The message I received today said "congratulations, you have won a drawing you entered online..." Two things tipped me off that it was bogus. (1) I wouldn't have entered anything online and (2) he gave my name & address but the wrong city.

Same discussion on 9/13/10 with a relative. Saying some pending major charges in Nevada with my SSI#, but they needed my SSI#. more identity scams. used the name of investigator Turner.

called cell phone of a relative....left nothing but threats,,,,did not indentify company....no clue what this is about

Never show your stupidity like that again. People work hard at protecting their personal information, because there are ignorant people in the world who thrive off of identity theft and scamming the innocent. I work hard, earn my living honestly, and deserve for every penny I earn to be protected. I think its a shame you would even make a comment suggesting that anyone who has received a scamming harrassing phone call is somehow at fault. Get off this chat, it's for people who actually care enough to help others if they've actually come across the same stressful situation and to offer moral and legal support.

A debt collector threatened to sue me. Can it do that?

A collection agency can file a lawsuit to collect a debt. However, among the many things a collector is not allowed to do is threaten you with a lawsuit just to get you to pay the debt. Examples of threats and deceptive practices prohibited by the FDCPA are when the collector:

   * Says it will garnish your wages or sell your property if it is not legal to do that.
   * Says it will sue you, if the collector doesn't intend to sue.
   * Is not truthful about the amount of money you owe.
   * Says you will be arrested if you don't pay the debt.
   * Threatens you with violence.

http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs27-debtcoll.htm

lynne is *not* wasting everyone's time but should be commended. Your logic is impeccable but you fail to apply the same in reverse: When you say the sun is blue and people repeat it, the same should also work for me - if I say the sun is yellow, people will believe me as well and will repeat that the sun is yellow, not blue. Advertising works - that's why businesses spend $billions on it - and why it's important that the sun-is-yellow message gets repeated to combat the sun-is-blue crowd.

lynne your wasting everyones time. people these days dont have much  common sense. so when they read your ad they will believe you reguardless if your statements are true or not. if i said the sun was blue people will start saying the sun is blue.

Hence the point up above of real or fake.

you are right, but the company isnt a collection agency... therefore that doesnt apply to them.

This has to be the best Troll Thread I have read all day.

Just remember some important details before you deal with ANY real or fake debt collector;

1. They cannot harass you.
2. They cannot call you at work if you tell them not to
3. They cannot call you more then a couple times a day
4. They must provide an address and the company they are calling from
5. They must provide the name of the business the Debt is for
6. You cannot be arrested while it is still in the Call you process. Paperwork and Court will be completed before anything else happens. Jail time is generally for extreme cases.
7. They cannot call your family members, friends etc if they tell them once not to contact them.
8. They must provide you with a WRITTEN STATEMENT of any Debt that you owe.

Hope this helps, and ignore the people crying about you have to pay or else. They just forgot their breakfast or something.

how is that company fraudulent? scumbags call them all day and not wanting to give the information that was provided for them in the message that was left. if you have a case being filed against you, would you like them to give out your personal business to family and friends? they do it so there not publicizing your business and letting everyone know what a scumbag you really are....  congrats and have fun getting 3 hots and a cot!

THIS IS A SCAM. DO NOT GIVE INFO OR MONEY. READ UP ON YOUR RIGHTS HERE http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre18.shtm   IF THEY SCREAM AT YOU, SCREAM RIGHT BACK AT THEM! BUY A WHISTLE OR AIR HORN AND BLOWS THEIR EARS OFF - GOD WILL FORGIVE!

Trust you? Why would anyone trust you, you lying scammer? Read all about how you're breaking all the rules here, you lying scammer http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre18.shtm that states:

"Debt collectors also are prohibited from saying that:
   * you will be arrested if you don?t pay your debt;
   * they?ll seize, garnish, attach, or sell your property or wages unless they are permitted by law to take the action and intend to do so; or
   * legal action will be taken against you, if doing so would be illegal or if they don?t intend to take the action."

It means debt collectors *cannot* threaten or imply court action if collectors have no *intention* of taking debtors to court. Now, it's perfectly legal to threaten court action but once the collector threatens, he *must* follow through and take debtors to court. It is *illegal* for collectors to continually threaten court action but never take debtors to court. So go ahead, you lying scammer - take your debtors to court but you *never* do, do you? You threaten to send the sheriff and the sheriff never shows up. You make all sorts of stupid threats but nothing ever happens. Like "deadbeats who dont pay their bills for debts are getting fined" - debtors *cannot* be *fined*, they have to pay their legal debts, perhaps with interest, but they *cannot* be fined, you lying scammer.

