The national pandemic of telephone terrorism perpetrated by desperate criminal collection agencies is because they are trying to terrorize people who are naive enough to answer and submit to unsolicited telephone calls or written "collection" letters that have no legitimate legal debt associated with them or any of the companies, universities, or whomever else they claim to represent. Because most "little guys" were bankrupted by the criminal Wall St/Congress/Big Oil/Big Bankers/Big Business/Military/Robber Barons, so the desperate collection agencies are attempting to collect unpaid debts from innocent people by terrorizing them into submission.

Word of advice. NEVER answer any calls you don't recognize or are not expecting. Use selective call rejection service if available, or switch to an Internet-based telephone service which provides comprehensive call rejection options. If rogue calls become chronic, turn off all the ringers on all of your phones except one, and set its volume to the minimum setting. If you don't answer the call and the caller is legitimate, they will usually leave a voicemail after the first or second try. Rogue callers never leave voicemail messages because that could be used as evidence against them if it came to a lawsuit. If you receive a rogue letter in the mail warning you of some "collection" action against you, if you don't actually owe it, reply with a short letter stating that you don't owe it. Or if you do owe all or part of it, reply with something like "You claim I owe you a debt. Under §809 FDCPA, I request validation of this debt."

Only give them your name as THEY have written it to you (e.g. ?John Doe? not ?Jonathon Q. Doe? or however you normally sign your own name), address, and the account number they report. But if you do not owe the debt (zombie debt, aged debt, mistaken or stolen identity, forgery, etc.) state that you have never done any business with them or with the (alleged) original creditor of any kind and you expect the collection agency to close the matter, stop harassing you and take any bad credit marks they've caused off of your credit rating, and furthermore, that any further contact from them must be in writing on their official business correspondence letterhead. Send your letter to them a.s.a.p., always within thirty days, first class certified mail return receipt requested. If they refuse it and you get the letter back unopened, leave it unopened and save it in your files as evidence against them should they pursue legal action against you. If they did receive it and continue to pursue action against you, let them. The judge will throw it out of court. If the rogue collection agency sells your account to another rogue collection agency just tell them the claim has been proven invalid and offer to send them a copy of your letter to the previous rogue collection agency.

Warn all your friends about this rash of desperate collection agency terrorism, and how to combat it. Knowledge is power. The more you learn how to combat rogue collection agencies, back-taxes scammers, phishing scammers, "faith and family" scammers, political action committees and other low-life flimflammers, the more you will learn how easy it is to do.

Above all, keep a record of everything, of every rogue call w/ caller ID information displayed including time and date of each call. Maintain a complete file on any snail-mailed intimidation from rogue collection agencies, including copies of all correspondences and postal receipts. Reporting rogue calls on sites like 800notes.com, whocallsme.com, phoneowner.info is a great idea too, because many people find these sites by googling for the rogue number(s) after receiving calls from them.

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Start Here:
http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs3-hrs2.htm
http://www.google.com/search?num=50&q=%C2%A7809+FDCPA
http://www.google.com/search?num=50&q=zombie-debt
http://www.google.com/search?num=50&q=slander-of-credit
http://www.google.com/search?num=50&q=limited-liability-company+collection-agency
http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs27-debtcoll.htm
http://www.ehow.com/way_5849463_do-up-certified-dispute-letter.html
http://www.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Defeat-a-Collection-Agency
http://www.hubpages.com/hub/Battling-Consumer-Debt-Collectors-Part-2-I-Do-Not-Owe-This-Debt
http://www.hubpages.com/hub/Sample-letters-for-disputes-to-creditors--collectors-and-credit-bureaus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FDCPA
http://www.fair-debt-collection.com/Disputing ... ute-letter.html
(most say the above sample letter is too long and should be much shorter)
http://www.fair-debt-collection.com/statue-limitations.html
http://www.spooftel.com/

Credit Report:
https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp

USPS:
https://www.usps.com/send/insurance-and-extra-services.htm

Other links:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/02/29 ... tors/index.html
http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Defeat-a-Collection-Agency
http://clarkhoward.com/shownotes/category/12/103/358/
http://clarkhoward.com/topics/drop_dead_letter.html
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Information for filing complaints against rogue telephone calls, telephone harassment, false "bill collector" harassment, etc., in the United States and Canada (pursue legal action only as a last resort):

UNITED STATES

US National Do Not Call Registry, file complaint: https://www.donotcall.gov/complaint/complaintcheck.aspx

Federal Trade Commission
http://www.ftc.gov 1-877-382-4357
File complaint online: https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/FTC_Wizard.aspx?Lang=en
that is at www.ftc.gov

Federal Communications Commission
Telephone toll free:  1-888-225-5322
http://www.fcc.gov/contacts.html
File complaint online: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumers.html
http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm

FCC Abandoned Calls Complaint form:
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/1088D-R.pdf
email:  fccinfo@fcc.gov

Better Business Bureau, Check out a Business, find owner, contact info; file a Complaint:
http://www.bbb.org/us/


INTERNET CRIME:
File report for Internet Crime at:
Internet Crime Complaint Centre
http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx


