Got a call but I didn't have a time to answer.

Hi,
I just got the same message today. I was out when the call came and when I searched for this 800 number, this page came up. How do I complain about this person? This person George Baxtor left a message  and number to call  a Gena Weston about their client Sterling.. Thank God I found this out, now should I contact my Attorney or should I file a legal complaint regarding this.
Any info is welcome.

To sustain the viral attitude, this woman must have some kind of chemical dependency to deaden her sensitivity to the shear meaness of her approach. She needs professional help. I am writing this because I believe she probably reads this and similar sites to prime herself for the day's work. What an ugly way to spend her day! Best technique when an abusive collector calls - advise them you are recording the call - then do it. Share the recording with your local legal aid office. Work together to send the abusers into retirement. Go to the Sterling United website and review what they promise their clients. Then do your best to occupy their time when they call and frustrate their efforts.

i recieved a call from George Baxter, Gina Weston and Steve Lewis from sterling united from phone numbers 1-800-292-9991 and 1800-597-7077. these people harrased and threatened me, would not provide any information, threatened me, my employees and my family. when i finally got an email and sent them an return email requesting information and for them to communicate with me through email only, i never heard from them, know i must check my credit which is excellent and see what they did, i am going after these people and the establishment to stop them from doing this to good people again.
THESE PEOPLE ARE GARBAGE

Just got a call from one "George Baxter" notifying me that he was showing up at my property with the Sheriffs.  When asked what this was about he gave no answer except to say that the investigation was being orchestrated by Gina Westin.  Thanks to the good work above (thank you!)  I called the other numbers to try to sort this out.  Very very stressed out this guy!  Felt bad for him, really.

More later, once I get a call back.

hi they call me this Numbers 800-597-7077 then she left message i call her back is stupid  personal
why she is yo low me who you are then i tall her my name then wish number i call you then i tall her
still she doesn't want to explain to me the reason she call me then she Hun up the telephone

I received a threating phone call from a Gina Winston, stating she has talked to me several times, I have never talked to this women before, regarding my son(who is 38 yrs old) and telling me I had to contact him about a court case number and that I had better get in touch with him.  I am an elderly lady, have no idea what she was talking about and after calling her back at a las Vegas number which was on my phone was re routed to her and asked what company she represented, she said Sterling & King.  I just told her to stop harassing me or I would notify the police, which had no effect at all, she just repeated her threats.

Called the Federal Trade Commision to file a complaint.  Next is the state Attorney General"s office.  Take that B****

We have contacted a lawyer and have a strong case against this crazy woman, Gina Westin.  She has went too far and we will bring her and the company she works for down.  Anyone interested in a Class Action Lawsuit, please contact us back.  she has hurt and harrassed too many of us and we need to get her.

I reviewed my credit report and they were listed as an adverse account. I attempted to contact them but the business was closed. They called me 2 days later informing me that I had this overdue bill. I informed them I called prior to question his company and he said "Yeah right." I asked his name and he said "Taylor Jones." He told me the bill was from 2005 and could tell me nothing further. I asked for a copy of the reporting agency and the bill and he said he could not do that. He told me to pay up. I said I did not have the 370 dollars he wanted and then he proceeded to call me  a loser, scallyway, liar. I told him I have NEVER received any letters from the company in question or his company and he said that several letters and calls had been made to me. I told him that was untrue. He told me to pay up or face litigation. He then said "You probably don't even know what that means, you are so stupid." He was screaming into the phone at this point and my daughter who was in an adjoining room heard him on the phone with me. I then told him to continue speaking to me and pretended that I was recording him. He calmed down a bit but I told him I did not appreciate his tone of voice, threats or sarcasm. He then started name-calling and made threats of jail. I finally hung up after telling him my lawyer would be in touch.

