What is the best way to track these guys down?  They need to be arrested and put away for a long time.  They should all die and burn in  hell...

To the scammer. You called me too about a supposed payday loan i never took out. Guess what i live in a state with some of the toughest laws on collectors and scammers. Along with reporting this to the fbi i have also reported it to my state offices that handle these issues. Go ahead call me again i dare u!

Even scam artists are outsourcing. On Tuesday in its first crackdown on fraudulent telemarketing in South Asia, the Federal Trade Commission announced that it was shutting down two California-based companies that used a call center in India to defraud Americans out of more than $5 million over the past two years.

Workers in India made threatening calls to Americans getting them to pay money on debts that they didn't owe, the FTC charges. At an FTC press conference in Chicago on Tuesday, fraud victim JanLaree DeJulius explained that she had received a call from someone claiming to be an enforcement officer from the (phony) "Federal Department of Crime and Prevention," who threatened to have her arrested and have her wages garnished if she didn't pay a bill of more than $730. The scam artists had gotten her name and information from a payday loan her ex-husband had taken out in her name.

"It was very embarrassing," Dejulius said. "He knew everything about me so I agreed to set up an installment." She is not alone. According to the FTC, more than 8 million calls were made since 2010 and at least 17,000 transactions processed across the United States related to the global scam.

On Tuesday under request from the FTC, a U.S. District Court in Chicago stopped the international operation, charging Varang K. Thaker and two companies he owned, American Credit Crunchers, LLC, and an affiliate Ebeeze, LLC, with violating the FTC Act and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

"This is a brazen operation based on pure fraud, and the FTC is committed to shutting it down," said David Vladeck, director of the FTC's consumer protection bureau. "Consumers should not be pressured into paying debt they don't remember owing. Legitimate debt collectors must provide consumers with both written information about the debt, and instructions for protecting themselves if they don't think they owe the debt."

According to the FTC's charges, Thaker used Social Security numbers and bank account numbers obtained from payday lenders to identify the victims for his scam. He outsourced the work to an Indian call center, where workers made threatening calls to American consumers to pay fake debt or collect on bills for which they were not authorized.

Thaker was not available when contacted by telephone on Tuesday. A woman who claimed to be Thaker's older sister and asked not to be named for privacy reasons said he is working with the FTC to help the Indian government pursue the fraudster call center operators. She also said he was innocent in the scam. "He was being used by somebody. He didn't even know where they got the information," she told The Huffington Post by phone. She said that her brother got 10 percent of the earnings from the scam operation.

The FTC charges against Thaker are the latest in a series of police actions by the government agency to put an end to rogue debt collection operations that have become more frequent in the aftermath of the Great Recession. In January, the FTC struck a $2.5-million settlement with debt-buying company Asset Acceptance, LLC, charging that the company had falsely represented itself to customers, including making up phantom debts that customers no longer owed. Last October, the FTC filed a complaint against seven other fraudulent debt collectors, alleging that they had engaged in the same techniques -- demanding money from customers who owed nothing at all.

The growing number of Americans who are unable to pay their bills has meant there are more companies looking to profit from their economic difficulties.

Debt collectors have been taking more aggressive tactics as fewer people are able to make ends meet or are in a cycle of debt. More than 30 million Americans are in debt collection, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Since 2010, more than 4,000 complaints have been filed with the FTC and state attorneys general about fraudulent debt collection calls, the FTC said.

Charles Junitkka, a personal bankruptcy attorney who represents clients in the New York City area, said, "In the last few years, the desperation of the collectors and their efforts have intensified because of the economy."

This story has been updated to reflect comment from a woman who says she is the sister of Varang Thaker. Thaker himself was unavailable for comment.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/21/ftc- ... _n_1289751.html

I just received a call from the scumbag too just now. I like Myah's explanation. I received an email from another "lawyer" this morning with the same scare tactics.  They were both from online lending companies where I didn't even took out a loan. He threatened to blackball me from finding work and I would be fined 150 thousand dollars etc etc etc.

called my mother in law a s**t and prostitute. must be related to rush limbaugh.....

