Received one message on my machine from this number today.  Said he was Anthony Roman, an attorney with the firm AF & Associates.  Said something was wrong with his firm, something didn't look right, something about possible fraud.  Said he hoped someone didn't use my name and ss# and wondered if I had been a victim of identity fraud in the past.  Said to give him a call.  Well, I looked up the number as I always do with this kind of message.  I will not be calling him back, and hopefully I won't get the harrassment that it appears others have.

This same person called me and said that he was collecting on a payday loan from 06 that I defaulted on which I didn't have.  Said he is going to turn me over to the courts.  I also advised him that I had declared bankruptcy in 07 so anything from 06 would have showed up in bankruptcy.  He said he didn't care if I had a bankruptcy it didn't matter and kept trying to get me to admit I was purposely trying to defraud the bank that loaned the money.  And then there is also the issue that I just found out that payday loans are not even legal in my state....so how could I have taken one out.  Contacting an attorney about suing them under the law because they are calling multiple numbers for me and leaving a message without even knowing who they are speaking to.

Informational Post:
A Collection Agent May Not?

Here are the top 11 actions prohibited by the The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act:

Misrepresent Him or Herself

  A debt collector may not misrepresent himself as an attorney or law enforcement officer.

Use the Telephone to Annoy or Harass

  A collection agent may not cause a telephone to ring or engage any person in telephone conversation repeatedly or continuously with an intent to annoy, abuse, or harass anyone at the called number.

Threaten Arrest or Lawsuit

  A collection agent may not threaten a consumer with arrest. It may not threaten legal action that is either not permitted or not actually contemplated. In other words, a the threat of a lawsuit may be an empty one.

Use Abusive or Threatening Language

  A debt collector may no use abusive or profane language in the course of communication related to the debt.

Publish a Bad Debt List

  Publishing the consumer?s name or address on a "bad debt" list is prohibited.

Contact By Embarrassing Media

  A debt collector may not communicate with a consumer by post card. It may not use any language or symbol, other than the debt collector?s address, on any envelope when communicating with a consumer by use of the mails or by telegram. A debt collector may use its business name if such name does not indicate it is in the debt collection business.

Contact a Consumer at Work

  A collection agent may not communicate with consumers at their place of employment after being told this is unacceptable or prohibited by the employer.

Seek Unjustifiable Amounts

  A debt collector may not demand any amounts not permitted under an applicable contract or as provided under law.

Contact a Consumer Represented by an Attorney

  A collection agent may not contact a consumer after it learns the consumer is represented by a lawyer.

Communicate With a Consumer After Receiving a Validation Request

  If a consumer sends a written §1692g response within 30 days, the collection agent may not communicate with the consumer until it mails the consumer the requested verification of original creditor's name and address.

Communicate With Third Parties

  A debt collector may not reveal or discuss the nature of a consumer?s debts with third parties other than the consumer?s spouse or attorney. A collection agent may contact neighbors or co-workers only to obtain location information. It may contact a third party again if it has reason to believe the information the party provided previously is false.

Bills.com FDCPA FAQ

Below are questions Bills.com readers ask frequently:

Can a Collection Agent Call My Cell Phone?

  Yes. However, if you tell the debt collector it may not use that number because it is a cell phone, it may not contact you again at that number.

I Keep Receiving Dozens of Calls From Collection Agents. Is That Legal?

  No. Unscrupulous collection agents will use "block parties" or "office parties" where they contact a consumer, multiple neighbors, or co-workers telling them they need to reach the consumer on an urgent matter. This is not permitted under the FDCPA.

A Collector Says I Will Be Arrested if I Do Not Pay

  This was a true statement before the US Civil War, but has not been true since. People may be arrested if an aggressive judge files a bench warrant for a person who does not appear at a hearing relating to a lawsuit regarding a debt. However, in that case, the offense is the failure to respond to a court order, and not the existence of the debt. As stated above, it is illegal under the FDCPA to threaten a consumer with arrest if the consumer does not pay the debt.

Please do file reports with the FBI, your state attorney general and Department Of Justice,FTC & FCC..

http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx
http://www.fbi.gov/
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#&panel1-1
https://esupport.fcc.gov/ccmsforms/form1088.action
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/

Also read up on the laws and your rights:

http://800notes.com/arts/Jb8EW-eDhQA/harassin ... ou-need-to-know
http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fdcpajump.shtm
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb/search ...
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/pdf-0096-fair-credit-reporting-act.pdf

And see:

http://800notes.com/forum/ta-86217073a9c8dad/ ... 077595690349410
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http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0258-fake-debt-collectors
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http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/pressreleases/extortion_scam.htm
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http://dfi.wa.gov/consumers/alerts/cashnet-payday.htm
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Extortion Scam Related to Delinquent Payday Loans

Washington, D.C.
December 07, 2010  FBI National Press Office
(202) 324-3691

? filed under: Press Release

The Internet Crime Complaint Center has received many complaints from victims of payday loan telephone collection scams. Callers claim the victim is delinquent in a payday loan and must repay the loan to avoid legal consequences. The callers purport to be representatives of the FBI, Federal Legislative Department, various law firms, or other legitimate-sounding agencies. They claim to be collecting debts for companies such as United Cash Advance, U.S. Cash Advance, U.S. Cash Net, and other Internet check-cashing services.