I KEPT GETTING NOTES ON MY DOOR FROM MY NEIBORS AND WHEN I CALLED BACK I WAS TOLD THEY ARE LAWYERS FOR COLLECTIONS.  WAS NEVER ABLE TO GET A HOLD OF THIS GINA WOMAN, BUT YESTERDAY I HAD $1468 MISSING OUT OF MY BANK ACCOUNT AND FOUND OUT THEY TOOK IT WITHOUT MY PERMISSION.  I CANNOT BELIEVE THESE PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY GO INTO MY BANK AND PULL MONEY OUT.  I CALLED MY BANK AND THEY TOLD ME I HAVE TO GO TO A HEARING TO GET IT BACK BECAUSE THEY SENT THEM SOME KIND OF PAPERWORK? DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?  I DONT HAVE MONEY FOR A LAWYER TO HELP ME WITH THIS.  IS THERE ANY FREE LEGAL HELP FOR THIS KIND OF STUFF OUT THERE THAT ANYONE KNOWS ABOUT?  SORRY ABOUT ALL CAPS, MY COMPUTER DOES NOT WORK WITHOUT THE CAP LOCKS ON

What great information.  Thanks Lamet.  I actually did follow your advise, and called the phone number of the sheriff from my phone book.  I was told that yes, there is a judgment against me, and this company, Sterling, did file a "motion to compel"?????  I have an appointment with a lawyer on Tuesday.  The sheriff's office said that I was served and I did not appear in court.  Anyway, they would not give me any other information on this.

In order to receive a judgement - they have to sue you first.
1) Have you checked with your local Court Clerk and see if they actually filed a lawsuit?  
2) if yes they- did you receive a summons?   If you did not know about the lawsuit - they did not serve you correctly and denied you your day in court.

As for calling the Sheriff - don't call the number on the card left - call the Sheriff using the number in the phone book - better yet is the number left the real number for the local sheriff?  

Debt collectors will tell you they are police when they are not.  they will tell you they are lawyers when they are not.  They will tell you they have a judgement when they do not- All of which is illegal.

WWW.NACA.NET for legal professionals - many will answer questions without a fee..  



YOU HAVE RIGHTS - USE THEM!  

Dealing with debt collectors
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.

I got a call yesterday, and then she also called my neighbor.  when i talked to her she actually was very sarcastic and mean when she told me that there is a court order.  When I did a bit of digging, I found that this company is really a lawfirm that specializes in judgmetns.  Anyways, today there was a note on my door that the sheriff's office needs to talk to me.  Should I call?  The phone number is really the sheriff's office, but I don't know what to say really. Can they put you in jail for judgments.

Collection Agencies are legal MAFIAS!  Screw these SHlTBAGS.

These people ARE NOT LAWYERS. They refer to themselves as a FIRM not a LAWFIRM. Don't blame lawyers for the unethical illegal actions of non lawyers.

called my niece's home. said if no body had me call her back the sherrif was coming to get me. when i called, she wanted info,i asked her who she was did not tell me who she was, i did not give info. she told me she already had it, then why is she calling, she said she was the only one on my side. right! her last remarks were watch whats going to happen on( she gave my street name ).if thats not herasmit what is she sets it up so we call her then she tricks us to give her permision for her crap.She needs to be stoped

These economic times have turned lawyers into predators.  These people are apparently judgment lawyers.  They will stop at nothing and will garnish, seize everything they can get their hands on.  

The other post about the reposession of the car is exactly what happened to me!  I had a 1998 Ford Econoloine van. It was worth next to nothing and they took it to pay off a judgment I had from 8 years ago.  I thought there is a 7 year rule when it comes to credit?  Can they do that?  Please post your thoughts here.  I think they took my car illegally.

I want to ruin this lady and this company.  They have garnished my bank account, took all the money I had in there.  Then, seized a vehicle that I just HAD bought, brand new.  I am in court now trying to get it back because it had another name on the title.  My wife.  They don't have a lawsuit against her, just me, but still took my vehicle.  And, to top it off, my employer told me yesterday afternoon that they received some kind of notice that they are garnishing my paycheck!!!!!   They are ruthless people who will stop at anything to get their money.  They have ruined me financially.  I am putting 2 kids through college, and do not have money to pay their next semester. I am going to sue them after this is over.

