Well - they are still at it  ... Thank God for the ability to block calls on my cell ....
This # called & didnt leave msg (not that I care)...
They just love to harrass everyone ... I get back at them - I call them back from a phone with multiple lines - call the # & pyt on hold - then call on the next line - put on hold ... until all lines are used ... They hate this

Called me once and left no message. Haven't heard from them in a while. Thanks to everybody who posted here, now I know these guys are no good.

I have had very good success at getting these calls to stop by filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, www.bbb.org.
Offending company info: FMA Alliance, 1239 Cutten Road, Houston, TX 77066, 281-670-1586, http://www.fmaalliance.com

No you don't - since you don't even know the name of the company. You should consider taking on some pretty substantial student loan debt for yourself as you are severely lacking education. You didn't have an opportunity to demonstrate your inability to do math, but I assume it parallels your grammar and spelling inabilities.

You're a scum bag. Go f*** yourself and learn to spell.

I'm certain they mask their caller ID to make it read whatever they want. There are computer programs that do that. I'm certain they're using a voice over ip line.

They claim to be this company, but I believe they are not. The 866 number that they use is no where on the FMA website.

They called me several times at my place of employment with the same situation that you described below. If you want to get them back and have fun with it, call them back and keep pressing them for THEIR DOB/SS#. I called today and asked them if they could please use my ssn# to rack up a bunch of debt. They got angry and put me on hold to listen to some loud rap music. What kind of financial institution has gangsta rap like music for their hold reel? Answer: A bogus one.

If you get anymore calls from these scumbags, post their number on Facebook, if you have an account, and get as many people you can to flood their lines with crank calls.

My husband pasted away and this is from hermann memorial hospital. when they 1st called I ask if i could send them his death information..the smart..."sd no you will have to verify his birtthday and ss# I just hung up on him and wanted answer the phone anymore..sent to my attorney..even if I were going to try and pay, I won't now..

I saw in the paper that this attorney was trying to get everyone?s money back who paid LVNV ? you should give him a call ? he helped me with a legal issue with a debt collector and didn?t charge me anything

First of all.  you are one of the morons that make me sick.  you have no right to call and harass people.  some people fall on hard times and cant pay.  back the FU** off.  im so sure that you have never been late on a payment of any kind.  and if you are i hope its your house and they repo it and your living under and over pass somewhere.  thats what you deserve idiot

Call was from FMA Alliance about an account for someone related to me, but lives in another part of the state.

It is FMA Alliance.  Collection Agency.
The display showed 800-725-6004 but the voicemail said to call back on 866-232-9901 and ask for Mr. Johnson.

This man calls 5 times daily asking for my husband.  I ask him what he wants with my husband.  He becomes incredibly disrespectful calling me hard-headed, saying I am NO lady because ladies are not rude and ladies do not ask about their husbands busy.  When I remind him that he has called MY house, he simply resorts to cursing.  At this point, I just set the phone down and go about my busy.  Is that rude?  Isn't HE rude for calling MY house and calling ME names?  If they call you, try it.  Just set the phone down and walk away.  If they would be remotely nice, I would consider listening to what they have to say, but until they learn common decency, they will only get dead air from me.

How can I be on the National Do Not Call Registry and still get calls from agencies such as this one?

they don't care thats all they do is sat on the phone all day and make a dime or so. They need to get out and get a real job and stop harrassing hard working people.They even call emergency numbers and tie up our lines.what a disgrace they are. They should be put in jail for harrassing people who they don't even know.It would be bad if they had someone who needed emergency help and they died because someone with something dumb was tieing up the lines. Do they need a class to learn english. No means no!

i received a call today, where the person mumbled a name, and when i said asked who it was calling called me a liar......said they would call back.....I have no collection agency that needs to call my phone.

I am receiving call from 8770839-9070 as well.  ID says FMA Alliance.  I'm on the national no call list but it doesn't seem to bother these idiots.

I take it you only climb out from under your rock one every three or four years.  There is a thing going on right now called a recession.  The worst economic times since the Great Depression.  Most people would love to pay their bills.  But if you can't find a job, you have a problem.  What is worse, you get to have to put up with morons like you who have no clear understanding what is it like to struggle job to pay keep a roof over your head and your phone in service.  Because guess what?  If you don't have a permanent home address and no phone number, you don't stand a chance of finding a job.  People in this forum could file for bankruptcy, but you need money for that.  

God forgive me, but I hope, YOU GUYES ARE DUMB A***S, you loose your job and get kicked out of your parent's basement.  You need to find out what life is like for people over the past four years.Most of the people in this forum live in fear that their future is that they will have to deal with brain donors like you for the rest of their lives.  We hope to prevent that and keep on looking for a job and someday we will get a job and do something to pay all our bills so that you can have spend you time doing what you love best.  Having close relationships with farm animals.

YOU are responisble for ILLEGAL DEBT COLLECTION calls to PEOPLE WHO DO NOT OWE money - and you CANNOT PROVE owe money.

