They may be collecting for a "debt buyer" who paid for the "debt" but a lot of the "creditors" kept really bad records, did not cancel accounts out that were either paid or legitimately disputed with the person on the phone telling the customer that it would be taken care of and the customer never hearing from the original "creditor" again, thus thinking that it was in fact taken care of.    Revolving accounts, this happens a lot - you send a check for the balance, with a letter asking that they close your account - they close it after hitting it with some fee - but because they close it you never get a statement and do not know there is a charge you need to tell them to take off.    Three months later there is interest and late fees and the $30 fee is now $330 and is "charged off."   They then charge default interest - but never send you a statement.   Then a year later they sell a "$1,330 account" to some debt buyer for $133.     They just made $133 out of thin air.    

Takhar apparently collects on "BMG accounts."   BMG had an offer in the mid-2000s that basically was a scam - get 9 or 10 CDs for a penny or a dollar and pay "full price" of $13 or $14 for one CD, for unused but not recently issued CDs, in the 2000s when digital sharing was already being done thus making the CDs basically obsolete - i.e., this is not such a good deal that you'd suspect that there was more to it.    You paid for the CDs, they charged you and sent them.   But then they sent you this other CD you'd never heard of, with a bill for $14, and a "welcome to our club" letter telling you you'd agreed to buy 11 more such CDs - and no postage-paid box for the CD.    This happened to me - I called them 3 times and told them I didn't want to be in their club, and to send me a postage-paid box to return the CD.  They never did - but they sent two more CDs and two more bills.   Finally I asked them to stop and they stopped.   But they never sent the postage-paid box.    I figured it was not worth it to them to pay $3 postage for something they were never going to be able to legitimately sell anyway - I held on to the CDs for a few years and then tossed them.  I had no idea that BMG booked these as uncollected sales and "sold" my "account."    I got a call from Takhar Group 7 years later, claiming that they were buying the "account" third-hand.   I lived in the same place for 5 years after actually buying the 10-11 CDs and never heard from anyone re: the "account."    

Bottom line I think the "debt buyers" have to know that a lot of what they're buying is bogus.  

Also a lot of them do call the wrong people.   Over the years I've received a number of calls on accounts with institutions with which I've never done business - and they act like they don't believe you.  They keep asking you when you're going to pay up - it's like talking to a wall.  It's not the same spelling of your name, they have your info wrong, etc....       My parents both got calls claiming I owed Bank of America.    I once had a BofA card but it was not delinquent and I paid it in full - many years ago.   And my correct info has always been on Lex-Nex (I work for an institution, I looked this up) - if they wanted to reach me, they could have, easily.   Last year someone called claiming I owed BofA $7K and it turned out to be someone with a similar name - not even the same name.   I have no idea if this was the same "account" being called about.    I do not know if it is a valid account at all.   But they were idiots - the "account" by their records had last been paid more than 6 years earlier, which is the SOL where I live.

Bottom line, if someone calls you claiming you owe them money, do NOT give them any info.    Tell them to send you written proof of their claim, but never acknowledge that you owe anyone anything.   Do not even give them your address - if they're real collectors, they have Lex-Nex, they can easily look up where you live.    

Also - nobody is going to sue over a few hundred dollars.    They buy these things for pennies on the dollar and hope that 1 in 20 people sends them money to get them to stop calling.   It's extortion - pay us money or we'll leave messages on the voicemail you share with your GF.    Doesn't matter if you really owe them anything.

Got a call from them like three times after i got  a new phone. tells me i got a job opportunity and to call them back? WTF

I called this company back today .. mainly to tel lthem off about their rude mesage the even my 5 year old told me when she answered the phone last week that there was a RUDE lady on the phone .. so i get this massage saying its TAKAR Group so when someone finally answers i ask what TAKAR group os and she asked if they called the number im calling from . .all this is said very very RUDE .. than says are you XX XX ( my late mothers name who never has had my phone number ) and with this womans rude tone i was already pissed off so i said no she is DEAD ... so shes tells me im wrong for being rude about my mom being dead so i hung up on her and called back to speak to her boss .. who ends up being 100 times RUDER when i was telling her how the message they call people with is so rude it upset my 5 year old and she said im not going to change the message ive worked her 3 year and they pay me  to do this i get a pay check every week .. your mom didnt pay her bill ( so now i know its a collection agency ) so she did wrong and if she had paid you wouldnt have gotten the message !!!!  she started talkign some other crap so i called her a rude b word and yelled at the top of my lung to change there Fin message and hung up on her rammbling about a dead person having a bill unpaid .... my 5 year is at school so she didnt hear my naughty words ...

