Apex left a message for my ex-husband of 4 years at my parent's home number.  Um, whatever.....can't possibly be real.....smells like a scam.

They called my cell phone and the guy's voice sound like it came out of a bad movie. Said it was urgent and to call him because its something I cannot ignore. Was very smug on the message. I didnt call him back.

A gentleman called Ben Thomas called originally to my house, he said that he was calling to collect on a debt with a person that lives in my house. The debt was quite high, nearly $3,000.00. He was very nice. With permission of the debtor in this house, Ben did talk to me and I made him an offer of settlement but it was too much for him to deal with, so he told me that his manager will call me back. Well.. his manager did call me back, his name was Will Lancaster, another GENTLEMAN. We spoke at length many times on the phone but he still was not able to approve my settlement offer because of the amount. But again I state that Will Lancaster seeamed to try real hard to do his best on negotiating with me for a settlement but at last the best he said that he can do was to settle the debt about $900 less and we spoke many times on the phone. The only problem was that the chance that the other resident of this household who ows the money, can pay the difference is so damn grim that the debt will end up with the very same stale mate. Will Lancaster is waiting for me to agree to his discounted amount and he has been calling me and leaving messages but I have been away working the hours he has been calling. Anyway, again I state that the 2 debt collectors I mentioned above were trully gentlemen and in fact a pleasure to negotiate and deal with (specially Will Lancaster). Maybe we will connect again one of this days. I know what I am saying is a shock in this forum. Maybe it was the way I spoke to them. I know that these bill collectors are usually very rude and a pain in the a.. to deal with. I am pretty sure that they have to deal with some real pain in a.. people as well when they are making their collection phone calls. I suggest to talk to them like normal people and let them know what your situation is, what you can actually and realistically do and even try to negotiate settlements that you can deliver with them. I am sure that there will always be many of them that are just total as*es. Maybe ask for their manager in that case. If you owe and have not paid, sooner or later you will have to deal with it in one form or another, they will hit your credit real bad.

# showed up on an old, as far as I knew, non-working, pre-paid cell I only had for emergency calls. No company listed in the caller ID, and as far as I can tell no message left??? I've never used the number that is/was assigned to that phone for anything more than family/emergency use.

I'd be very leary of answering or giving out any personal information, as it is very likely a scam (unless perhaps they misdialed, although it sounds like a so-called debt scam to me from reading the posts above.)

To call back and they keep calling Apex Financial Debt collector service I told them several times not to call back but keeps harassing.

firm keeps calling an unlisted business number, using different 800 numbers each time.  Have told them that they have wrong number & not to call but they keep calling.

Every thing stays on your CREDIT REPORT for 7 years.  

However there is a STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS on debt - BASED on state law and has absolutely NOTHING to do with the Credit reporting 7 years.  

Once a debt passes the Statute of Limitations for the STATE YOU LIVE IN, they cannot legally collect the debt.  


YOU MUST FOLLOW THE DISPUTE PROCEDURES (debt validation and dispute letters) AND SHOW UP FOR COURT IF YOU ARE SUED!  

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

This company keeps calling my cell phone number asking for Sharonda Carter.  I tell them they have the wrong number; then they ask "do you know her? how long have you had this phone number?"  I have asked them to stop calling, but they have yet to cease.

this response is from an APEX employee,

THIS IS PROBABLY NOT A LEGITIMATE DEBT - only the worst law breakers have their staff trolling the complaint boards and posting this crap

WHY DON'T YOU PAY YOUR BILLS AND STOP COMPLAINING, LOOK AT IF FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE!

Did you know you can stop calls via phone with one simple letter. Its available online or set it out like this but definitely quote the law.
(Costs $5 for the mail but works)
Cease communication
(Sent via certified mail)

DATE:_____________________



Creditor name:________________________________________________

Attn: Customer service

Address:_________________________________________

City, state, ZIP:___________________________________



RE: Name:_______________________________ Account#:____________________


To whom it may concern:

This letter is in regards to my account with__________________________________


I am requesting at this time for you to cease communications with me regarding my account. You can correspond with me via US Mail. My address is printed below.

Any future phone calls I receive at my home or at my work will be reported to the Federal Trade Commission as a violation of my rights according to 15 U.SC. 1692c.


Sincerely                

______________________________


Name:____________________________

Address:___________________________

City, state, ZIP____________________________

Benjamin Sachs ( Spelling?) bill collector. Left me on hold forever!

A lady asked me to pay the $143.49 to her (debt collector) immediately.  She said that she is from APEX Financial.  She said that I applied Dick's Dual Card on May 1,2006 and l owe $143.49 right now.  Need to pay it immediately.

They called and talked about how i sell Jellybeans for a living which was overheard by my daughter.

CALLS AT ALL HOURS AND WILL NOT GIVE A NAME JUST SAYS ITS APEX. CALLS ON THE SABBATH DAY EARLY INT HA MORNING.  NOT ACCEPTABLE.  CALLS NEED TO STOP!!!!

I have one better. They called my mom looking for my boyfriend. We are not even married! So how in the hell did that work!