Folks, don't give any info or money to this lying scammer. Buy a whistle or air horn and blow up his ears. Read the debt collection rules. If you have legal debt, the worse that can happen is a court will order a structured wage garnishment that may hurt but won't destroy your life (though you may think so). You won't be fined or arrested. Read up on your rights.

trust me- you can go to court now- our economy is that bad - and deadbeats who dont pay their bills for debts are getting fined and charged. so have fun in court and paying thru the nose for a small loan that you took! GOOD LUCK!!!!!

1-877-418-8607....THIS NUMBER IS A FRAUD....DO NOT GIVE THEM ANY OF YOUR INFORMATION!!!!  They called for my son this morning, we called them back and the first thing they wanted was his SS#.  I had my attorney called and ask them questions (posing as my son) and they asking questions they are not suppose to ask if it was a legitimate company.  DO NOT GIVE THEM ANY OF YOUR INFO....BIRTHDATE, SS# ADDRESS....NOTHING.

Check these links for information on the LAWS this collector/SCAMMER is breaking!

Important information YOU must read to protect YOURSELF from debt collectors and their ILLEGAL/Questionable tactics
http://800notes.com/forum/ta-1dfc387cc01e03d/ ... illegal-tactics

Why it is SO IMPORTANT to at least CONSULT with an attorney
http://www.collectorsexposed.com/forum/index.php?/topic/3391-why-we-say-get-a-lawyer/


These links are to attorneys for those being scammed www.naca.net or www.consumerjustice.com/consumer/searchattorneys.aspx

TROLL ALERT

You cannot BE ARRESTED for debt!

The SCAMMERS are the only ones who make these FALSE claims!

TROLL ALERT

The ONLY people that make this CLAIM are the SCAMMERS themselves.

On October 14, 2010 I received a voicemail from a unrestricted / blocked number the gentleman that left the message on my voicemail used a very aggressive tone like he was either an Attorney or a high officer of the law.

He ran off some information about how I was being sued for three federal charges.  He went on to say that I had 24 hours to contact him and that I had been notified.

Because I retrieved the message on October 15, 2010 the first time I called there was an automated message titling a totally different place than what I was told when I called back the second time.

I hung up and called directly back and some very ARROGANT, loud, and very aggressive man going by the name of Lead Investigator McMaster told me that he was from CMS a part of the Cook County Sheriff's Dept.

He had all the information from a old Payday Loan Dept., but told me that I was being charged on three counts of fraud!

At first I was caught off guard for a while and paniced when I heard the FAKE CHARGES because I'm a hardworking clean cut person who has never been in trouble in my life.

Each time I tried to ask questions about my accusers or who the creditor was he would get loud and over talk me.  I have worked in the legal field for over 25 years, and I know that a person who can't pay a debit due to hardship is not a CRIMINAL and that approach to was abnormal.

A debit for any bill can never be twisted into accussing a person of a Federal crime.  

At the end of the conversation he told me that he would give me three days to raise the money to pay my debit, and that he was suppose to send the Sheriff to my home to pick me up.

When I told him that I had never received a Summons & Complaint from the creditor he exploded, and threaten that he would send the Sheriff to my house immediately.

He gave me an altematum and said that I needed to take the deal and come up with the money in three days or he would send the Sheriff.

After some thought I ask him " how does a Cook County Investigator " have the power to settle a debit that you just said was a Federal crime.

I then told him to send the Sheriff and I would wait to have my case heard before the Judge because it was all OUTRAGEOUS ACCUSATIONS AND LIES.

He shouted FINE THE SHERIFF WITH BE TO YOUR HOUSE IN 20 MINUTES!

I waited all night and no one came.

We all need to get together and investigate and press criminal charges against theses people.

That was a horrible experience and I want to encourage everyone to call the " FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION " on these people.

Now I'm very angry about this and I'm going to seek out the FBI about this.

No collecting a debit has the right to terrorize or harrass you this way.

.... just got fired from my job because these @$$holes came to my house friday morning and i had to sit in the holding center until tuesday when the judge can see me. my job works holidays....missed 4 and a half days of work....

Dude - this is a known fraud collection agency - and if you paid them you got scammed!

