i just got my new cell phone with a new number less than 2 weeks ago and this number keeps calling me.  first time i called it back blocked and i could hear music in the background like someone listening to a radio..maybe radio station? tonight just called again and if i answer they say nothing.  so i called back and it just says leave a message after tthe tone...IDFK???

Well, the BBC of Utah has finally given Capital Keystone a big fat F for their business grade!  I still want to encourage people to file a complaint if you have been conned.  People that have complained already have done a service to other people that could possibly be scammed by this company.  Great work people!!!!!!

I too recieved sereral phone calls from Captial Keystone Agency for a trial product I never cancelled. In fact never ordered. I didn't receive any notification from the company in which the product came from and no notification from the collection agency other than these phone calls. The representive was of hindu decent and went by the name Lala. She was calling me everyday repeating how if this debt isn't paid it will reflect my credit score and she can erase my information from her data base if I pay her 79.95. She didn't want to here anything I said and when I asked her to send me this in writting she said her company only contacts by phone and she is making an attempt to collect this so that it doesn't affect me. She wanted me to beleive that she was on my side.  I told her I wasn't going to give her what she wants and told her to have it put on my credit report and I will fight it when it appears on it.  It's been several days since I heard from her and just today I received 2 calls from a man calling me from the Philipines or so he said but it was actually Penncylvania. He said his name is Jaurus. He too repeated himself and if he wanted to play that game so did I. I told him when his company sends me a letter asking me to resolve I will take it from there. He said it will be too late that mail will take 7 days. Whats a week?, this account is supposable been delinquent over a year. These people are just trying to get your money by scaring you into thinking it's going to reflect your credit. Well, he got the wrong one. I didn't give him what he wanted and told him where he can go. And since my conversation was recorded as he repeatedly said it was he can play it over and over. And the number they are calling from is 717 474 5167 but they ask me to call them back on 800 275 1336

I too recieved sereral phone calls from Captial Keystone Agency for a trial product I never cancelled. In fact never ordered. I didn't receive any notification from the company in which the product came from and no notification from the collection agency other than these phone calls. The representive was of hindu decent and went by the name Lala. She was calling me everyday repeating how if this debt isn't paid it will reflect my credit score and she can erase my information from her data base if I pay her 79.95. She didn't want to here anything I said and when I asked her to send me this in writting she said her company only contacts by mail and she is making an attempt to collect this so that it doesn't affect me. She wanted me to beleive that she was on my side.  I told her I wasn't going to give her what she wants and told her to have it put on my credit report and I will fight it when it appears on it.  It's been several days since I heard from her and just today I received 2 calls from a man calling me from the Philipines. He said his name is Jaurus. He too repeated himself and if he wanted to play that game so did I. I told him when his company sends me a letter asking me to resolve I will take it from there. He said it will be too late that mail will take 7 days. Whats a week?, this account is supposable been delinquent over a year. These people are just trying to get your money by scaring you into thinking it's going to reflect your credit. Well, he got the wrong one. I didn't give him what he wanted and told him where he can go. And since my conversation was recorded as he repeatedly said it was he can play it over and over. And the number they are calling from is 717 474 5167 but they ask me to call them back on 800 275 1336

I too receive calls from this number. The lady tells me I owe a debt for a subscription to a product called BromaCleanse (a body cleanser that didn't even do what it stated) for $72.00.  Back in Sept. of 2009 I signed up for a free trial offer of  this product online.  BIG MISTAKE!!!!.  All I had to do was cancel within 13 days of receiving product and I would owe nothing, I recall cancelling and had forgotten all about it.  Then June of this year (2010), the harassment from them starts. I tell her I cancelled the subscription last year and she tells me she has no record of it.  Luckily the credit card number I used online was closed soon after me ordering BromaCleanse and they were unable to fraudulently charge me anything!!!  I've read other online horror stories where others weren't so lucky.  Others were charged even though they cancelled their subscription, and when they tried to dispute the charges with BromaCleanse, they had no luck in getting them to remove the charges from their account.  STAY AWAY FROM ANY ONLINE ORDERS OF BROMACLEANSE, GO TO YOUR LOCAL GNC STORE INSTEAD.  STEER CLEAR OF ORDERING ACAIBERRY DETOX ONLINE AS WELL.  I'VE COME TO FIND OUT THEY'VE TRIED THE SAME SCAM ON PEOPLE.