These people didn't even call me. They called my Dad's mom who lives an entire state away from me at such a new number that I didn't even know it asking for me. They kept calling and were very rude. Luckily my Mama can be down right nasty if you push her. My number is listed! If they wanted me so badly why go through all that instead of just calling me directly! Seriously need some people skills. Rude! Oh FYI if they refuse a payment then legally you don't have to pay. So if you offer some and they say nope we want full well oops so sad!

Calls very early in morning (guessing doesn't check time zones). Most of the time collectors are very nice is because it's a very old debt and all they need is to have some "action" on it so it can be "refreshed" (timer reset) on your credit report.  This is part of the reason they contact family,etc to try to get them to agree to get a message to you, so they can flag the very old debt they bought for pennies on the dollar as a newer debt.  
Check your state for how long debts can remain on your credit history, standard is 7 years; though it does vary by state.

These A**H***S call me at least once a week for a medical bill from like 2004 , im on disabilty and cannot and will not pay a debt for a amount that was not in agreement with my insurance at the time. (trying to overcharge me). I told the guy to jump in a lake and suck some water in his lungs. He stated that they would sue me and garnish my wages (HA!) I told him good luck you have to have wages to garnish and then he tried to tell me he would take me Social security ,( not going to happen thats totally illegal) so they suck and I wont be bullied by them or there strong arm tatics.

yes this infamous "charles vincent" called lets see my exhusband, neighbors and left misleading info to them and myself and when i told them to connact my attorney and had asked them how many times they have been sued boy did the tables turn!!!!!!!!!! oh yes and where do they get these names?? a comic book????

A gentleman called Ben Thomas called originally to my house, he said that he was calling to collect on a debt with a person that lives in my house. The debt was quite high, nearly $3,000.00. He was very nice. With permission of the debtor in this house, Ben did talk to me and I made him an offer of settlement but it was too much for him to deal with, so he told me that his manager will call me back. Well.. his manager did call me back, his name was Will Lancaster, another GENTLEMAN. We spoke at length many times on the phone but he still was not able to approve my settlement offer because of the amount. But again I state that Will Lancaster seeamed to try real hard to do his best on negotiating with me for a settlement but at last the best he said that he can do was to settle the debt about $900 less and we spoke many times on the phone. The only problem was that the chance that the other resident of this household who ows the money, can pay the difference is so damn grim that the debt will end up with the very same stale mate. Will Lancaster is waiting for me to agree to his discounted amount and he has been calling me and leaving messages but I have been away working the hours he has been calling. Anyway, again I state that the 2 debt collectors I mentioned above were trully gentlemen and in fact a pleasure to negotiate and deal with (specially Will Lancaster). Maybe we will connect again one of this days. I know what I am saying is a shock in this forum. Maybe it was the way I spoke to them. I know that these bill collectors are usually very rude and a pain in the a.. to deal with. I am pretty sure that they have to deal with some real pain in a.. people as well when they are making their collection phone calls. I suggest to talk to them like normal people and let them know what your situation is, what you can actually and realistically do and even try to negotiate settlements that you can deliver with them. I am sure that there will always be many of them that are just total a***s. Maybe ask for their manager in that case. If you owe and have not paid, sooner or later you will have to deal with it in one form or another, they will hit your credit real bad.

Just received a call from them myself. Fortunately for me, the woman at ext 144 was very nice and answered all my questions. That's even after I told her I could not make any arrangements at this time.

Kirton or something to that extent at Ext.171 Threaten he was going to sue and take away my "stuff" for a reposed car loan in 2003.

Sounds like they are just being Bully's.

Told them to seek welfare clients and leave me alone.

Of course they were completely rude and pushy.

What "JERKS"

These people from "Apex" called my sisters MOTHER-IN-LAW saying that they were looking for them because they are a REFERENCE to someone in the family, well, they ARE NOT A "REFERENCE" then they called my sister who has been married for quite sometime, I don't know how they found out who SHE or HER MOTHER-IN-LAW is, but that is WRONG they can call extended family and blately lie about who they are and why they are looking for someone specific.

Mr. Parker is rude!!!!   They called on an old Washington Mutual acct.. Providian credit card which the balance is $948.  Wouldnt really answer any question what so ever but basically told me unless I had plans to pay there was nothing he could tell me..What is that about???

Spoke to Mr. Parker x141. He was extremely rude and refused to tell me anything about the company. I only found out it was Apex by searching on the internet. VERY RUDE DISRESPECTFUL MAN!!

I never answer.  They never leave a message.

Apex Financial- collection agency

Today I got the 'pleasure' of talking to Mr. Gulyk, ext. 145.  Both he & Mr. Parker (who called on Aug 8th) were very rude & would not listen to what I told them... The person they are looking for does not live at this address (never has) and this is not his phone number.  I asked them to remove this number from their list & never to call it again... If I recieve another harassing call, I will pursue a lawsuit!!!

They pissed me off, calling for a Derek Verela. I told her clearly: "Go F*** a Goat".