My husband took a call from this number this morning and they asked for our son. They said they had my son's name down ( they made it sound like for a job reference) and wanted our son to call them back. They said they were North Star Location Service. The person they are really searching for lives across the street. My son went to school with him for 12 years. Sorry, North Star, we're not nosy neighbors.

related thread:
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-454-1087

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Whether you are called a debtor or some collector thinks you can flush one out, you have rights and options. Many are simple to exercise if you only learn how. You are entitled to proof of claim and fair treatment. If one or the other is not provided, the collection agency should *not* win your assets. You are granted control of how you are contacted, the right to dispute debt claims, and the means to sue violators at low cost. The FTC and the CFPB can start you on your homework. See also if your state laws grant additional or stronger rights.

official FTC guidance and staff opinions on the FDCPA, PDF copy of the Act
http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fdcpajump.shtm

CFPB Q&A on debt collection practices
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb/search ... debt-collection

As ever, the calls to Dad were never about "location" but hassling family members to terrorize his son, a common thug tactic.

I'll be sure not to pay "#$/*ing" NLS if I can expect more curt rudeness like yours.

} I figure if we owe money (which we don't), our first contact wouldn't be by phone

What you figure would be wrong. In the US, many debt collectors want to catch people unguarded on the phone before they send that dunning letter required by the FDCPA a few days later. Others send the letter the same day the calls begin, and call heavily to beat the postman.

It is not a given that your niece "decided not to pay [her] bills". It is not a given that your niece handed out your number as a secondary contact. Those are stories which illegal debt collectors like to tell to cloud their real plan of creating false shame and anxiety by hassling all the family members, neighbors, and "nearbys". They don't have to call you to collect from her, but chose to as a means of coercion. If the agents blabbed about her alleged financial problems to you, that is illegal and gives your niece cause to sue NLS.

Keep a notebook of all the calls and any recordings on your answering machine if you have one. Also record any calls and conversations with them. Send them a cease & desist letter ala certified or return receipt.  Report them.

To File complaints FDCPA/TCPA violations:
Your State Attorney General
Their State Attorney general
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#&panel1-1
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/

They called looking for my niece.  It pisses me off that anyone can use you as a contact number and then they decide not to pay their bills and  you are the one left taking the harassment.  They never do what they say and remove your name from their calling list.

I've had messages from Stephen Underwood from this number, identified as North Star Services, and seeking info regarding debt collection.  I figure if we owe money (which we don't), our first contact wouldn't be by phone.  Over 50% of the calls we get on our landline are solicitations; some above board, some misleading.  I figure this one is from the latter.

855-454-1082.  Phony debt Collections scam

I am not trying to be rude, but I was just trying to give advice on choosing the right collection company. I do pay my bills, however; North Star is also a consolidation company used by the department of education. When working with someone to consolidate all of my student loans into one loan, I don't want to get stuck working with someone like Joe. If you are on this forum, looking up this number and numbers like it, then you are being contacted for debt collection reasons as well. Whatever those reasons are, we all need a little sanity in a chaotic world.

then pay your #$/*ing bills

I screen all of my incoming calls, if I don't recognize the number I don't pick up. When this debt collector leaves messages, they garble and mumble their message but speak clearly when leaving the phone number. It's obviously a ploy to get you to call back and ask questions, then they are extremely rude when you start asking those questions. There are other companies out there that leave clear, concise, and friendly messages. And when you call them back, they are friendly and helpful. Don't fall for the ruthless, tackless, debt collectors that are out for blood or a commission...(Like North Star).

Yes, North Star. They keep calling about my son even after I gave them his phone number and told them to contact him directly. Just got 2 calls in a row. No message.

This is a call from North Star Location Services, a debt collection service.

She left a message which was a little garbled (a lot of back ground noise, like a call center) asking for me by name.  Her name, I think, is Jennifer Mall (could have been Maggie Law) calling from North Star Services (again, not clear) saying that I was a contact on a file she got in her office.  I didn't call back.  She wanted me to call back to extension 1020.  This is the first time they have called me.  I have no outstanding consumer debt, so if it is a debt collector, I don't know why they would be calling me.

this collection agency calls even on Saturdays  always looking for a person with last name Cunningham......leave a message saying to discontinue hearing message if you are not this person....we pick up hang up, they still call back OR let them leave a message and they still call during the week.......what a waste of our time on a phone that we pay for..no way to block these harassing calls.......why have a land line phone anyway????????

I think you misunderstood her post. Maggie Law is probably the person whom called for the agency..

Lol. It never says Maggie Law firm. Its North Star Companies. Dont make up stories

They call at least 3 -4 times a week looking for Cynthia Jones.  The times I have talked to them they have promised to eliminate my number and never do.  If you know Cynthia please ask her to call them back.

This company calls at least 4 times a week and on saturdays......they leave a message for a persons name(marco) that weve never heard of and they are a debt collection firm........they have no clue who they are calling just leaving messages from maggie law with information and case number for this person to call....DEBT COLLECTION FIRM calling wrong people!!

Debt Collector. Collecting for Sallie Mae but not actually Sallie Mae. They will not stop calling you and they will never leave a message. The people on the other end are rude and pushy and will talk over you.

Debt collector, I believe related to Sallie Mae/Student Loans. Has called me literally three times in a row now. Voicemail the caller leaves does not specify which company/organization they are with, just states that it is an attempt to collect a debt.