Called our house today.....not going to bother calling back.
I am going to send the # to the state Attorney General though.

Received a call from this number: (caller ID showed) 900-518-482-1596....looked really weird.  Never seen a number show on Caller ID like this before. Message from "Jerry Hastings" from Tacard Group.  Imperative for me to return call.  This message looped through about 6 times.  Didn't provide any reason why, or provide any "file" number as other complaints have listed above.
Interesting that the name was different on my message and not Preston as others have listed.

Got a call and quickly googled the number and saw it was about collections. That gets the heart racing a bit. I let it go to voicemail, and the message says they were trying to reach some other guy about a reference for a new employee they're hiring. I laughed. Way to get your number right on your resume, buddy.

SMELLS LIKE CURRY.

SOUNDS LIKE SOMEONE NEEDS A NEW JOB.

WAY TO GOOOOO.

Sounds like people on here spout off at their mouth without knowledge. Takhar collections
never purchases debt themselves, their a collection agency not a debt buyer.
Second point is, if the debt is under the statute of limitations you can be sued, if it is beyond
of course you cannot. However collectors can continue to call and collect on outstanding
debt regardless of whether the statute has expired or not, the statute only limits their ability
to sue you. Not your moral obligation to repay your debts and contractual responsibilities.

I never EVER hit the number they want you to hit, nor do anything other than hang up.  If I don't know who someone is, I don't fall for any of it, as some of the calls end up being very expensive calls etc.  I treat them just like SPAM emails.  Ignore them and never reply!

If you work for a collection agency, you should know that PL 95-109 outlines what the agency can and can not do.  Most importantly, they can not collect on debts that are past statute, which is most of what Takhar buys for pennies on the dollar and then tries to make people think that their credit will be effected, when it is illegal for them to say that.  If your going to be a collector, "LEARN THE LAW" , because the individual collector can be sued.......

I kept receiving the same calls as well, in fact I got one this morning. A few months ago I got the calls on my cell phone. They were looking for a Carlos (not me). I called them back and told them to take my number out of their dialer. They apologized for the calls and "said" they took my number out of their dialer. ha! They called me this morning looking for the same guy again. I called them back and told them the same thing. Let's see if they take my number out this time lol.

I got a bill from Columbia House DVD Club in November 2008 regarding a delinquent account from 2006.  I called them to clear it up in December and agreed to pay the outstanding amount.  However, my credit card was never charged and today I got a call from 1-866-408-8299.  

It's a collection agency.  They said it was regarding a bill from BMG Music which is Columbia House.  I called Columbia House and sure enough they DID send my account to collections.  Since it was sent to collections I have to call the Takhar Group back to pay off this bill.

I thought I purchased all the movies I needed to back in 2006 and I'm not sure why it took two years to notify me considering my phone and address have not changed since that time. I found the old contract and in the fine, fine print it does specify the additional movie purchase requirement. I think the scam lies with Columbia House DVD Club!

Why are they calling me...saying it is an important business matter!!!  ANNOYING!!!!  how do i get them to stop???

I just got a second call from this group.  The first one was really garbled and I called back, left a message for them to call me again and speak clearly.  This second call had the name "Margaret Whitelaw" of the Takard Group, phone number 866-408-8299, ext. 623.  No reference number given.  My debts are paid so I'm thinking this is a scam.  If it was legit they would send something in the mail.

keeps calling

THIS IS A SCAM

Haven't heard from these slugs in awhile either by phone or mail (big surprise right?). This scam rolls along the same way that the paydayloan/sonic bank/united legal processors scam is going now.

got an "UNAVAILABLE" number with a quick message along the lines of "This is in regards to your claim from J#$*#)*)%# (garbled) - Please call back 1866-329-3564 and have the number that was called available."  I called back the 866 number and stayed on hold to some NASTY loud christmas(?) music.  After five minutes, I hung up and googled the number.

