So that you are more likely to answer their call, they spoof caller ID so that it looks like a number from your local government or legal office.  They buy old and delinquent debt and use internet location services to locate people who are friends or family of the person they are trying to collect old and delinquent debt from.  They can't legally collect using the court system on debt that is old and stale so they try to scare people into paying - and they tack on usually hundreds of dollars for their commission.

The law requires they mail you a Debt Validation Letter.  If they refuse, tell them to kiss off.    You could also tell them to send the process server (they NEVER do) and you'll be waiting to be served in the company of your local law enforcement.

Another thing that gets them is if you tell them at the beginning of the call that you are tape recording to keep them honest.  They typically hang up the phone real quick and you never hear from them again!

Have fun!

I received a call from a woman stating that she was a PI and had been looking for me and was I aware of the charges against me. Knowing I am a law-abiding citizen, I exclaimed "What are you talking about and who are you". She would not tell me what debt I owed or to whom. She asked me to meet her. When I explained that I was at the hospital visiting my sick mother, she threatened to come to the hospital unless I called 877-210-2189 to discuss the charges and claims against me and that she'd call me in one hour. I told her I'd call when I was away from the hospital and she began yelling that I was in non-compliance and that she considered me "officially notified".
The next day she called again and my mother answered the phone. She yelled at my mother when she refused to give her any details about me and said she considered me "officially served".
Yeah right! Since when can you serve an individual by phone; esp. when it isn't even the individual on the phone?

Got several calls from a "Mike Adams" with his attempt at a threatening tone saying there were charges against me, he had verified my address to present me with my formal claim of charges, and I could call 877-210-2189 to discuss my charges and claims against me. He ended with a stern (laughable) tone that I had been "officially notified." Note: He called from a number that was local to my phone - 901-878-3226

If this chump wanted to serve me with papers, he would. If (and that is a big "if") he was calling me before hand to arrange a meeting, he would have left his number to be reached at, since most process servers are private or members of local law enforcement.

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 got three messages at three different places , they called my parents house and my father spoke with a woman and he said was real rude and mean and was demanding him to tell her my address and work information he refused she yelled at him and said he was going to be summoned and he said what ever and she yelled again and then hung up on my dad, and they were calling and using my maiden name haven't used that name in 20 years. Called left a voice mail at my in laws house demanding all this stuff saying I had charges against me and so on. then the last call came from my brother there was a message there leaving my full name first, middle, last (maiden) though this is crazy and kinda of scary my brother said the message the lady was yelling on his voice message and screaming demanding my information.

Got a message saying there is a claim against me. They say they want my work address and payroll information.

I got the same message about being served papers. They say there is a claim against me and want my work address and payroll information.

Called saying they need to serve me papers, but will not say what papers they need to serve me with.  Calls numerous times, trying to get credit card number.