I got a call from IGA and they keep saying I took a loan out in 2005 which i have never did called adance american and they have nothing on me for that years or any year do not give them anything tell them you want proved of the loan. which they will not give because someone has your ssn and you address dont mean anything they can pay for it online found that out when i call the police so be careful. call loan place where you took loan out and if you did not do call them anyway. I have never got anything from IGA like they have said. be carefull. There is a lot of scammers out there

Suspect it is for a family member, but few details.

THIS COMPANY IS NOT REGISTERED TO DO BUSINESS IN NEW YORK. THE PEOPLE CLAIMING TO RUN IAG ARE FRAUDS. IF YOU ARE CONTACTED BY INTERNATIONAL ASSET GROUP?IMMEDIATELY CONTACT THE NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL?S OFFICE, BUFFALO REGIONAL OFFICE: 716.853.8400. KEEP RECORDS, TAKE NOTES, DIVULGE NO INFORMATION, KEEP ANY PHONE RECORDINGS AS EVIDENCE.

I also received a voicemail from an Aaron (no last name given) calling from a blocked number stating that I must return the call as well.  From what I can tell, these a**holes are breaking several federal laws and I urge you to report them to the FTC https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/

Ok, here is a quick synopsis of how you deal with these people.

1. Do NOT answer any blocked ID calls.  Leave a greeting on your voicemail that this number does not accept caller ID blocked calls and to dial *82 to unblock your caller ID.

2. Purchase a telephone recording device.  This can be as simple as a suction cup earpiece microphone and micro tape recorder or PC audio recorder file.

3. Inform ALL collectors that call that the conversation will be recorded.  This will generally cause them to hang up, but if they do keep talking everything said is admissable in a court of law.

4. First, get the full name or employee ID number of the collector themselves, and the legal business name of the collection entity.  This will be needed to name them as defendants in your federal suit.

5. After business hours, preferably just before you go to bed, call the contact number the collector has given you or left on your voicemail.  If the automated answering machine states a company name, they might be legitimate.  Any voicemail that simply states that the offices are closed are suspect.  Fly by night collectors are often unwilling to give out their name or employee ID number and very reluctant to release the full name of the company they are working for.

6. Upon determining the name of the company, do a google search to find out what state they are located in and then file a formal complaint against the company with the Department of Consumer Affairs in their home state.  A copy should also be sent to the Secretary of State of that state.

Ok, now as to some specific practices of this particular collection agency.

1. Collectors are NEVER allowed to misrepresent themselves as law enforcement.  This included the use of the terms, Officer, Agent, Federal Agent, Detective, or any other law enforcement title.  They can use the term "investigator" so long as they do not represent themselves as a State Licensed Private Investigator, unless they are ready to also provide their state PI license number.

2. They like to use the words fraud and bank fraud to scare you.  This is not the case, it is a simple default and any legal action would be civil.  Fraud must be proven by the Plaintiff (Collector) and all you have to say to defend against any fraud cause of action is that you simply could not afford to repay the loan.  Why do you think these guys charge such high interest rates?  It's because they know that there is a substantial risk of default and when they issue the loan, they are aware of the risk of default.

3. Debt collectors ultimately have TWO legal options.  Write off the bad debt as a business loss or file suit to recover the funds.  If they file suit, they will have a process server serve you with a summons and complaint filed in the municipal or superior court of the appropriate jurisdiction.  When served, there does not need to be any witnesses nor are you required to sign anything acknowledging service.  That is what the Proof of Service that the process server fills out is for.

4. These threats to have a witness or be ready to sign something are just scare tactics.  A) by telling you that you need a witness, they are trying to embarrass you in front of a third party by disclosing your debt publicly.  This is in violation of FEDERAL LAW.

5. If you actually speak to the collector and they bring up the witness/signature issue, tell them that they had better bring local law enforcement to be the witnesses because the only witnesses in your home are Smith & Wesson.

