ITS A SCAM, they are phishing for info. Don't tell them s*** about yourself.

My husband and I both got calls on our cell phone on the same day from 855# and 844# numbers, re: documentation being issued by the clerks office. I so want to call back and play dumb, string them along. Or maybe call back and put on a foreign accent and claim they have the wrong number. My husband says to let it go, but I want to stick it to them.  You know what is so strange about this situation, we just moved. I think it has to do with addresses, and shutting off utilities. I am not sure, but the timing is too perfect. We have had our same cell phone numbers for years, and just a few days after we forward our mail, and shut off utilities, the phone calls start. Can you imagine this is our life, this is how you make your living? We are on the don't call list too! UGH!

Got 3 calls from these people today. They wanted to know if I would be home to receive a legal document. When asked who they were with or where they were  she wouldn't tell me. Finally the lady kinda chuckling said obviously the same place as you. And when she didn't even know the state I knew it was a scam. I told her that she was wrong and hung up immediately.

Got a phone call from 910-778-2650 today from a Jennifer Taylor with the exact same story in regard to a company called Alliance Firm.  She has even called and left a message with my supervisor.  I have no idea what Alliance Firm is.  I called the 888 number she gave me and was on hold forever.  I have tried to call her back only for it to ring repeatedly and then give a busy signal.

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.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0258-fake-debt-collectors

I just received a call from a Randy Mendoza or something like that and he was saying that how they were going to send me paperwork if I don't get the money to start over the payment plans. Now at first I was shocked about being arrested and being served papers however I am well aware now how they are doing things now and I will be more cautious about these people.  The company was united and the number that the lady (locator) is 910 778 2650 told me to call united with a reference number and she would call me back in 20 minutes. I am confused please someone help me.

This number is calling my place of employment and harrassing them wanting my information.

I just received a call from "Kristen Jones". (Who stated she would call back in 30 min or see me in 30 min. I hope she can find which state I am in since my job requires me to travel.) While I recognize this probably has much to do with my acknowledged default on a payday loan (also from 2010) I do not tolerate the threats of "legal action". This isn't the first company to offer such threats. I clearly state that what they are doing is illegal and if I am further harrassed I will report them and press charges (hence the reason they don't give you much information). Also, I inform them that I know their purpose is to collect a debt and they get further with me by giving me necessary details to settle and satisfy the debt. If they do not cooperate with me, I do not cooperate with them. Case closed. FYI: I did get caught up in payday loans and incurred debt. I have since moved twice, and worked for 3 companies since. Now that income and employment are more stable, I have paid off 7 of those payday loan debts, but only those that did not harrass or threaten me. I have only 2 more and clearly these tactics will not work with me. I'm all about paying the debts now that I can afford to do so, but again, I won't tolerate the threats.

the man with the accent said his name was Something Hernandez,

YES his last name was hernandez he had me damn well convinced i apparently went to a cash checking place and supposedly willingly defrauded them to get money in advance without tryin to pay the debt back. i got my parents involved as well. but my dad says its a scam. i wish i cud figure out to record a convo on my cell. but i dunno how he got all my information such as references and so on so forth. i hope someone takes this company down bc they may be gettin ppls info and money and scamming everyone

I received a call today from this group. I believed them as the debt they spoke a out if something I've actually incurred. I fell for the high pressure tactics even though the alarm bells in my head were going off. They had my debit card number already and said they would reduce the amount owed and charge the account on file. I said no, I'll send you a check once I receive the documents from "Rick Lopez." I was placed in hold so she, Lupe Garcia, could consult with her supervisor. The call dropped. I called back from two different lines but the call simply failed. I could not reach them again. I checked my account and the funds were withdrawn. I then called my bank and was reassured that if this is a scam, my funds will be refunded.

My wife was horrify when they called her at work and ask for her manager, there's anybody have their mailing address, if you please do so provided, i do have a friend on the FTC, he would like to have their address.

Thanks

I received the same calls today.. saying something about a payday loan in 2007..and they have papers to serve me..they are calling family and all..I called them and asked for their address they hung up on me then I call back again and get the same woman..she said I need a claim number to speak to her..it old I wanted to speak to her supervisor and she hung up again..I filed a complaint with better bus. Bureau..it is a big scam ..don't give any info

Just turned the tables on them.  Called the 855 number, told them I had very important legal documents to serve them, and needed their physical address.  They asked me for my name and the name of my company, and I told them a fake name and that all I needed was to know where to serve these papers.  They asked me for my phone number, and when I told them they didn'tneed it to give me their address, the guy said they are not allowed to give out their address to someone they don't know.  I told them neither were all o the people they were celling, and sent them to hell.  Lots of fun, enjoyed myself immensely.  I recommend everyone do the same, if they can block their pjone number.

I really like it when they leave a message "You have been Officially Notified"..  These scabs are simply mind numbing....and a joke.

Just to let everyone know.... They are now in the Florida area as of October they are working off the number 941-882-6153 and if you have Comcast as your carrier you can block incoming called by pressing #60 and then following the prompts, If you have Verizon, you can call your carrier and they can walk you through on how to block callers from calling you that you no longer wish to have calling you......
It will be your biggest life saver. Keep track of your blocked numbers. And then you can update it every so often with new numbers and remove old ones because they have learned you blocked them.
Hope you all enjoyed my tip,, have a great and safe life.