They really hit a new low spot today...they called my ten year old son's cell #.  He put his 12 year sister on the phone and she was told that she was in violation of the terms of a contract and would be reported (to whom, I have no idea).

After I got home from work I tried to call the # three times.  I got a recording that said I would be transferred to the next available agent.  On every single attempt the call self-disconnected after exactly 30 seconds.

I'm a semi retired Private Investigator and I think I'll have a little fun with this before I let it go.

They really hit a new low spot today...they called my ten year old son's cell #.  He put his 12 year sister on the phone and she was told that she was in violation of the terms of a contract and would be reported (to whom, I have no idea).

After I got home from work I tried to call the # three times.  I got a recording that said I would be transferred to the next available agent.  On every single attempt the call self-disconnected after exactly 30 seconds.

I'm a semi retired Private Investigator and I think I'll have a little fun with this before I let it go.

I got this call today at work.  I didn't even give these clowns the chance to talk to me.  I don't know who they are and quite frankly don't care.  I'm sure it's a scam.  Best advice is to ignore them.

They called at 9:06 a.m. on Saturday morning (labor day weekend) it came up as "unavailable" so I didn't answer it. A voicemail on my cell phone that was 1/2 missing (they probably do that to incite curiosity) said call us back on (left number) to discuss your file in our office between 11:30-8:30 p.m. Yet they called me at 9:06 a.m. STUPID!!

I got calls from this number for 6 times now, but I haven't called back. I'm from a foreign

country and not an American (I stay in the U.S. for short term business). I decide to search

the number on the net before I call back, so I have read your comments. From my

experience in my country, this is a call to confirm your personal data such as credit card

number, social security number, home address and etc so they can use it to make some

bad things (make fake IDs, or stole money from your credit card). If you ask me, I would

suggest you not to call back and tell the telecom company to block calls from this number.

Regards.

these people outsource their business to India.they are Indians calling us all the way from India & they are given American names..so the personal/payments info. which you give them ,,travels all the way to India..
BEWARE OF THEM..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Call me few times a day from unknown number, i had enough so i pick up.
Spoke with "Kevin or Calvin" with India's (or that region) accent. told me that i have bill that i haven't pay for $30.76 from BMG dated back 2006. I don't recall have account with them, and they request to pay right away with my credit card.
I ask to sent me the bill by mail they said they can't do it.
I asked them to email me, and from the email, i can tell this is very unprofessional company if not bogus/scam company.
Watch out, do research first.

I have been receiving calls from this telephone number for the past month on my cell phone.  When I answered the call one time, I was harrassed by an Indian gentleman claiming that I owed $57.28 to Columbia House.  I never ordered anything from Columbia House.  When the guy started screaming at me, I hung up and called Columbia House and they couldn;t tell me what I ordered....this is a total scam.....

I get the same, in the past 2-3 months I must have received about 20 voice mails from the same recording claiming it is TDC about a claim placed with their office and asking for the tel: they are calling, which I'm clueless as 3-4 numbers ring in the same spot.
I say if they had info they'd ask for a name and not leave a generic message.  If they call me with my name or other personal info I recognize I respond, otherwise tuck them!

Hey 'Pay Your Debts'.....suck my balls scumbag loser.
'THIS IS A COLLECTION AGENCY WHO GETS HIRED OUT BY DEBT BUYING COMPANIES.'
>>Not necessarily. They can also buy out of statute debt and try to pin it on any sucker they think they can.  

'THOSE COMPANIES HAVE THE PROOF OF THE DEBT.'
>>Then why are you calling people who have no outstanding debt if you have proof jack***? Please, you bought out of statute debt for pennies on a dollar. The alleged original creditor is nowhere in the picture and you have very limited information if any at all.  

'IF YOU DON'T GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT, YOU CAN BE SUED BY THEM.'
>>Bring it on loser. I would love for you to file a frivolous lawsuit.......it will actually make me money.  

'I KNOW, I WORK FOR A COMPANY THAT USES TAKHAR COLLECTIONS.'
>>No, you work FOR the Tahkar scammers. Again, the alleged original creditor is no longer in the picture  

'ITS NOT A SCAM NO MATTER HOW RUDE OR UNPROFESSIONAL THEY ARE.'
>>It's a huge scam.