6. If they do show up to your door uninvited and alone, and you have a lawfully owned firearm, answer the door with gun in hand.  There is nothing illegal about answering your front door armed, as long as you don't leave the house or discharge the firearm (except in defense of your life or great bodily harm) but the mere sight of a gun will cause even the most determined collector to think twice.  After all, collectors are invariably bullies.....

AND WE ALL KNOW THAT BULLIES ARE COWARDS!!

Best of Luck`

This is formerly Western New York Capital or something.  Now it is IAG PO Box 623 Amherst, NY 14226.  They are working out of Hamburg NY like out of someone's house or something.  They insinuate they are with the IRS and are forwarding your case for prosecution, all violations of the FDCPA.  I'm on my computer printing out the documents to file a civil suit in my state of Kansas.  It only costs me about $45 to file and violations are $1000 each occurrence as I understand.  They left these messages on my relatives voicemail as a former reference.  Wrong move, also a violation.  See you in court Mr. John Chebat!  He's the owner of IAG.  The other number they use is 877-245-5498.  Their New York business license is #556765 and expires on 9-30-2011.  You can make an online complaint with your state AG and the New York AG.

Something else these losers are doing is posting false information on Internet message boards where debtors are asking for advice regarding collections laws.  To find out the real skinny, go to your state's Department of Consumer Affairs website.

For example, CA law specifically states that Payday Lenders are NOT able to use CA "bad check" law for Payday loans.

I also received a voicemail from an Aaron (no last name given) calling from a blocked number stating that I must return the call as well.  From what I can tell, these a***oles are breaking several federal laws and I urge you to report them to the FTC https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/

Ok, here is a quick synopsis of how you deal with these people.

1. Do NOT answer any blocked ID calls.  Leave a greeting on your voicemail that this number does not accept caller ID blocked calls and to dial *82 to unblock your caller ID.

2. Purchase a telephone recording device.  This can be as simple as a suction cup earpiece microphone and micro tape recorder or PC audio recorder file.

3. Inform ALL collectors that call that the conversation will be recorded.  This will generally cause them to hang up, but if they do keep talking everything said is admissable in a court of law.

4. First, get the full name or employee ID number of the collector themselves, and the legal business name of the collection entity.  This will be needed to name them as defendants in your federal suit.

5. After business hours, preferably just before you go to bed, call the contact number the collector has given you or left on your voicemail.  If the automated answering machine states a company name, they might be legitimate.  Any voicemail that simply states that the offices are closed are suspect.  Fly by night collectors are often unwilling to give out their name or employee ID number and very reluctant to release the full name of the company they are working for.

6. Upon determining the name of the company, do a google search to find out what state they are located in and then file a formal complaint against the company with the Department of Consumer Affairs in their home state.  A copy should also be sent to the Secretary of State of that state.

Ok, now as to some specific practices of this particular collection agency.

1. Collectors are NEVER allowed to misrepresent themselves as law enforcement.  This included the use of the terms, Officer, Agent, Federal Agent, Detective, or any other law enforcement title.  They can use the term "investigator" so long as they do not represent themselves as a State Licensed Private Investigator, unless they are ready to also provide their state PI license number.

2. They like to use the words fraud and bank fraud to scare you.  This is not the case, it is a simple default and any legal action would be civil.  Fraud must be proven by the Plaintiff (Collector) and all you have to say to defend against any fraud cause of action is that you simply could not afford to repay the loan.  Why do you think these guys charge such high interest rates?  It's because they know that there is a substantial risk of default and when they issue the loan, they are aware of the risk of default.

3. Debt collectors ultimately have TWO legal options.  Write off the bad debt as a business loss or file suit to recover the funds.  If they file suit, they will have a process server serve you with a summons and complaint filed in the municipal or superior court of the appropriate jurisdiction.  When served, there does not need to be any witnesses nor are you required to sign anything acknowledging service.  That is what the Proof of Service that the process server fills out is for.

4. These threats to have a witness or be ready to sign something are just scare tactics.  A) by telling you that you need a witness, they are trying to embarrass you in front of a third party by disclosing your debt publicly.  This is in violation of FEDERAL LAW.