Then come here and BLAME those you are trying TO STEAL money from and say its their fault that you are calling them!  


SHOWS WHAT IDIOTS THEY HIRE!

I ACTUALLY WORK FOR FMA ALLIANCE AND ITS A PRETTY GOOD COMPANY.ALL OF YOU ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT HARASSMENT AND STUPID NON SENSE BUT BLAME YOURSELF FOR THAT FACT, IF YOU WERE SO RESPONSIBLE IN THE FIRST PLACE WE WOULDNT HAVE TO CALL AND WASTE OUR TIME CALLING LOW LIVES THAT DON'T/CAN'Y PAY THEIR BILLS....WORD OF ADVISE...YOU SHOULD NEVER BEG FOR CREDIT OR JUST ANYTHING IN LIFE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ANY INTENTIONS ON PAYING BACK... WHERE'S YOUR CHARACTER AND PRIDE AT?? JUST PAY YOUR BILLS AND THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN TO YOU.....PERSONALLY I HATE THE ONES WHO DONT PAY, BUT REALISTICALLY....YOU KEEP ME EMPLOYED.. THANKS..LOL

LVNV Funding, LLC

DBA/ Resurgent Capital Services, LP

Dba/ Alegis Group, LLC

Aka/ Sherman Financial Group, LLC

aka/Pinnacle Financial Group



Fka/ Sherman Acquisitions

Aka/FNBM, LLC

Aka/Ascent Card Services

Aka/Ventus Capital Services

Aka/Performance Recovery Group

Aka/Receivables Management Solutions





Don't Fall for Resurgent Capital Credit Card Scam  ...»  more.



SUE ARGENTIERI IS A LIAR! DOCUMENT

SIGNOR LIES ON AFFIDAVITS,

COMMITS PERJURY?  (SEE BELOW)



Bank of America Building

200 Meeting St., Suite #206

Charleston, SC 29401-3187
  15 South Main Street, #600

Greenville, SC 29601




 (Caution: Phone numbers are disconnected on a regular basis)

Phone: 888-665-0374        864-678-8421        877-264-5884



Fax:     888-546-7697             864-370-4998

(Phones ring at Resurgent Capital, Greenville, SC)



Kevin Branigan, Charleston, SC, Officer
Leslie Gutierre, Charleston, SC, Officer
Scott Silver, Charleston, SC, Officer



Websites:

http://www.lvnvfunding.com/

http://www.rcap.com/

http://www.resurgent.com/



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bud Says                         Consumer Comments Below

SUE ARGENTIERI IS A LIAR!

Anyone receiving court papers with affidavits by Sue Argentieri are warned her affidavits may be false, bogus, full of hearsay and perjury.  Sue claims to have knowledge on accounts by stating she has care, custody and control of all records concerning account of...

Sue's a LIAR!

She's employed by LVNV Funding - they acquired the account after charge off.  Her statements are hearsay and blatantly false, yet they plead as true in court filings.  This is just another example of lying and using the courts to extort money from consumers.  Sue Argentieri should face criminal prosecution for lying on court papers.

To see how these organizations are structured go to:
http://settlementscams.com/debtcollector.pdf
All of these bottom-feeders started from the same mold, Sherman/Alegis out of Houston was originally started by Frank S. Russo, Tony M. Ettinger, Thomas E. Upton, Samuel Bergman and Richard Dunn all of Houston, Texas. They purchased old debts for pennies, and then set up collection agencies to collect on them at inflated prices.

As with most bottom-feeders, they have had to resort to placing all accounts on consumer credit reports, inflate the balances and demand settlements. Alegis became Sherman, which became LVNV and now Resurgent and Ventus are all in the bottom-feeder business. They do file lawsuits, most with bogus affidavits and pleadings. They use under-educated employees such as Allison Moon of Greenville, SC to sign affidavits where she lies about the authenticity of accounts (see ?Allison Moon is a Liar? below) in their attempts to give credibility to their bogus pleadings. The problem with liars like Allison B. Moon is she makes statements known to be false. Her swearing is nothing more than hearsay and an attempt to defraud consumers out of monies they may not legally owe, not to mention the fraud she and her organizations bring into the courts. Consumers dealing with these bogus filings and affidavits are urged to challenge their validity in order to avoid becoming another victim to their scam and being ripped off.

You are further urged to go after these bottom-feeders for the lies they place on your credit reports. Under provisions of the federal law, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) any item placed upon your credit bureau reports MUST be ?accurate.? In my experience, I doubt anything placed by a bottom-feeder could ever meet the legitimacy of that test. Consumers are urged to dispute any LVNV, Sherman, Alegis, Resurgent, Ventus account with the credit bureaus and make demand upon the organizations and their owners to abide by the law. They receive a fat check to lie about things that cause you misery, higher interest rates, credit denials and in most cases, don?t have the required documentation that would meet the definition of ?accurate.? All of these owners, board members, attorneys and employees can and should be held strictly responsible when that information does NOT meet the legal definition, as stated by law.