Called many times, called my sister, I told her to take a hike, but to no avail.  Said she ruined my credit report, not sure yet what she did.  But suffice to say, the company she is representing is a company that I am in a legal dispute with.  I have a lawyer, they don't, and they have tried to intimidate using this person.  If anyone has information of where to file a complaint, or even a civil suit, I am willing to participate.

Hello to all, I received a call from this same person name Gina, in which she did misrepresent herself, but I found out exactly what company she was calling from all the information is listed below:

Name of Company: Sterling & King Inc
Phone: (407)-339-9033
Address: 500 SR 436 Ste. 2074
        Casselberry, FL 32707
Category: Collection Agencies
Primary Contact: Ms. Paula Keenan
Complaint Contact: Ms. Paula Keenan
Other Contacts: Ms. Cara Lily
               Ms. Paula Zenchoff

Additional Locations and Phone Numbers

274 Wilshire Blvd Ste. 269
Casselberry, FL 32707
Seminole County

1015 Semoran Blvd Ste. 1455
Casselberry, FL 32707
Seminole County

(800)-514-9033
(800)-584-7440
(407)-339-3914 (FAX)
(407)-339-6155 (FAX)

This company has a total of 45 complaints against them, all this information is on the Better Business Bureau website. I know there is something legally that can be done to this woman.

I saw some wierd character george something or other taking pics of my neighbors property..he gave me his card and it had this number to contact ..he told me to give to my neighbor. my neighbor is not home yet..i googled the number and found this ..anyone know why a guy would be lurking taking pics?

This lady is unbelievably ruthless and mean when you call her back.  I was able to get more info about her.  She is Gina Westin.  Her email address is gwestin@sterlingcollections.com and her fax number is 786-219-0554.  I'm sure she will love to get as much correspondence back as possible :)!  Give her a few calls on your own back at the 800 number or send her some mail letting her know how you feel about her tactics.  Happy messaging!

lol.  I got the same treatment.  Incredibly rude and hostile.  This time she got some guy to call from her office and tell me that they were doing a financial investigation on me and would be contacting my bank and creditors to find my assets.  When I asked them to fax me their power of attorney or court order authorizing  them to obtain financial and creditor information i was hung up on.  called back and she hung up on me again.

Hey I just got a call from my brother in Florida who told him similar things about collecting and forcing a bankruptcy.  She even called my nice in Tenn and told them similar things. I have a idea to get with all the people who have received this call and file a sute and sue her and her company and pay off all our debts.  We will need to file in Fedral court and I have Pre-Paid legal and I think they will help me. Let me know who you are.

This incredibly obnoxious person left a message on my home machine and did not identify herself. Said I must "Call back IMMEDIATELY!" When i did and mentioned that she did not identify herself and then asked who she represented she proceeded to insult me even telling me "You need to shut the F**K up!" Of course i hung up at that point. Who needs to be harrassed by some idiot.

I called the number back to file a complaint. The lady who answers the phones (they are clearly in the same room!) said, "I'll connect you with the "Complaint Dept" (yeah Right!). Of course, who's picks up the call, but Ms. Weston, who again lambasts me with some inane story about how i'm going to be evicted from my residence! What nerve! How on earth does she think she is actually conducting business with people. She recommended i take "a
Qualude" I'm not making this up!

Someone needs to stop this person.

She called looking for my ex-father-in-law - whom I have not heard from in 12 years
Also said that she was with the feds?

She is apparently a debt collector in Orlando, Florida. She called a friend of mine, threatening to have the Sheriff track him down. Of course, threatening incarceration as a result of a civil infraction is a violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Of course, recording someone without their permission is violation of Florida Law. I guess she's not that concerned over the civil and criminal penalties associated with her conduct.

A woman, named Gina Weston, who would not say who she represented, company, said there was a judgement that was going into execution.  Recorded the call without first getting my permission.  Anyone know who this is or who she represents.