5. If you actually speak to the collector and they bring up the witness/signature issue, tell them that they had better bring local law enforcement to be the witnesses because the only witnesses in your home are Smith & Wesson.

6. If they do show up to your door uninvited and alone, and you have a lawfully owned firearm, answer the door with gun in hand.  There is nothing illegal about answering your front door armed, as long as you don't leave the house or discharge the firearm (except in defense of your life or great bodily harm) but the mere sight of a gun will cause even the most determined collector to think twice.  After all, collectors are invariably bullies.....

AND WE ALL KNOW THAT BULLIES ARE COWARDS!!

Best of Luck`

Received a call from a Robert Lewis.  He said there is a case against me & gave a case number.  He said he will be coming to my residence between 3-5 PM today and will see me later.  I never returned the call because I felt it was a scam.

When I asked them who they were, they just said IAG. I was doing my research and came up with nothing under IAG alone. Than after reading the posts here, I did a research for IGA and International Assets Group. Nothing came up with IGA but something did for International Assets Group when I google it. I think this is the website http://internationalassetgroup.incprofile.com. I may be wrong. But my questions is who are this company? Are they a debt collection agency, law firm or even legit? I have never heard of this company and/or seen this number. It's like a new company and number that just seems to be popping out of no where. Or are they an old company that is now going by a new name and phone number cover their tracks because of so many violations? I just can't seem to wrap my finger around what type of business they really are? Are they really legit or just a scam? If I am able to determine these information than I can have more ways of searching on them and coming down to a conclusion on how to prepare myself if it is really a legit company or law suit. What makes it more weird is that I too never received any kind of notification or letter whatsoever from this company and this is the first I have heard from CashNet after three years. I have a new cell phone number and they were even able to get that number to call me on too. It just creeps me out when some unknown callers has so many personal information about you including your banking info. I was just informed by an attorney to keep all voicemails and record all calls in case anything does happen due to the violations these morons are committing.

Debt Collectors ? Collection Agencies ?   do NOT fall under Do NOT Call registry, as they are not telemarketers.  However, they do constantly violate other Federal Laws, because us American's don't know the laws to protect us.  They are counting on that.  

- Federal Law says you don't have an obligation to Collection Agencies or Debt Collectors; you can send them a written letter and they cannot contact you after that.   This includes Attorney's in state's other than your state of residence.  The only Attorney's that can sue you, have to be licensed in your resident state.

A word of caution:  Some Law Firms do have Firms in other states, and Lawyers licensed in other states, so you have to do a little research before sending a Cease & Desist (Do Not Call & Go Away letter) to make sure they aren't in your resident state or you're likely to get sued by these #%#&*@!#%&@$^*.  

Once a debt collector makes contact with you, they also have to contact you within 5 days after the first phone call, letter etc., and give you validation/proof or judgment of the debt.  You are not required to ask for it.   They never do this!!!!

This law is known as the Fair Debt Collector Practices Act.  You can get it at FTC.gov; as well as other Consumer Protection Laws.

Most collection agencies, purchase your delinquent debt for pennies on the dollar.  Guess what? It is no longer your debt!!!  You don't have any agreement/contract with the debt collector or collection agency.  Your only agreement/contract was with the original creditor.

Do NOT agree to any payment arrangements, or you'll be creating an agreement/contract, where upon initial contact by the Debt Collector, one didn't exist.  The collection agencies are counting on you not knowing this little bit of information.  

The best advice I can give you is, do NOT talk to these idiots - they will leave you in a frustrated heap on the floor.  They lie, and will tell you whatever they need, in order to get you to commit to paying them.

The lies are illegal, but they honestly don't care, they're probably on commission for how much they collect from you and others like you.  

