I got a call today from Anthony-"asset verification" regarding "pending litigation."  He called from an unknown number.  He asked that I call back to verify work history and my contact information as I would be served papers.  I called the number back that he left 1 877 937 0599 and he left a case number.  I called the number and the man said he was with MNS & Associates for Arbitration.  He asked me to confirm my birth date and my reply was "why would I give a stranger my personal information."  I proceeded to hang up on him.  I have no clue how they got my unlisted cell phone number.  

Was this a scam?

I am interested in getting the info for proof of claim letter as I'm dealing with this very issue with this company. Thanks so much!
Kathasscents@gmail.com

MNS & Associates LLC
3960 Harlem Rd Ste 14
Amherst, New York 14226-4746
Telephone No: 877-937-0512

This is who originated the call. They use various companies like Asset Verification Services to do their dirty work. All are 3rd party Debt Collectors and do not have a claim against you as they were not the original debtor (BTW the original debtor doesn't have a claim against you either). If either or others call you, state that you will only respond to a written request. They should have your address but if not give it to them. Say nothing more. If they continue to call you after this conversation, they are in violation of the FDCPA (Look it up. It's a legal description designed to protect you. It tells you what your rights are). When you get their letter, send your own back to them - a PROOF OF CLAIM letter and all correspondence should cease. Send me your request for a PROOF OF CLAIM letter by email. I will send this to you FREE of Charge. Someone helped me a while back and I am just paying it forward. Send request to(Put I Am Me in the subject of your email). My email address is dantiques111@gmail.com

I also got a call from a Mr. Gardinoe telling me I would be served my papers.....well, it's been a month and a half with no "federal demand" notice.....

This is a company who buys "junk" debts.

Great details.. Glad you didn't fall for the scam  also! Looks like he couldn't get the laws right anyway, its FDCPA law, and yes, it does fall under it.  :)

On January 29th, 2014 I got several calls in a period of 15 minutes from a Private Number on my cell as well as my home number that came up as 000-000-0000.

The called stated his name was "Brandon" calling from Asset Verification Services requesting to confirm my name, address and place of employment ?because he was forward documentation that verifies my name and social security number in regard to pending ?litigation matter".  Be advised that we request that you sign and respond to this required demand notice per "federal law" referencing a possible appearance date. This is to be sent to an independent service but before I scheduled these documents to be forwarded out which will require you presents and signature, I am providing you with a courtesy call to inform you that that processes will take place within the next 24 to 48 hours.  To request a retraction notice or if I have any questions at all, I can contact the filing party directly at 877-630-6423 with a reference number given.  Just to be clear failure to respond failure to contact the filing party will result in a possible default date being scheduled to further determine pursuant to your applicable state and federal laws, you ?officially have been notified?

I called back within 15 minutes, spoke with a guy who says that ?the guy who called me should not have called and left that message but that?s okay ? I?ll help you anyways?. He went on to explain that he doesn't deal with the public very well (umm?ok).....after he grabbed my ?file?, he said that I owe money on a credit card  that I closed 4 years ago and as I recall, it was a ?zero? balance when I closed it. He asked if I got a letter saying if it was closed and that I didn?t owe any money on it..I told him no, I didn?t and further explained to him that I don?t owe any money on that card nor it is it on credit report and that I have not gotten anything in writing from the original creditor or another collections agency.  The guy explained to me that I am required to get something in writing showing that it was a closed account with a zero balance and said that I indeed to owe money and that we could settle the debt today for $350 and call it a day and it would stop any legal proceedings. He also said that he doesn?t get a bonus check for collecting this debt. When I asked him for something in writing about this debt, a few red flags went up?.He said it was too late since the process to serve me was already in motion and that he could email it to me. When I told him no and how do I know you are not a scammer, you could just create a fake email saying I owe this and further more that the email was not acceptable and not legal.  He told me ?Well what?s from stopping me from creating a fake letter head to send to you? ??once he said that, I told him that sending me an email was not legal, written notice is thru the postal service, he stated that I am not covered under the FCRA and the SOL in my state and nothing can save me but paying the  $350. I told him that I would get a lawyer and fight this and he got a little defensive stating ?your getting a lawyer for $350!???I told him that I would because I don?t owe the money..I refused his ultimatums and told him I want written proof via US Mail??He refused to do so and told me that he was doing me a favor by letting me pay $350 and sending me the email then he hung up.....I saw many red flags in the conversation.

I called back later, spoke with the same guy trying to get information about the company and he said without a file number, he can?t help me since it is a company with many business.  I asked for the company  name and he reluctantly said ?We are MNS (or M&S)? to which I hung up. About 2-3 minutes later, he called me back and left a message on my home phone calling himself Mr. Gardino said that I do have business in their office and that the paperwork has been process and will be served tomorrow. If I have any questions, call 877-630-6421 ext 106?.

Also earlier that day, they called my parents house looking for me?.luckily my dad told him that he never heard of me since I haven?t lived at home for 13 years.

I have filed a complaint with the FTC and my states AG offices.

M.N.S. & Associates
3960 Harlem Rd, Ste 14
Amherst, NY 14226

1-877-630-6421 (telemarketing phone number)

No one is going to show up Sue.  This old scam is starting to get a little long in the tooth.  It's been going on for quite some time now.  I guess they are still having success or they wouldn't be still at it.  Don't even worry about it.  If they call back tell them that you know it's a scam and they won't collect anything from you.