That is the exact same thing that happened to me...... and she had my info except the credit card number she had was an old card that I had cancelled through my credit card company because I got a fraudulent charge on it over a year ago !!!!!   This is crazy ......... isn't there something someone can do out there to stop this kind of thing - with so many people being effected by it????

I wish I was in the right frame of mind when I received a call from these sickos tonight.  I HAVE BEEN CONNED!!!!!!  Even though my phone call went along as those that have been posted here I was STUPID enough to give out my credit card information although I am normally smarted than that.  Of course, I tried calling them back after I hung up, at the 1-800-275-1336 but there is no answer just a recorded message.  The few times I thought someone was on the line, I could hear conversations on the other end as the con artists were using the same line on some other innocent person on the receiving end of an harassing phone call.

So, I called my credit card company after hanging up with these con artists and have been informed that they cannot reverse the charge because I gave out my credit card number.  I have filed a fraudulent complaint with my credit card company and they will investigate as soon as this company sends an invoice and they will have the company information to start an investigation.  In the meantime I cancelled my credit card to avoid further charges and am still SICK to my stomach for being so naive!  

I will contact the BBC and the UTAH police tomorrow morning it is now way past midnight and I will try to get some sleep.  I AM WRITING TO WARN OTHERS TO NOT GET CONNED AS I HAVE BEEN  If I can avoid just 1 person from being had, then I can sleep better.  In the meantime, I hope I was able to save myself of further charges by cancelling my card.

I have had3 phone calls from (800) 275-1336, the third time I answered.  They stated they were a debt collection and did give me the last 4 digits of a credit card (it sounded like my credit card digits.)  She hung up when I asked if I could speak with somebody else as she was hard to understand.  When I called back no answer, just static type music on hold sound.  This is concerning about them having the last 4 of my valid credit card.  BE CAREFUL!

i rreceived a call from them.  called them back.  had to wait for the music to stop.  told them if they call me EVER again i would call the sheriff, my attorney and the attorney general.  they are a scam and i don't owe them a gd thing for bromalite or anything else.  don't know if the threat will hold up, but i will call my attorney and have them get hold of them.  i feel sorry for any one that falls for their line.  i'm old enough to not be taken in by these people.  the one that called my husband hung up on him, but we have the capabilities of being able to trace calls.  thank god for that.  next call goes to my attorney.  take care out there.  there are lots of scammers out there.  if we all stay alert, maybe we will be able to get rid of most of them.

This is EXACTLY what happened to me today and on Sunday!  Exactly, same amount, same name, same company.  Crazy!

Block the number and move on. They said the same thing to me. I even have an email in my inbox from searchcashpro (you probably did sign up for it at some point) dated a year ago that states I canceled my account.

Thanks. I have simply blocked the number and have them forwarded to a "not in service" recording (you can do this with google voice). But anyway, even so, they continue to attempt calling up to 4 times a day. I don't know how they can possibly be so stupid...you would think that after hearing such a recording, they would stop calling. Absolutely amazing.

How do I stop the dunning calls?  Woman claims to be calling for Capital Keystone trying to collect an account for some food supplement that I never ordered that was charged to a credit card number that was canceled because of an attempted fraudulent use. I Tried calling the Capital Keystone phone listed on web page and get response the number doesn't exist.  The caller has my email address and promised to e-mail copy of the invoice, which I did not receive but she called again!