Here is the deal
I called the law firm that represents who they say is who it is they told me they got access to people info through looking for a pay day loan. So if you searched for a pay day loan, car loan or anything online they hacked the list and have access to it. This is why you are getting the call. Its not them they told me that basiclly its all bunk... DO NOT GIVE THEM MONEY ITS A SCAM... Call the Attorney and read this http://clintonlawfirm.blogspot.com/2011/11/warning-extortion-scam-sam-wilson.html You can find out a lot from this article. I hope it helps... They can't arrest you its bs and they can't do anything they are some where over seas its total bull. read up...

This person called Edward from the Clinton Law Firm has called my cell & work, has been very threatening. Says there is a lawsuit against me, which is not true

edward called me from this number today 2/10/2012 when i returned call  no answer. so i loked the phone number on line and foud it was a scam . he said it was edward from clinton law and people will go after my family and come to my door  they had better stop or i will call police. never mind i called them anyway

This is the 2nd time these people call me! Saying that there is a lawsuit against me and that if i dont respond they will send people to find me at my house and my job. They also have the last 4 digit of my ssn. I hate these people

http://800notes.com/forum/ta-4c1052d399ee4ec/clearance-certificates

It is not possible to "run away from debt" which never existed. Strangers on the phone who make hostile remarks and illegal threats cannot prove their debt claims. Guess what else, Skippy Shillington, "clearance certificate" is not a term applied to consumer debt in the States.

The federal rules these thugs are breaking:
http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fdcpajump.shtm

So just called Edward again from another number (I guess he just blocked my number on his cell phone..but thats ok there are plenty of cell phones to call from in my family) and told him that I wanted to pay him... He said that I had a check loan for $350 and that we can settle out of court $1500 (I dont have a check loan) so I told him I was in Chicago and wanted to pay him right now and he said NO we dont take cash I will give you the information on how to make payment and you dont live in IL so how are you here? So I told him that I was in IL on business and I am here to pay him, I then told him that I was outside the law firm with my attorney and police officers and he said "You are an A$$HOLE" and hung up on me and now wont answer his phone from any number I call from....LOL!

Ok So Edwards phone number is a Cell phone number and if you call him and confront him and ask him for his law firm of course he will tell you that it is Clinton Law firm but when you ask  him for the address he will ask you if you are stupid! And insist that you give him your name and number and yell that you are STUPID and hang up on you, then he will turn off his phone so that when you call back it goes straight to his voice mail.

Please clarify your story, what was the name of the company and why did they say you owe them?

They've been calling for the past month and a half saying they're gonna send the cops if i dont return their call and they havent sent anyone yet they say they work for the clinton law firm in chicago IL and there's only 2 and i called them both and they both said it was a scam!!!

They are NOT scam.....I just got my clearance certificate. They are trying to help and people who are avoiding are the ones who are running away from debt

} "I just received my clearance certificates"

Which means what to anyone? I have losing lottery tickets and a stack of gift certificates. Probably worth more than whatever you think you have. I don't know how you and "Sue" expect us to swallow any story about wired payments to extortionists setting you free of a debt claim you never got validated, if that's the meaning we are meant to infer.

This is an offshore payday loan debt collection extortion scam that has been going on for at least five years. The FBI is aware of it but is unable to go after those involved due to lack of money and manpower. I looked back and found some old information which may prove to be helpful:

They obtained your information through Teletrack:

Kudos to "Sam" for giving the most intelligent and informative posts on this scam. READ, Bookmark and use as needed:

http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-631-456-4041/2

http://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/paydayloanscam_120710

http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-951-489-0227

There are some collection agencies who r trying to get money out of people by ruining the image of Sam Wilson who I called and confirmed that he works with Edward Clinton...I got my clearance certificates just a day ago. Everything has been taken care off

Please do not mislead people just because you didn't pay your debt...I got my clearance certificates and i CONFIRMED it in the court.......

The same thing happened to me today... I have not seen any EFTs come through my account. but I do find it weird that my bank closed my debit card 2x in the last month stating they thought I was internet gambling?!?!?! NEVER... knowing that I am a single parent and dont gamble I just told them to reopen it... ! lol

BUT I do have an "open" payday loan for $325. Can you be sued by email though? Wouldnt they have to mail something? I mean also its weird becuase I JUST got hired perm this week and I oddly enough WORK in HR and this wuld be SO FRIGGIN embarrasing if this actually happended... Can you advise any more based on my situation and his email (posted below) to me today?