Got a phone call today left on voicemail from Mr. Richards advising me that he was with Legal Courier Service and he had papers Notice of intent of litigation to deliver and i was on his service for delivery Monday, January 21st.  He said had my name and social security and if i had any questions i should call the 855-216-4345 number and left a case number.  i immediately went out and checked my credit report that you can get for free once a year and everything was fine.  it'll be interesting to see if anyone shows up on Monday!

Received a blocked call stating they were looking for my former husband so they can arrange service of a "notice of intent to appear" and gave a case # and said he would need two forms of ID.  I hung up looked up his name in civil court on the outside chance it wasn't the con that I thought it was and there was nothing pending.  Two forms of ID to get served?  That sounded beyond stupid and completely ID theft worthy.  After I hung up without replying "Carrie" called and left a message with a phone number (this one) 855-216-4345.  I called the number and a man answered stating there are "7 or 8 companies" that they take calls for.  I gave him the case number and he proceeded to try and get info from me as I was trying to get answers from him.  He said they were an "arbitration firm" and a "legal courier" was trying to arrange service.  I blasted them for calling my minor son and scaring him saying that his dad could face criminal prosecution for avoiding service if he didn't give him the message.  The  super strange part is how they would get his phone number.  My ex has had his phone number for decades but they called my number and my son's who has only had his for a few years?!  Since he's a minor practically no one has that number except his friends. They never even tried to call my ex's real number and never gave me a company name.  Considering calling the police. For those still wondering if it is legit - see if you can get a company name!

Received message on answering machine from Mr Richards stating he will be stopping by with papers to sign for someone that does not even live with me.  He did not leave his phone # but a number to call with a case #.  Called that number-spoke with someone-told him the person did not live with me and wanted my number removed---said he would not remove because maybe the person was a relative and I should contact them to let them know Mr Richards would be delivering papers today.  When I told him this has nothing to do with me he became threatening.  Stated it would be my fault if i did not deliver message to the person they were trying to contact.  What????    Is there a way to stop these calls?  Mr Richards left another message today---nothing to do with me and I am getting sick of this.  Man I spoke with last night refused to give me name, address or phone # of company calling.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation's consumer protection agency, is warning consumers to be on the alert for scam artists posing as debt collectors. It may be hard to tell the difference between a legitimate debt collector and a fake one. Sometimes a fake collector may even have some of your personal information, like a bank account number. A caller may be a fake debt collector if he:

is seeking payment on a debt for a loan you do not recognize;
refuses to give you a mailing address or phone number;
asks you for personal financial or sensitive information; or
exerts high pressure to try to scare you into paying, such as threatening to have you arrested or to report you to a law enforcement agency.

If you think that a caller may be a fake debt collector:
Ask the caller for his name, company, street address, and telephone number. Tell the caller that you refuse to discuss any debt until you get a written "validation notice." The notice must include the amount of the debt, the name of the creditor you owe, and your rights under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
If a caller refuses to give you all of this information, do not pay! Paying a fake debt collector will not always make them go away. They may make up another debt to try to get more money from you.

Stop speaking with the caller. If you have the caller's address, send a letter demanding that the caller stop contacting you, and keep a copy for your files. By law, real debt collectors must stop calling you if you ask them to in writing.

Do not give the caller personal financial or other sensitive information. Never give out or confirm personal financial or other sensitive information like your bank account, credit card, or Social Security number unless you know whom you're dealing with. Scam artists, like fake debt collectors, can use your information to commit identity theft ? charging your existing credit cards, opening new credit card, checking, or savings accounts, writing fraudulent checks, or taking out loans in your name.

Contact your creditor. If the debt is legitimate ? but you think the collector may not be ? contact your creditor about the calls. Share the information you have about the suspicious calls and find out who, if anyone, the creditor has authorized to collect the debt.

Report the call. Contact the FTC and your state Attorney General's office with information about suspicious callers. Many states have their own debt collection laws in addition to the federal FDCPA. Your Attorney General's office can help you determine your rights under your state's law.>

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt076.shtm

Also having this issue with a mr. Richards. One of the people he called to look for me doesn't even have the same last name as me and isn't even related to me. He wouldn't even give her his name. When she asked him again for his name he told her she needed to just get off the phone now and call me to give me the message. She said if he didn't give his name then she would not give me the message. He again told her to get off the phone now and then he hung up on her. So I'm wondering if anyone else that has been contacted by him have you ever had him actually show up to serve papers?  Just wondering if its a scam of some sort or if its legit.

Called everyone in my extended family including son and daughters in law, cousins, parents and children looking for a certain member of the family. Many that got the calls did not even have the same last name as the person they were acquiring about  They left the same message as you all spoke of. What i"m wondering is if this is a scam debt collection attempting to get SS#'s or is just a 3rd tier collection boiler room using extreme illegal measures to collect.

Anyone have any updated info on this number?  Got the same call today.  Any victims of identity theft?

Keeps leaving threating messages - say he's goping to stop by  for the person they are looking for (which is not me) to sign some legal papers.  Have told these rug rats that the person they are looking for is not me and to take my number off their list.  Got a message on my voice mail again today - call the man that answered was very rude and hung up on me before I could that him that this was my third time telling someone that the person they are looking for does not have this number.

The same company has been calling my house looking for someone who is not me.  Mr. Richards has been leaving messages on my voice mail telling me he's stopping by to serve papers on me.  If anyone knows the name of this company or their address I would like the info.  I want to stop by and introduce myself to Mr Richards.

Did they really follow through or did you sign the papers?

called as legal courier, said i had papers i had to sign for within 24 hours and that a claim was being filed against me.

left threatening message on my cell phone

left threatening messages on my cell phone