interest or fees except those allowed by the original contract or state law.
you do not have to respond to this dispute but if you do, any attempt to collect this debt without validating it, violates the FDCPA.

Also be advised that I am keeping very accurate records of all correspondence from you and your company including recording all phone calls and I will not hesitate to report violations of the law to The Georgia Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs, the Federal Trade Commission and the Better Business Bureau.

I have disputed this debt; therefore, until validated you know your information concerning this debt is inaccurate. Thus, if you have already reported this debt to any credit-reporting agency (CRA) or Credit Bureau (CB) then, you must immediately inform them of my dispute with this debt. Reporting information that you know to be inaccurate or failing to report information correctly violates the Fair Credit Reporting Act § 1681s-2. Should you pursue a judgment without validating this debt, I will inform the judge and request the case be dismissed based on your failure to comply with the FDCPA.

Finally, if you do not own this debt, I demand that you immediately send a copy of this dispute letter to the original creditor so they are also aware of my dispute with this debt.

Signature here
Your Printed Name

http://www.fair-debt-collection.com/Disputing ... ute-letter.html

They say I owe them $8738 from a $500 doctor bill form Piedmont Hospital. What can I do about this? Is that legal?

I'm curious, whatever happened?  Did they eventually forfeit the judgement?

I called this office and was almost brought to tears by the woman who answered the phone.  She made failed attempts to answer my inquiries by speaking out of both sides of her mouth. When she realized she was giving to very different answers, she became very agitated and extremely RUDE. I gave her an out by asking to speak with the person who was actually over the account in question so that I could resolve the matter. She became more agitated and rude She would not provide me with the information or a voicemail to leave a message.  I do not believe an account representative actually exist to tell you the truth.  I believe the company to be shady.  They misrepresent the companies who utilize this service.  I contacted this law office after a call was placed to me.  I never spoke to anyone and was never given an opportunity to resolve the matter.  I will be contacting the Attorney General's Office. I will put just as much energy into resolving this issue as this group of people put into each day of the Rude and Shady behavior and practices.  Unbelievable!

This guy is the definition of a bottom feeder.  The gwinnett hospital and court system are in bed with him.  Avoid their calls at all costs and if they do take you to court get another greasy lawyer to bury them.

They left a message for me yesterday.  I called them today and had to leave a message.

I owe no one money, and I left that in the message.

They cannot get a garnishment without suing you first.

Did you know they were suing you?  
If yes - did you show up for court?  

If you knew about the case and did not show up for court - you allowed to them get a default judgement. In spite of paying every month.  You did nothing to prove that you have been paying.  

if you never knew about a court case -(never served) you can have the garnishment overturned.   You need an attorney www.naca.net - this is link to attorney's all over the US qualified to handle debt collection issues.

Many will work on contingency and most will at least give free consultations.

This happened to me as well, they say owe over $3000, but I paid them by the month. Also, I found out by going to my bank that they had a garnishment.

I was billed erroneously by the Gwinnett Hospital System.  I had to go to court over it and lost my case to Carmen Porreca.  Since then,the hospital has agreed that I was billed erroneously and dismissed the charges at their end.  I called to inform Porreca's office and was told that it didn't matter;it was a legal debt and I have to pay it.

I asked what would be done with the collected money if the hospital has expunged the debt;the woman whom I was speaking to refused to answer my question.

Would anyone know what I can do about this case ?

thank you for your help~

pam

DO IT CORRECTLY - The mistake most make is to ignore it or try to do it incorrectly and that just makes things worse

Start by calling the hospital and see if they sent your account to collections or not.   Find out if they even billed Medicare/medigap.

COLLECTION AGENCIES DO NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS INFORMATION!

FROM www.budhibbs.com  A CONSUMER ADVOCATE WEBSITE that specializes in Debt Collections and offers assistance to consumers.  They provide legal advice and access to QUALIFIED ATTORNEY's - not all are qualified to handle debt collections - many work on contingency.  

THEY ALSO EXPOSE THE WORST FDCPA VIOLATOR IN THE COUNTRY

you do not have to go it alone - so don't - GET THE HELP YOU NEED.

Dealing with debt collectors - Letters of debt validation, cease communications etc.  
http://www.budhibbs.com/start.html

Statute of limitations by state ? always double check directly with your own State Government Website
http://www.budhibbs.com/statute_of_limitations.htm

Recording calls from debt collectors ? always double check with your own State Government website
http://www.budhibbs.com/record.htm
From FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION WEBSITE
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre18.shtm

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.


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.

Received a dunning letter from this guy today demanding payment on behalf of a hospital who treated me several months ago and never bothered to explain why my Medicare and Medigap insurance wouldn't cover these charges. I never received an EOB (Explanation of Benefits) from Medicare, either.

Needless to say, I will be disputing this alledged debt ASAP.