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

this lady is currently calling me right now leaving me friending messages saying that I'll probably be put in jail by the end of this week for check fraud when I don't have checks to write bad checks these people are crazy

i received a message from a Miss hart telling me that I owed for an old payday loan and it exceeded the federal limit of check fraud for an amount of 1500.00. I actually paid 100.00 because I was being threatened with jail time and a class four felony which was punishable by up to two years in prison. My parents informed me of this scam and when I googled the number this is what I found. She said she represented the united states department of arbitration. I am so glad that I found this out before I paid more money.
THIS IS A SCAM DO NOT PAY!!!!

I just watched a 20/20 where same EXACT thing was happening to another woman..  harassing calls claiming litigation and pretending to be lawyers and police. She recorded ALL calls and messages.  Took it to court and won $300,000,000 judgement against them for fraudulent attempts at collecting a debt!!  Be smart.. record these calls and who knows.. we might get enough people and evidence for a class action suit!  Don't give in to this kind of harassment!

This Anthony Gugino from "United National Arbutrations" is a scam. He has been calling us for the past month and harassing my husband at his place of employment. Saying we have unpaid debt and blah blah blah. Wouldn't send us paper work or give us a case number. He said that we needed to pay asap, and if we didn't a police officer would come to arrest my husband. He even went to as far as talking to my husbands boss! I called the court house in 3 different counties and no one could find a case number or anything about my husband. I called the place where Anthony said we owed money and they have no records and have no clue who or what this "united national arbutrations' is. I called and threatened a lawyer. He hung up on me and we didn't hear back from him until this morning. When he called from a restricted number and claimed to be a police officer. SO I called the local police station and told them everything and gave them all of this guys contact info. Got a call back from the police officer and he said that Mr.Gugino was rude to him and claimed what he was saying was true, and wouldn't even give the officer any information except that he would just continue to move our case through arbutrations and would leave us alone. This guy is a fake and a fraud and VERY aggressive and rude. DO NOT let these people bully you into giving them your money. Call every one and every place that you have ever been, borrowed money from and your local courts and police.

I just received an annoying call from these people. They are bullies and I ask them not to call me especially at my job. Ask them to please send me any correspondences in the US Mail to the debt I owe otherwise, leave me alone.

They called me Arthur Clayton said they had a case for Middlesex County Processing via United National Arbitration  from 2-4 to sign..(not how process servers work) and for debt (no more debtors prison) they just mail you a warrant (i called and checked)..when I told them the following  - they dummied up pretty quick:

I am recording the call
Are you an attorney and what is your license number and are you licensed in MA
I work for the Sheriffs department who processes warrants
The US attorney Generals Office and the MA attorney Generals office said you need to follow these procedures to file a warrant (which they weren't even close)

Then funny -
Oh we have the wrong person - oh different last social (I told them to give me the last four - they were way off)
I asked for verification of birthdaye - they had no idea

Always start by saying you are recording this call.

If you owe money it can be a hassle and anxiety ridden until you pay it back and get it in order - but its not ok for people to take advantage of you.

NO WAY

I got the same type of Message. Said he was with a law firm and would prosicute for fraudulant checks. I never returned the call.

He gave a phoney docket number and wanted me to verify my SS#

a guy called me today said his name was arthur montgery saying he had three warrents for me and that im to be at my home or place of emploment monday between 2-4 to sign for it.how to find out of this is real ive called my county sheriff,and clerks,office and they have nothing on me..the guy said he was spencer county processor.

Left message on my cell phone stated his name was Arthur Clayton and he had papers to file against me in my county for fraud, that by law he had to notify me within 72 hours. He said he was with National Arbitration. I tried to call the number back 855-673-5299 x309. Female voice message stated it was United National Arbitration and all reps were busy. I just hung up and researched, found out they are scammers with multiple complaints filed (12-Spokeo.com, 800-notes.com, etc). No information found with white or yellow pages.

they said i had charges in my town  for check fraud wanted my bank info to keep me out of jail,my nerves were shot,thank god did not give bank info.scam her name is Catherine Vaughn from a lawyers office.

I also got a call from a Paul Harris

Dear Scammers, welcome to Anonymous. For everyone that this scam has been attempted on, please note that Anonymous will end this scam.

855-673-5299 X309
626 N French Rd Suite 3 Amherst, NY 14228

EXPECT US!

I got the same message as you did, and his name was Paul Harris. WTF kind of scam is this.......

Keep calling saying they have several charges against me & my husband and will turn them over to the local sheriffs office if I don't settle. I returned their calls numerous times but can't get anyone. They have even called my job and left messages.I have read several post on this # saying they are a scam. Callers name is Paul Harris with UNA Associates Ext,310

It is also illegal for them to mispresent themselves as government officials. This has SCAM written all over it:

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

Received several messages, claiming they are representing the federal government,, in pending litigation on some debt I.  Explained to Miss Hart it is illegal to leave debt collection messages on a answering machine.  She stated "as a Representative of a Federal government they are exempt from the Fair Debt Collection act'"  She  then listed several companies. I never herd off or whos debt was discharged under Bankruptcy 10 years ago.

These people called my phone asking for my fiancé. I mean, if you're going to scam me, at least get my phone number right. They said he had pending charges and its important he call back to prevent him from going to jail. It's a total SCAM

Said he was from law firm n I was going to be charged with fraud. He gave name as Charles Bronsten x307

HOLY CRAP!!!    These people say I owe 5,000 and the sherrifs are coming to my house in 1 hour..     They want 2 grand to settle it..  Then I get I will call you back I have the States Attorney on the other line..  

He calls back.   I told him I don't have a bill, I don't have anything from these people..    

This is CRAZY..   He said his name was Anthony Gugino   phone number 1 855 673 5299   x 311     He almost had my Social Security number..  he has my old email address..     Don't give this guy the time of DAY!!   I told him let me be served then I have a piece of paper that shows who is coming after me..

Receive a call stating that they were from a law firm and I couldn't understand the name they left.  They said there were several pendkng  charges against me with my local Sheriff's office.  All my past debt is covered by the statute of limitations in my state.  I am assuming this is a scam since a couple of weeks ago I received a call telling me a process server was going to serve me at home or ork.  I checked my local court and no cases are filed.  I urge eveyone to do their research before even contacting this company. They use scare tactics to try to get money!

Called and said I had two litagations against me and they were from a law office.