Thank you for the information.

I get several calls from this number and no message - very annoying

I get a call a day from this number, and it always leaves a 2 second voicemail - EXTREMELY irritating!!!

I called this number - they are a debt collector

they call every day and do not leave message

This is berks collection agency for medical bills. To stop them dead in their tracks just send the following letter.

Your Name
Your Address
City, State, Zip

(Sent via CERTIFIED RETURN MAIL with RETURN RECEIPT)

Date:

XYZ Collection Agency/Law Firm
1234 Main Street, #100
Any town, USA 10021

Re: File #0000000 - ABC Bank - #4445566778899000 -For: $5555.55

Dear Debt Collector /Debt Collector Attorney:

This will serve as your legal notice under provisions of federal law, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), to cease all communication with me in regard to the debt referenced above. If you fail to heed this notice, I will file a formal complaint against you with the Federal Trade Commission who is responsible for enforcement, the States Attorney General office and/or the American Collectors Association or local State Bar Association.

I/We have decided that we do not desire to work with a collection agency under any circumstances. I/We will contact the original creditor to resolve this matter directly, as circumstances warrant.

You are also notified that should any adverse information be placed against my/our credit reports as a result of this notice that appropriate actions will be taken. Give this very important matter the attention it deserves.

Sincerely,

Your Name

Call and NEVER leave a message

this is a debt collector. when you put up they ask for someone by name and if its them then press 1 and if you can go get them press 2 so i always hung up but then i finally pressed 1 (they always asked for rebecca something and i didnt know her) so i got to talk to someone to tell them that i wasnt rebecca and to stop calling and they asked me a few NON-personal questions and then they never called back

You can call them back and they will look up who they are trying to contact.  If it's not you, they will take that number off the account.

will call over and over without leaving a message

I too got calls from them. They claimed to be collecting a medical debt and wanted payment over the phone. Problem is I know I pais the bill. I called the Dr. and they said it is paid and didn't know why or how Berks got the collection. Are they scammers??!!

I have been receiving calls from this number asking for a person that I do no know???

Showed up on my caller id.

I get automated calls from 800-257-3162 daily. They do not leave a message or anything. I have answered a few times and they always ask for someone other than myself. Even after we have identified that they are looking for someone else, they continue to call. How do you make it stop!

calls and hangs up

Berks Credit and Collections is listed at this number.  They have been contacting me for a mysterious debt from a hospital visit.  My Medicare and supplemental insurance covered these bills.  Yet, this appears to be a scam using proprietary information.  There are many complaints about this company online.  Note that this company is located in PA, so they may be violating other states' consumer laws.

I am so damn sick of this #!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They call non stop 2 times a day asking for Mike something or other....I wish I could talk to a human just once....I wish I could meet anyone how worked for these sons a bi****s....MY FIST WOULD BE LODGED IN THEIR THROAT

Received call this morning alleging that I owed a doctor's bill and caller cited personal information.  I know that I have no bills outstanding and said it was an error.  I am concerned that they knew personal details.  It sounded like some sort of scam and I have blocked this number.

This was the 2nd call from taht #. A hispanic man asked my my hubby, I told him he wasn't home & asked if it was a collection agency - he said no. Then I told him that I was the wife & that no one is getting any money from my hubby unles sit goes through me & if he wanted some then he better talk to me. He admitted he was collections & then I proceeded to tell him that I am disabled & my hubby had been out of work for 9mos so he wouldn't be getting a penny & to push the paperwork down the line b/c our credit can't get any worse. He was dumbfounded. I thanked him for his time & hung up.
I also said the same to a very rude black woman who was trying to collect for med bills. It stopped her in her tracks too. No calls from either of them since. :0)

They called my safe link government provided cell phone.  I only get 70 min a month because of no work as of late.  I can't believe it.  I've only had it a few weeks.  Loan sharks and predatory lenders will have to pry my money from cold dead fingers.  I like my money green anyways and some of us learn better the hard way.

Sincerely,

bob

Yes there is a lot you can do - read my other post to start.

Learn your rights and deal with it correctly

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

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

I started getting calls at 8:10 AM every morning from this number, and they hang up without leaving any message. I called several times, and they put me on hold for a long time stating it is to collect some debt. Are they not supposed to introduce the business or organization that they represent when they call people's home? Does any know what actions can be taken against them? I am quite the law is pretty much in the interest of these guys, obviously I do not have the money to bend congressman to defend me. As a regular consumer what can I do? Thank you,

per laws...if you want collectors to stop calling, you have to either fax or mail them something with your signature on it. unfortunately, i work for a collections agency.

I have sent them the letter as stated above at the advise of a Pro-Bono lawyer.  Know they are calling me with the international number: 0118002573162.  Is this because they are no longer in jurisdiction of the US?

They did not leave a message.

Just send them a CEASE AND DESIST LETTER BY CERTIFIED RETURN MAIL with RETURN RECEIPT.  THE CALLS WILL STOP INSTANTLY.

Your Name
Your Address
City, State, Zip

(Sent via CERTIFIED RETURN MAIL with RETURN RECEIPT)

Date:

XYZ Collection Agency/Law Firm
1234 Main Street, #100
Any town, USA 10021

Re: File #0000000 - ABC Bank - #4445566778899000 -For: $5555.55

Dear Debt Collector /Debt Collector Attorney:

This will serve as your legal notice under provisions of federal law, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), to cease all communication with me in regard to the debt referenced above. If you fail to heed this notice, I will file a formal complaint against you with the Federal Trade Commission who is responsible for enforcement, the States Attorney General office and/or the American Collectors Association or local State Bar Association.

I/We have decided that we do not desire to work with a collection agency under any circumstances. I/We will contact the original creditor to resolve this matter directly, as circumstances warrant.

You are also notified that should any adverse information be placed against my/our credit reports as a result of this notice that appropriate actions will be taken. Give this very important matter the attention it deserves.

Sincerely,

Your Name

I was getting constant phone calls from that number and they were always told that the phone numnber they called does not belong to that person anymore. They still constantly called and called looking for her. I got real frustrated. That is until I contacted the office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General. Within 2 weeks the phone calls stopped and today I got a letter from the AG with a letter from the collection agency saying they have taken my number off the list.

I received a call from them asking simply for "Lewis". Alfalfa..thanks for the Cease Communication letter.

this nuber always calls my house then hags up on me is there a block i can get so these people wont harrasw me

I received a call on my personal cell phone from 1-800-257-3162 asking for a Micheal Flanigan (would love to know who this person is).  I asked them to remove my number from there system.  Then I received a call from 610-275-2200 asked for the same person.  This is a collection agency - Interstate Credit & Collection
215 W Fornance St, Norristown, PA

When I call back I only get an automated system which either asked me to leave a message or hangs up on my.  How rude!  Stop calling!!!

Here is a good example of a Cease Communication letter to use. Just fill in the blanks. Send it VIA Certified Mail and request a return receipt. Keep copies of everything!

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 my State Attorney General, 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