According to complaints received from the public, the callers have accurate data about victims, including Social Security numbers, dates of birth, addresses, employer information, bank account numbers, and the names and telephone numbers of relatives and friends. How the fraudsters obtained the personal information varies, but in some cases victims have reported they completed online applications for other loans or credit cards before the calls started.

The fraudsters relentlessly call the victim?s home, cell phone, and place of employment. They refuse to provide any details about the alleged payday loans and become abusive when questioned. The callers have threatened victims with legal actions, arrests, and, in some cases, physical violence if they do not pay. In many cases, the callers harass victims? relatives, friends, and employers.

I also have been recieving harassing and threatening phone calls from an Anthony Roman from A F and associates. he told me I had a court date for friday of that week (it was Tuesday)  but would not give me the time. told me he was going to advise his client to criminally prosecute me and I could go to jail and that I had to send him $430.00 by 5pm. I asked for the companys name and phone number and he refused to give it to me, said they didn't want him to give it me, that too much time had passed and couldn't even set up payment arrangements. my husband ended up speaking to him and had him convinced I would go to jail over this and I ended up giving him my bank information. after further investigating the phone call, I found out I wasn't the only one he was doing this to.I closed my bank account and re opened another one. The calls have started back up once they realized they couldn't access my account. I have never recieved any paperwork from this so called company either.(I forgot to mention)  this had to do with an online payday loan.

I received a call from a Ray Augustine, telling me that he wants to help me and avoid the Sheriff's department  showing up at my place of work that i should make arrangements with him to pay a debt i have,  he said that i was going to jail for fraud and that the police will show up at my place of work if i didnt fix the issue... can i tell them to stop harrsing my work?

I just received a call from this Anthony Roman guy. He also told me that he mailed some information to my attorney a few weeks ago and hasn't heard back. He would like to discuss because he is sure this is just a misunderstanding. I don't have an attorney and have notified my employer that I am involved in a scam.  If I owe money, just mail me the documentation and we will work it out.

Not calling back!

I received this call from a man named Anthony Roman and he said it was concerning a situation about me and that he had mailed my attorney some kind of paper work 2 weeks ago and he was surprised that he hasn't heard from them, but he is willing to work with me if I wanted to handle the situation on my own. First of all, I don't know who this person is and I don't know who he mailed some information to because I  don't have an attorney, so I figure this is all a scam to scare people. Why do these people do this!!

This guy called me named Anthony Roman and said he was from A & S Assoc.  He has called me from several different numbers.  800-924-0208, 312-878-9175, and 561-412-2012.  Demanding I pay something that he said "I should know what it is".  I do not have a credit card and only one loan for my home.  I cannot imagine what it is.  I told him to send me a document showing what I owe and he states that I better set up something now.  He said that I'm conducting some sort of business.  I cannot do so I am disabled and don't ho anywhere.

i have been receiving several calls from this number non stop about something that was past due. i knew i didnt have any credit cards past due because i dont even have them !! the person calling me was Anthony Roman. he called my cell and my job.

scam!!!!

Calls from this company come in several times a day. Last week, the caller identified himself as Preston Boyd and said I had recently made arrangements with him to pay off a debt and, since I had not honored that agreement, he is going to contact the Sheriff's department and have me arrested. It is at this point I am to tell him to contact the law firm that handles this type of collection call and was in the process of giving him the number when he hung up on me.

Today, the calls continue. Same company but a different caller. Unfortunately, I did not get his name. This caller was giving the same spiel as Boyd so I interrupted him and told him to contact my law firm. Again, as I was giving the number, he hung up on me, also.

Any additional information about this company, its representatives, or their tactics is welcome.

threatened to call places of employment and family members without telling what is it regarding.

These guys are a scam they Altitude funding is a Scam do not invest in them or even go near these guys.  They have been scamming investors and debtors for years! STAY FAR AWAY!

Did some homework These slimy guys were buffalo based scammed a bunch of investors then Fly to Florida with there money.  BAD GUYS!

Belongs to Altitude Funding.  About to report them to the police for harrassment.

They are a collection agency. They buy debt that has been charged off, regardless of how long ago, even if you filed bankruptcy. I didn't know that was even legal but it is on their website!

Altitude offers an efficient, profitable alternative for any credit issuer or debt buyer looking to sell charged-off receivables. We believe that all receivables, regardless of age or statute-life, have an inherent and intrinsic value. We actively purchase, and are seeking charged-off and performing accounts from the following asset classes:

? Credit Cards, Consumer Loans, DDA Overdrafts
? Auto Loans, Deficiency Balances
? Mortgage, Home Equity
? Bankrupt accounts
? Judgments

Alitude Funding Associates LLC
301 Clematis St Ste 3000
West Palm Beach, FL 33401

who are these people???

I received a very "sketchy" call from this number trying to set up a payment plan for an old credit card that supposedly I hadn't paid in over 6 years.....
I'm thinking scam.