Sam Wilson samwilsonlaw@live.com
12:40 PM (6 hours ago)
to me


Hi Lisa,

 My name is Sam Wilson. I am an attorney with The Clinton Law firm. This email is to notify you that there is a lawsuit registered against your name and your social security number  ######### has been kept on hold.

The affidavit with me states that you were monitored online using your e-mail address ****@gmail.com, in order to solicit funds from ?Cash Advance?  which is a parent company of more then 400 Cash Websites and internet web portals in USA and operates under different names in different states. Where in the funds where provided to you through an interstate EFT that stands for an electronic funds transfer or by cheque. When my client attempted to extract the funds back as a repayment by sending you six e-mail notifications, six EFT?s were  returned constituting worthless electronic checks.


Now the legal case is filed against your name is under section 9 chapter 19 which means?.


A subpoena will be sent to the Human recourses or  the legal representative of your firm, where in they have to appear in the court while the case is on, that could lead to you to termination from full time employement


Through an IRS (International Revenue Service) your social security number will be put on hold causing severe damage to your credit history or credit report and your income paychecks will be put on hold.

Lastly any child support, disability, unemployment or retirement benefits will be either place on hold or will be stopped until the outcome of the case.

And if you lose this case in the court then apart from your attorney?s fees there is going to be a penalty of $15000.

 Our primary job was to notify you about the case and let you know what the case is all about. Now before we go ahead with the legal proceedings, contact your employer, and concern authorities regarding this case I want to ask you that do you wish to resolve this case out of court?

If you want to resolve this case out of court then get back to my senior attorney Edward Clinton immediately without fail on 872-213-9369.


Regards,Sam.

Major Scammers.  If you are paying them then you have been suckered.  They called me and said I owed money to a company- company said- your balance is clear and you owe us nothing. These Middle Eastern sounding guys kept calling MY WORK number saying they were attorneys and going to file federal charges and have federal officers come and DRAG me from work to prison because federal bank fraud, theft by check- I don't write checks. They threatened to send them to my job and contact all my "contacts and relatives" about this. I have a letter from my bank and from the company they named- I never owed the company any money- I originally applied for a payday loan but refused the funds. No penalty or anything. These jokers got my info somehow and have been leaving messages on my work number.  I am going to sue them big time.  They are a Scam.  The company involved said that they had ben told some was doing this but not to send them any money because they are a Scam.  The use different numbers and names. They told me that I would owe $3850 in court charges or I could settle out of court for $411. As if!!
They are con artist. Don't pay them. Contact the cops. I did.

I just received my clearance certificates

How conveniently vague your story is, not to mention a train wreck of improper English, and a tiresome clone of many other shill posts like it.

More on the fake payday collectors here:
http://800notes.com/forum/ta-429fb24ec2162e3/ ... -numbers-here-2

They are real...first I thought they r not and hung up then they sent some guys after 3-4 days and now I have the notice to be in the court plus they informed my employer...now I have to deal with this

They are real...I got sued for $15000 and now I am paying installments to pay of that penalty

Huge scam. They tell you that you owe money and if you don't pay, they'll send you to jail. This guy also said that they would make sure I would lose my citizenship, which is an absolute laugh. Don't believe them. The law firm they claim to be with has stated online that they do not do what these scammers are claiming. Plus, they use a live.com email, which no self-respecting attorney's office would do.

NOTE: USA does not people in prison because of debts. You can be court ordered to pay someone and can go to jail because of contempt of court, but not prison.

There is a very easy way to get them to stop calling, plus annoy the hell out of the scammers. I pulled a play out of their own book. With my google voice number, I continually called them over and over and over again, then fwd back their email to them over 100 times. Finally got a response back "F*** off, B****". I've not heard a word from them since. Nothing but a scammer trying to prey on fear. So turn it back on them. They will leave you alone.

This number keeps calling and when answered no one is there