If you do answer the phone, do NOT give out your employer, social security #, DL #, Credit Card and/or Bank information, or any personal information.  Tell them to send you a written statement & you'll respond. Then hang up.  When you get that statement, google, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and you'll probably find a letter you can send them   Or:  send the letter I?ve enclosed that I use.  Sign and mail that letter Certified Mail, so you have a signature and confirmation of delivery!!!
RE
Account #  
Amount in Dispute: $  
Account #  

Dear  :


I am in receipt of your demand for payment. However, this Notice is to confirm that I do not wish to be contacted again by you, and that you are hereby put on Notice to Cease Communication pursuant to 15 USC Section 1692c(c). Failure to comply with said Notice, shall result in a complaint filed and submitted to the Federal Trade Commission, and possible legal remedies in an appropriate United States District Court.

Your representatives have also been trying to contact me,  however, I only do business of this nature via mail. Therefore, I am requesting again, that you cease and desist from calling me or contacting us in any way.

Please remove the phone numbers XXX XXX-XXXX. The calls constitute harassment at this point, which is causing a major disruption in both my business and personal life as well as being an invasion of my privacy, which I will not tolerate.

If you continue to contact me, I may file a complaint with the Attorney General. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991, which branched from United States Code Title 47 sect 227, implemented a do-not-call list from solicitors, which mandates a solicitor to abate phone calls to customers who have requested in writing to cease all phone communication.

In addition, PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT, I am not waiving my right, to dispute the alleged debt asserted herein, but at this time I am under no obligation to respond.  


Sincerely,

Your Name
Address
City, state Zip



Certified Mail#:  


In the Law of Novation: if a debt is purchased by another, for that to be a legal owed obligation, a new contract / agreement has to be written and signed by all parties.  Google Law of Novation and read up!!!

No I am not an attorney, just a well knowledged, educated consumer.  I have spent the past 2 years studying various Federal Consumer Protection Laws.  

I wasn't just satisfied knowing I could send a letter to a Collection Agency/Debt Collector and they had to go away.  I read that in the Fair Debt Collector practices Act law;  I needed to know why, what law tells me the reason why I can.

Everything I have typed, I have learned basically on my own through reading, studying, printing out and binding the laws and underlining/highlighting them.  Not to mention the knowledge I have gained on my own fighting two lawsuits without an Attorney.

I was sued by a Collection Agency, and waiting for a Court date. The Collection Agency Attorney, sent us a letter willing to dismiss with prejudice our lawsuit, if I dismiss our Cross/Counter Claim for Fair Debt Collector Practices Act violations.  Oh, I forgot to mention, we do not have an Attorney representing us; and I have not had any legal experience, in the past whatsoever.

I have read / printed & bound, my State's Rules of Civil Procedure and Rules of Civil Procedure - Evidence.  I catch Attorneys on violations of State Rules of Civil Procedure all the time.  And our Judge's let them get away with it.

And for those of you who say pay up and quit being a deadbeat; it appears that you have never had your life turned upside down, because a good job, not high paying by any means, but a supposed secure job, got your hours cut by 3/4.  

And then a couple years later, as you are just recovering, you lose that job.  And when you are in your 50's, a new job is not so easy to come by.  And when that happens, then what?  

Or what about a major illness, guess you've never had that either - too bad.  Maybe if you did, you'd understand why and how people end up getting in financial straights. Not because they chose to, or decided they were going to find loopholes to get out of paying obligations etc.

What if the money isn't there to pay these debts to begin with?  We've been barely able to pay a mortgage, let alone credit cards etc. It's easy to tell someone else what to do.  I hope someday, something throws your secure little world off its axis, and you find yourself in the very situation as some of us here. Maybe then you'd learn it isn't such a cut/dry situation.

Oh, we've struggled.  And the job last hasn't exactly been replaced.  We're still behind in our Mortgage and trying to catch up, as with our other legal obligations.  I can't work because of various health conditions, or I would, including a part time job at least.  My husband started his own company with the tools of the trade, and now contracts for copier, computer, IT technical jobs as he has a computer science degree, and has years of experience in the others, especially the wide format copier / printers / computers.

People, please read the Fair Debt Collector Practices Act; if a Debt Collector violates any one harrassment or other law in there; Federal Laws says you can sue them for $1,000.00 per violation.  Do it, and then THEY can pay off YOUR obligations!!!  