THE CORRECT WAY TO HANDLE COLLECTION CALLS AND ILLEGAL TACTICS

HANDLE IT CORRECTLY AND THEY WILL END UP PAYING YOU

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

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/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

wow from reading these it sounds to me like someone has gotten hold of a bundle of cc receipts - u know how they only show the last 4 digits of the cc numbers  - thru some means and apparently internet purchases (so possibly hacks or possibly even the ones who had the scams running that they are now trying to collect on.) but yes to anonymous - u started good so far reporting to ftc, i also suggest your state atty gen, and they may get more (fbi etc) involved as this sounds like internet scamming and they are also spoofing their phone numbers which is illegal now too.  The worse this economy gets, the more scams that are gonna be tried - we all need to be more alert to crap.  Trust No One.

just wanted to say you cannot block your number when calling a toll free line period. I know this for a fact - I have 13yrs telephone co experience - and the reason being is because they pay a lot for a toll free (or what we use to just call a watts line) number and one of the service options to that is they are entitled to the info for whomever calls that number because usually tho toll free to call it the one that owns the number also has to pay per call or per x number of calls etc into that number.  So a tip to anyone - especially if u do not want your cell number broadcast to be used later down the road or sold on a number list etc., don't call em back with your cell and remember *67 to block your number from displaying to them does not work for toll free numbers.

IMPORTANT! READ!
OK? I also got such calls from these guys, Capitol Keystone, trying to scam me. Just like many people here said, they threatened to ruin my credit. They were claiming that I ordered a product that I never got! So I called my bank... I bank with B of A and I am a Privacy Assist customer, meaning that they monitor my credit for 24H a day. Of course I asked for advice and they told me to call any of these two offices (see below) and to report the fraudulent calls/company. Here are the offices and telephone numbers.
1)    Better Business Bureau  -  tel. 202-393-8000
2)    Federal Trade Commission  -  tel. 877-382-4357
I?ve been very busy lately, so I did not have time to call any of these numbers, but I have a feeling I will because CK still calls me 2-3 times a day.

I've received 20 calls in the past 7 days - all starting 6/23.  They say I owe $49.95 for a trail offer that I neglected to cancel.  I've never heard of search cash pro and know that this debt is false.  They hang up on me when i ask to be notified by mail or when I ask for them to validate the debt.  Lately when I see the Utah number on my caller id I scream in the phone and hang up.  Immature I know - but it actually feels better then arguing with them.  

I've filed complaints with the FTC (called them at 1-877-382-4357) the better business beaurea (Online complaint), Florida State Attorney ofice (because I live in FL) and Utah Comsumer protection (online form complaint to be mailed - (801-538-9600 to speak to someone)

The more folks who file with the FTC and Utah te better the changes are that these folks will stop.  According to Utah Comsumer Protection - I'm the first complaint.

Here is what I did! I called the  West Jordan, Utah Police Department and made a complaint with them.  Their number is (801) 256-2107.  Please give them a call because I am the only one so far that has done this.  The address of Capital Keystone is a house address!!!!!!  The police officer that talked with me went by and knocked on the door and no one answered, of course.  He said if more people call in with complaints about this company then they can do more!  I also put in a complaint to the Better Business Bureau of Utah.  There was only one other person who has complained there also.  If more of us do these two things we can do what is right for our fellow citizens who are getting scammed and SHUT THEM DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!

MY DAUGHTER IS ALSO A MINOR AND THEY TRIED TO SCAM HER FOR THE EXACT SAME COMPANY AND WEBSITE. WOULD NOT SEND A BILL IN MAIL. DID NOT GIVE CREDIT CARD NUMBER BY PHONE AND I REPORTED THEM TO MY CREDIT CARD COMPANY. BIG TIME SCAMMERS CALLED FISHERS- AS THEY FISH FOR IMFO.

I received a phone call last week from this Capital keystone- they did not have my name but my minor daughters and claimed that she had joined a website called quickcash pro( online banking) and used my credit card. I refused to give her my credit card number and she threatened to turn me in to other debtors. I called my credit card company and no such charge was ever made to join that website and they told me these scammers are called Fishers and they fish for your credit imfo. They called back today now trying to change story and say that the reason it did not show up on my credit statements is due to the fact that credit card was denied at that time and now I owe past due membership. I recalled my credit card company and they told me to tell them if they call back that it is illegal to harass by phone and if I did owe something then send a bill by mail and I can forward it on to credit card company to verify. Do not let these people at Capital Keystone scam you. The website quickcash pro will not even come up now. The number they called me from was 800-229-2252.