Now really....doesn't this bespeak of desperate scammers?   Of course it does.  I'm glad to see most all are up on their toes and making these toads work for their dollars.   Kudos!

Sounds like a bunch of Porno stars....

Yes! The same number called me yesterday! I was stressing and thought I was going crazy! But yes do not stress and just ignore!

The same thing happened to me yesterday 10/10/12. Someone called my mom's phone about 5 times and then finally left a message that i was going to be served with papers and that i needed to call to give them an address. They gave me the 855-441-6194 to call but when i tried calling the first number which was local all i could get was a busy signal. I then called the 855 number and they said i had a balnce of a check cashing place from 5 years ago. That i have 5 days to pay or that they will serve me with papers. I asked them to fax or email me the loan papers anything and gave me a number of excuses. Will be going to police department today because this is harrasment.

Consumers across the country report that they're getting telephone calls from people trying to collect on loans the consumers never received or on loans they did receive but for amounts they do not owe. Others are receiving calls from people seeking to recover on loans consumers received but where the creditors never authorized the callers to collect for them. So what's the story?

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

I googled this # after getting a weird call from these people on my work voicemal- they were looking for someone I do not know. Another # they call from is 954-949-6067. This is what I posted on the other thread about this company:

10/9/12
Got a strange call from this number on my office voice mail from what appears to be a collection service. It was a fairly threatening message looking for "Willie Evans" telling him that he has claims against him, they need his mailing address for papers and he "has officially been notified". The caller ID has Voxee, Inc. The number given in the message to call is 855-441-6194. "Megan" said in the message that "Mr. Evans" has only 1 opportunity to contact them in this matter, claim # 150195.

I think it was a wrong number, because if this "Megan" person has listened to my voice mail greeting, she would have realized that she reached a business. Moron.

I'm going to go ahead and block the number and hopefully this is the last time I hear from these idiots.

Amryn- you need to call your credit card company asap and tell them what happened and that you were scammed for your credit card #. They will freeze your account and not allow any charges to go through. Call immediately and any charges that may have gone through will be removed from your bill as long as you report the fraud immediately.

Yea called me today saying that I had a debt from 2007 n telling me I had charges filed against me.  When I asked for them to send me documents proving this debt was real they said they couldn't until I pay then money first. The man had an accent and was quit rude then after I told him that if he can send me documentation stating that this debt was real I would call back he got frustrated and hung up on me.  This is ve4y strange don't say n e thing n if u have an Android phone get the app "record my call " and record.  When I asked what typed of charges and are they criminal or municipal he said he couldn't tell me that their firm is the one who takes care of that. When I asked to speak with the firm was told I couldn't and that he would s0eak to the firm for me wtf no do not entertain them

Omg...I am totally sick and embarrassed!!  Their scare tactics worked as I have never even had a speeding ticket when they said I would be arrested...I set up a payment plan with my credit card....I know I feel so STUPID right now.  What should I do help...can I stop the payment??  P,ease help I a a single mom that counts every penny....I am so sick to my stomach right now!!!

Tanya Watson called my phone today after calling my husbands mother saying there were charges against me. I had my husband answer. Tanya said she had sealed documents and i needed to call 855-441-6194 and give them a confirmation she provided. She also stated she would call back in half an hour to see if she had to serve papers at an old address that was on file. She also said good luck.......... How nice of her!

The number Tanya used was local 239-424-9320 maybe this will help if anyone wants to investigate further.

Thank you for all the posts, they put my mind at ease. I hope they shut these people down....

I received a message from a Fred Wood stating this was my "final notification" and I was going to be "served at my place of business." He said to call 855-441-6194 regarding my case. He is rude and threatening. I called the number and the person who answered the phone said it was "United Firm." She transferred me to a customer service rep to speak to about my case. I started asking the rep questions about United Firm, I asked for their mailing address and a fax number. I also asked to speak to a supervisor and the rep hung up on me. Don't give this company any info.....obviously they know your phone number and probably your address. If they had legitimate legal papers to serve they would show up and do so not call and threaten to do so. Their calls are simply trying to scare you. Legitimate debt collectors know if you request information...like their address...they are required to give it to you.

I'm Phoenix, Arizona a Mike Pina left a voice mail and a claim number telling me that there have been charges filed against me and he wanted to know my home address and work address so I can be served. And that I have been offically notified.

They called me today asking to verify my mailing address so they can serve me papers at home or work and have me arrested. I hung up on them and they called me back 3 more times from a local exchange number. Telling me that i have been officially been notified of charges against me.
left number 855-441-6194 United Firm.

Fred Woods called my work and spoke with my boss stating I had charges filed against me. My boss tried to question him re: what kind of charges. He told her it was a personal matter, when she asked him why he was speaking to her about it he hung up! Also, he called my direct extension at my work three times this afternoon. This man is threatening and harassing and I will be reporting this man/company as soon as I gather more information.