Please email me at com.gmail@mommypettlc (tlcpetmommy) for help with individual questions.  Again I am not an Attorney - but have learned these by my own experiences.  There are Attorneys you could talk to, and I would, if any violations of the laws have occured in your circumstances.  I am posting this strictly to help others maybe have a piece of mind, if they are up all night worrying about financial problems, and sick to their stomach in worry as I have been, and still are in some ways. I am again just a well informed, knowledgable consumer, who has spent hours studying the laws, because I had no where else to turn for help.  If anything I have written, causes you questions, please seek the advice of an Attorney.

Certain situations such as Mortgages and Car Payment loans usually do not apply here; so you may need to seek the advice of a Lawyer for your individual situation.

© copyright 2010 rcmeek All Rights Reserved

Like I said before in my last post I got a real aggressive voicemail that I was being sued in Civil Court and I had to call to settle the debt before the 12th or this guy would personally deliver the summons to my residence or place of employment. Of course I freaked because I would die if they embarassed me at work in front of all of my cooworkers. I couldn't figure out what they had on me. I haven't had anyone contact me about any sort of debts etc. I called this am to find out who they are. The guy answers "IGA" and asks for my social security # and birthdate. He then starts telling me there are 2 charges against me for check fraud that I had to work out. I told him this was a scam and hung up. I applied for a payday loan about 2 years ago so now that I read other posts, I am beginning to make sense of it. What a filthy scam. These people are the lowest scum. I was so upset last night until this all started making sense.

The same exact thing happened to me!! They are ridiculous. This is the first time I ever received a phone call like that and I freaked. Stupid me started crying on the phone and gave them my information to set up payments (that I really truely can't afford). Afterwards, when I'd calmed down I was thinking about everything and realized something just didn't sound right. I don't know how they can threaten to serve me papers on a case that they've never contacted me about for over 3 years. There's no paper trail what so ever and it's not even on my credit report! Plus the chances that they're going to go through the courts and hire a lawyer to settle a $300-$500 loan? Highly unlikely!! I've now canceled my card and I will be reporting them as well. It's not right of them to put people through this.

A woman also called me and said they had some documents for me to sign and that they are in my area. She said that she can come to my job or home to have me sign for it . I called back to the number that was left for me to sign and a guy picked up. He threaten me with a law suit and that it was on behalf of CashNet USA. He started throwing out accusations that I commited check fraud for taking out a pay day loan over the internet and having insufficient funds when the payment was due. He than said that my payment was due in two weeks and that if I didn't pay for it right away that it would go to court. To make matter worst, they even contacted my references and told them about the debt and that if they did not hand over information on where I was at that they would go to my references house and place of employment to get information from them. This made them panic and freak out because they had never dealt with anyone so aggressive and unprofessional. He said that if this is not paid that they will summon my references  because they were an accomplice to me getting this pay day loan and not paying it back. He was so full of crap and was trying really hard to intimidate me. I know this is not check fraud like they threw out  there and it was just a scare tactic for me to pay up right away. The crap that they are pulling violates the FDCA. I reported them to FTC and state attorney general and was advise by an attorney that it was a scam and that they  somehow obtain people's information that applied for pay day loans in the past over the internet through a third party. What's more scary is that they know my personal information including my bank account. I just started to put a fraud alert on everything I have now.

Some one calling themselves James Randolph left a voicemail telling me that there was a civil suit against me and if I didn't call back and settle my "debt" by the 12th, he would personally be coming to my residence or place of work to have a summons signed. He told me I would have to have identification and a Supervisor to witness my signature. This sounds very much like a scam because I can't believe anyone could have the right to demand a supervisor at work to witness something like that. I tried calling back and the message says if you have been notified that you have a lawsuite against you, press #1 for the legal department or 0 for operator. Whatever you do, the phone rings and rings..no answer. I am going to call tomorrow am. I'll bet they want a credit card # for some phony "debt".