I've been receiving calls from 800-275-1336 stating that I owe $79.00 for a bromolite product I never ordered. The person I spoke to would not give me their name, nor could they provide me the information of the company. I asked for an invoice or reference number and they stated they don't have one. They said they only have my cell number and last 4-digits of a cancelled credit card. I know its a scam, but I want to know how to stop the calls to my cell phone.

debt collectors must also be LICENSED in YOUR STATE - if they are not, they cannot call, mail, email or SUE to collect a debt

Check your state's Secretary of State website to see if they are licensed or not

Debt collectors CANNOT REFUSE to send info about the debt in writing as they are required to do so by LAW and tell you that you have the RIGHT to dispute the debt as not owed.

It is the debt collectors responsibility to PROVE the debt is VALID and OWED
DEBT COLLECTORS must also PROVE they have the legal right to collect the debt (Chain of title)



THE CORRECT WAY TO HANDLE COLLECTION CALLS AND ILLEGAL TACTICS

HANDLE IT CORRECTLY AND THEY WILL END UP PAYING YOU

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

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/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

I have been getting calls from someone "Riza" claiming to be from Capital Keystone attempting to collect a debt for services from Searchcashpro back in July 2009.  She has the last four digits of a card that was involved in an identity theft an has been cancelled.  The call back number (800-275-1336) when called goes into a leave message answering routine.  I have not been able to get any person to answer.  During the conversations she repeatedly said that I must pay by credit card to close out the account that they did not have any alternative payment methods.  I have contacted the local debt collection agencies in my area and they inform me that they accept credit card and money order payments.  They will even work with you to set up a repayment plan.  I have also contacted searchcashpro and they have my cancellation of services on record and it was well within the trial period stated.  This person is running some kind of scam.

Ok, this is obviously a scam. I just don't know how to get them to stop calling.

So far I have tried:
1) asking for written notice of debt (she hung up)
2) asking them to stop calling (she hung up and called again)
3) threatening to report them to the FTC (she just went on about how I had a debt and it was being put on my credit report)
and 4) using vulgar as last resort

Where do I go from here? I filed an FTC complaint, but I don't think that will get very far considering that it's a scam and they are calling from non working numbers.

If anyone has advice, please share because I am going to go nuts the next time I get a call from 8002751336 or 8012292252.

They called twice today. Shows up as a local number for me, called back and "out of service." They called back and gave me the 1336 number but that doesn't even match the website 888 number for Capital Keystone. I called the searchcashpro and confirmed all the info, and that i canceled it and I don't owe anything.

I just received a call from this company as well. They claimed to be calling on behalf of searchcashpro.com and had the last 4 digits of my card number. He said I owed forty-something dollars and threatened to put it on my credit report if I didn't cooperate (I happen to be a minor, so I don't even have a credit score). It sounded sketchy, so I told the guy to cancel my account and hung up on him. He called back 2 seconds later from a different phone number but I didn't answer this time.

After the call, I searched my email for "searchcashpro" and came up with 2 emails from about a year ago. One of the emails was a subscription confirmation and the other was a confirmation (dated a few minutes after the first email) that my account had been successfully canceled. I'm guessing this was some sort of rewards thing I signed up for, but I certainly did cancel it and have never had any debit charges from this company. I just hope "Capitol Keystone" doesn't have my entire card number, but it appears that they do not, and that is what they were after with this mysterious phone call.

By the way, they called my cell phone which makes it even more irritating.

Same deal here. Say they're calling from Capitol Keystone and trying to collect $79.95 for Bromalite (a diet product) that they claim I ordered in 3/2009.  Wouldn't give out mailing address, email, or website because they "don't divulge information about their office."  Oh yeah, sounds like they are not in the U. S., like an internet repair call.  They have called me several times at work.  About a year ago my credit card was fradulently charged for a bottle of Bromalite which I disputed and won.

I just received same call!  Requested written invoice through mail (they can't do it because it is a huge
offense to use mail system).  Agent claimed can't mail...go figure???  

She kept saying credit would be ruined...I said go ahead try it!  CLICK!