CANADA

RCMP Phone busters
Telephone toll free: 1-888-495-8501
Mon-Fri 8:30-5:20 pm (Eastern Time)
E-mail: info@phonebusters.com
RCMP Website is at: http://www.phonebusters.com  
File complaint online:  https://www.recol.ca/intro.aspx?lang=en
(Register with a password and then can continually file complaints)

Canada National Do Not Call Registry:
Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)
Telephone toll free to File A Complaint: 1-866-580-3625
(to withdraw a complaint is 877-249-2782)
CRTC online complaints form: https://www.lnnte-dncl.gc.ca/pfplin-fccoin-eng
that is at  www.crtc.gc.ca

Better Business Bureau, Check out a Business, find owner, contact info; file a Complaint:
http://www.bbb.org/canada/

Calls and hangs up

Call then hang up

Is asset collection services. They buy bad or charged off debt

Calls and hangs up

Keeps calling cell phone, no message.

I Like!!!!!

They are junk debt buyers and cannot prove you owe any debt let alone the one they claim to be trying to collect.  
That is why they refuse to tell you anything about the debt, or send anything in writing.  

They are so nasty and obnoxious - hoping to harrass you into paying it just to get them off your back.  GOOD NEWS IS - THE LAWS ARE ON OUR SIDE NOT THEIRS

REPORT THE TO FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
YOUR STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL
STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL IN EVERY STATE THEY HAVE OFFICES.

record calls where you can

COLLECTION AGENCIES DO NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS INFORMATION!
FROM www.budhibbs.com  A CONSUMER ADVOCATE WEBSITE that specializes in Debt Collections and offers assistance to consumers.  THEY ALSO EXPOSE THE WORST FDCPA VIOLATORS IN THE COUNTRY

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.






West Asset Management, Inc.
2253 Northwest Pkwy SE Ste 100
Marietta, GA 30067-8764
800-443-2886
Phone: 770- 618-3700   800-860-2099  
888-433-2886       800-841-9000
866-882-5878
877-411-7197       443-550-7975
Fax: (770) 618-3713
Web Address: www.westassetmanagement.com  
Head Debt Collector Juan A. Blanco, Exec VP

Other Offices:

3262 Dauphin St
Mobile, AL 36606-4002
Phone: (678) 498-9804
Fax: (678) 498-9806

3432 Jefferson Ave
Texarkana, AR 71854-2747
Phone: (678) 498-9804
Fax: (678) 498-9806

7333 Tam O Shanter Dr
Stockton, CA 95210-3370
Phone: (678) 498-9804
Fax: (678) 498-9806

2812 Spring Rd SE
Atlanta, GA 30339-3037
Phone: (678) 498-9804
Fax: (678) 498-9806

232 Nelson St.
Cartersville, GA 30120
Phone: (770) 387-4215
Fax: (770) 387-9186
7171 Mercy Road, Omaha, NE 68106  800-277-5524

888-516-3287
5300 Oakbrook Pkwy
Bldg. 300, Suite 300
Norcross, GA 30093-2256
Phone: (678) 498-9804
Fax: (678) 498-9806
3795 Corporate Center Dr
Earth City, MO 63045
Phone: (678) 498-9804
Fax: (678) 498-9806

9911 Covington Cross Dr
Las Vegas, NV 89114
Phone: (678) 498-9804
Fax: (678) 498-9806

1060 Perimeter Road West
Endicott, NY 13760

220 Sunset Blvd., Suite A
Sherman, TX 75092-7465
Phone: (678) 498-9804
Fax: (678) 498-9806

10300 Spotsylvania Ave Ste 200
Fredericksburg, VA 22408-2697
Phone: (540) 371-8701
Fax: (540) 654-5452



 

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Bud Says                         Consumer Comments Below

The best way to stop this type of operation is to cut off their lifeblood and deny them any income.

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.

This outfit (disable cookies 1st, then goto http://www.westassetmanagement.com/index.cfm ) is a nationwide collection agency, & is as obnoxious as any of them can be; Schmucks attempting to sound like some TV Prosecutor, babbling about verifying THEIR info they already have on you without giving ANY hint as to who CLAIMS that you owe money to ...

Personally, I insult them like they're Drunken Sailors on Shore Leave & hang up ... if they want to keep calling, I'll continue to cause them as much stress as they intend to inflict on me ...

Cheers!

Get calls all the time from this number but no messages.

1-804-234-9036. Calls on my Cell # and leaves 2-3 messages everytime to delete. I refuse to answer it and be charged for a number I do not know.

Well they started again somewhere else...lol

A Darlene called and told me I owed a debt that wasn't mine on a credit card.

got a call today and yesterday...who are these annoying idiots...i wish they would stop calling me...

GETTING CALLS FROM THIS # BUT CANT MAKE THEM QUIT.... WHAT DO YOU DO

getting calls from this phone number and feeling harassed how do you make it stop

Caller ID AACC.

I just got a call from this number, but they did not leave a message.

Just got a message from this number.  He stated it was James Hinkel trying to collect a debt from Asset Assessment.

this call is for mark Hopkins, (recorded call) this call is for Mark hopkins, if not Mark Hopkins please hang up.
keep getting this call for the last six months, then is stoped after the first of 2009.