you have no right to pass judgement as you did. I received a similar call for a loan that was taken out and paid back. I have filed a complaint with the FTC as well as Attorney Generals office. There are people who have somehow hacked and received people private information to make the harassing, threatening calls. The people who represent themselves as some sort of law enforcement official. A legitimate collection agency per the gal I spoke with at the  FTC cannot make the threats they do. They cannot threaten to arrest you or threaten to come to your work and "pick you up". I asked the individual I spoke to--Investigator Herman Edwards for the name of his company, the address and the fax number. I asked him to verify the debt as I had received nothing in the mail from them. He asked for a credit card number. He failed to give me the address despite multiple requests. He failed to give me the name of his company despite multiple requests and he I did get a fax  number only after I was transferred 7 times to "the person that has that information". Upon attempting to fax a cease calling letter and debt verification letter to this individual--it was no surprise the fax number I was given was bogus.
Therefore I may assume that you might be one of the harassing, threatening, a** wipes that called my HR department and told them they had a warrant for my arrest and wanted to know where they could pick me up at, the a** wipe that called my mother in law stating they were on there way to arrest me at work unless she paid them 1400 now by credit card (she almost paid them) , the a***ole that called me 3 times in the same morning leaving horribly threatening voice mails and was equally as threatening when I called him back. Not to mention prior to the one and only day the SOB called my work, my family and me I have not spoken to anyone re: any such debt nor had I received NOT ONE piece of mail stating I owed the money they said I owed. So "hard working" my a**,,,,hard working at trying to scam people or individuals out of money that is not owed and if it is owed they need to do their job properly in accordance with the law. I also told this a** hole if indeed some how this was a debt I did owe I would take care of it once it was verified so HMMMMMMMMMMMM............feel free to call the FTC...they would be more than glad to give you information on the payday loan scams.

My guess would be which payday loan company do you work for? Which bottom feeding collection agency or so called collection/scam agency do you work for. Funny also the phone number attached to these concerns--can't find an address anywhere for them--if it were a valid licensed collection you would be able to find in on an internet search.

sorry to say but there will be some one knocking at your door. they did mine 3 months after i got the phone call- remember the court systems are backed up

I finally spoke to these people this morning. I was so upset I was shaking when I hung up on them. Looks to me that half of these post are from this place. Anyways I know to never give my ss# over the phone and this jack*** yelled at me for not. Then yelled there would be a police officer knocking at my door in 10 minutes. Well in that 10 minutes I called my local court house and they said I had NO PENDING or OTHER ANYTHING! She said if it was her she would call the police and make them aware of this scam. I've never heard of any detective taking any payments! LMFAO! Even if you do or I owe a debt, this is not the way it is taken care of. Go ahead and take me to court then things can LEGALLY be set up in a payment plan, you can pay 5 dollars a month if thats all you can afford. After all isnt that why people get behind? Job loss, health problems, ect. and this is how america has fallen so deep into debt. NOBODY has NOT been hit by the ression. After you pay these people there will still be the same "4 charges" that it appears everyone has. Good luck to you low life scum. Better yet GOOD LUCK to anyone else they call. OH and by the way.......nobody had knocked at my door.

The thing is no one has the right to talk to anyone the way thses people do. They do not have the right to give my info to whom ever the like. I as recived a call from this number today and also back in November '09. The guy was so rude it is amazing even he has that job. Today the guy was nice, but he gave ALL my info to a 14 yr old girl. The are not professional at all.

I got a call from cheif investigator smith saying that a case has been filed agaisnt my ssi and to call back with in 24 hours or they will send it to court and that i have been served so i tried to call but all i got was a answering machine

Harassment and Fraud are Prohibited
State law prohibits the use of harassment and abusive collection tactics. It is illegal for any debt collector to:

threaten violence or other criminal acts;
use profane or obscene language;
falsely accuse the consumer of fraud or other crimes;
threaten arrest of the consumer, or repossession or other seizure of property without proper court proceedings;
use the telephone to harass debtors by calling anonymously or making repeated or continuous calls;
make collect telephone calls without disclosing the true name of the caller before the charges are accepted.
The use of fraudulent or deceptive practices is also prohibited, including:

using a false name or identification;
misrepresenting the amount of the debt or its judicial status;
sending documents to a debtor that falsely appear to be from a court or other official agency;
failing to identify who holds the debt;
misrepresenting the nature of the services rendered by the collection agency or the collector;
falsely representing that the collector has information or something of value in order to discover information about the consumer.

http://www.oag.state.tx.us/consumer/debt_collection.shtml

fred, the funny thing is why are so worried that im on here within 20 minutes and if you are not a person that has taken out one of these loans, why are you on here at all. the reason is your not mr. perfect and i think you should call them and take care of your debt before you get a knock at your door. SEEMS TO ME YOUR A LITTLE WORRIED OR SCARED about what will happen to you. well do yourself a favor mr. perfect and call.

And you're here for a 2nd time in 20 minutes... why?
No, I'm here because I got a 2nd call in 2 hours from these idiots for a debt they say was incurred 5 years ago by someone with my name. Problem is, that from 2003 through 2008 I was living in a totally different country.
Oh, and for your info Mr or Mrs Troll, I have never been to Jail, Never gotten so much as a parking ticket and am living comfortably 100% debt Free. Own my own house, car, no credit cards that have any balance owed on them at all.

Go back to trolling the phone numbers that you guys have programmed to show up on peoples caller ID and posting these 10000% inaccurate posts.

fred, it seems to that you must owe on one of these debts or you would not be on this site. trust me community service does apply here and they do garnish your wages. so have fun and ill see you in community service or if you were in trouble before - jail