The reason the Allison B. Moons of this industry are getting away with this is because no one is going after her. That can easily change if enough consumers decide they are fed up at being taken advantage of and strike back at these bogus filings, pleadings and credit bureau placements.  

We need to heed the lessons of ENRON and make sure that Allison B. Moon is held accountable when she breaks the law.  



CAUTION: I recommend you NEVER disclose your bank account or credit card information to a debt collector, as you risk them emptying your account, or maxing out your credit card. If you feel they are reporting on your credit bureau files in error or need assistance in dealing with them, email  the details w/your location.  Assistance and referral to a consumer legal specialist may be available.


 Alliance One, Inc.
4850 Street Road, Level C
Trevose, PA 19053
Phone: (484) 531-5000   866-385-0275
Fax: (484) 531-5057
Web Address: www.allianceoneinc.com
Locations: 8755 Aero Drive
San Diego, CA 92123
Phone: (619) 542-8420
Fax: (619) 542-8528
   4797 Ruffner St
San Diego, CA 92111-1519
Phone: (858) 560-6000
Fax: (858) 560-0250
 
4960 SW 72nd Ave Ste 401
Miami, FL 33155-5550
Phone: (305) 665-5020
Fax: (305) 667-6054   7311 Quality Cir
Anderson, IN 46013-2014
Phone: (765) 640-0403
Fax: (765) 640-0767
930 Blue Gentian Rd Ste 100
Eagan, MN 55121-1677
Phone: (952) 858-5707
Fax: (651) 675-1127

 
1160 Centre Pointe Dr #1
Mendota Heights, MN 55120-1270
Fax: (651) 675-3903 or (651) 255-2197  
644 Linn Street, Suite 601
Cincinnati, OH 45203-1738
Phone: (513) 639-3110
Fax: (513) 721-1493

  6565 Kimball Dr, Suite 200
Gig Harbor, WA 98335-1200
Phone: (253) 620-2222
Fax: (253) 620-2232



President-CEO
Gregory J. Minniti, Vice President of Operations
Mark Fischman, VP Marketing
William P. Boggess, IFCCE, Vice President.
Jaime Nordstrom, Lic & Compliance Specialist

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bud Says                                Consumer Comments Below



Alliance One, Inc. is headquartered out of Trevose, Pennsylvania but they have call centers all over the world. This company has managed to gobble up several different debt collectors and bring them under their umbrella.
Alliance One announces the acquisition of Pacific Coast Collections Inc., (PCC) located in San Diego, California.

PCC had a terrible reputation for abuse of consumers; let's hope they clean up the dirty mess left by PCC.

Why does this agency seem to be crumbling under it?s own management?

Just how bad is the training in San Diego? Why does management allow so many violations of the FDCPA? Are collectors REALLY sent out to homes and businesses to effect collections? Just how desperate are Marlene and Michael Hale to hold onto power at Alliance One? Will they really go to any ends to effect collections?

If this sounds like a sick soap opera than you need to stay far away from Alliance One and it?s cast of cast offs. This is a sinking ship with rats all over the place. Everyone needs to sat far away from them, least they be caught up in the stink of this organization.

Color Alliance One as Alliance GONE by using the cease-comm letter on them.



CAUTION: I recommend you NEVER disclose your bank account or credit card information to a debt collector, as you risk them emptying your account, or maxing out your credit card. If you feel they are reporting on your credit bureau files in error or need assistance in dealing with them, email  the details w/your location.  Assistance and referral to a consumer legal specialist may be available.

that is what JUNK DEBT BUYERS do - When they figure out they cannot harrass you into paying this worthless debt - they in turn sell it to another collection agency.

It becomes ZOMBIE debt as one agency sells it to another over and over again.


SO SUE THEM!  WHEN LVNV Funding sold your debt to Alliance - they violated FDCPA by selling a debt they knew was not valid to another agency!  That falls under giving false info to anyone!

ALSO FILE COMPLAINTS AGAINST LVNV FUNDING AND ALLIANCE WITH FTC, YOUR STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND STATE ATTORNEY GENERALS IN EVERY STATE THEY HAVE OFFICES

Debt collectors may not:
    give false credit information about you to anyone, including a credit reporting company;
    

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

YES THEY SHOULD BE -
HAVE YOU REPORTED THEM?  IF NOT WHY NOT?  The government cannot do anything until YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE having problems actually file complaints!  

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

FMA Alliance should all be arrested for FDCPA violations.
Harassing consumers.

They keep calling our business and leaving messages to call Mrs. Wilson.  Never return the call because is seems like a telemarketing call.

I am in the same place you are man, I am so upset about this mess that they can't even prove. They have never even sent me a letter when they said they did. I swear, next time they make me cry, I will get a good lawyer and they will not exist anymore.

they tried to contact me with a certain purpose. I felt being so bother because of them.

7-16-08 just got a call I have a machine and they hang up no message

these clowns have been calling for several months looking for someone that does not live here and never heard of their name. I tell them not to call anymore but they always call back. I have started to call them back and ask to talk to them, they hang around awhile and then hang up on me