Got a call on home caller ID for a son who hasn't lived with me for more than 5 years.  Asked that this son call Andrew Banks at his office (Hartford and Associates) at 877-706-7479 to respond to a "phone complaint" against my son at my old home address (I've moved!).  Pretty sure this is the same scam group, so I'll not be returning their phone call and neither will my son!

Yea right Sue

They called my sister first.  They called her cell phone and identified themselves as IPS.  They claimed to be looking for my grandfather to talk to him about a civil suit.  I'm the lawyer in the family, so I called the number back and this time they identified themselves as Hartford & Associates.  They had my name in their database (or so they claim), and I told them to remove it.  When I refused to give them my Grandfather's contact information, they became argumentative and I hung up on them.  Now I read all these posts and I thank God I neither myself nor my sister gave them any info.  We have to stop this.  They are preying on the elderly.

Calling my job and asking for my supervisor.

This company called me yesterday from a 877-706-7479 claiming to be an third party arbitration group from elsa veho (not sure on spelling) California.  they were saying that I was notified which I wasn't and that they will be filing a judgment against me to freeze my accounts. now however I have not been served papers so they cant do that obviously.  now here is the fun part I lookup the company on the department of state and there is no record of this company also I looked in not only my state but California's state bar and no lawyers named Robert brooks work for a Hartford and associates. as well I looked up with the licensing departments they have no license to collect in either my state or theirs. further more he got mad when I requested information as well as he couldn't even spell his companies name when I asked if it was and or & he said its either or doesn't matter. lol it does for licensing purposes.  all I have to say is if your going to step into my ring you better be ready to box.

WOW can't spell either...just saying. :)

Please do File reports with the FBI, your state attorney general and Department Of Justice,CFB,FTC & FCC..

http://www.nw3c.org/
http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx
http://www.fbi.gov/
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#&panel1-1
https://esupport.fcc.gov/ccmsforms/form1088.action
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/

Also read up on the laws and your rights:

http://800notes.com/arts/Jb8EW-eDhQA/harassin ... ou-need-to-know
See Residents post here also:
http://800notes.com/forum/ta-34af6a034ba34b6/unending-collection-calls
Templates of Letters:
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-319-242-7350

http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fdcpajump.shtm
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb/search ...
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/pdf-0096-fair-credit-reporting-act.pdf
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0149-debt-collection

And see:
http://800notes.com/forum/ta-944ec1426a8bcbb/ ... service-attacks
************
http://www.clarkhoward.com/news/clark-howard/ ... r-phones/ndF4c/
*****************
http://www.net-security.org/article.php?id=1828
***************
http://800notes.com/forum/ta-86217073a9c8dad/ ... 077595690349410
************
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0258-fake-debt-collectors
************
http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/pressreleases/extortion_scam.htm
******************
http://www.fdcpa.me/fake-process-server-injunction/
******************
http://800notes.com/forum/ta-9413b3202bc8b6c/ ... net%27s-tactics
*******************
http://dfi.wa.gov/consumers/alerts/cashnet-payday.htm
*****
http://www.cashnetusa.com/consumer-notices
*****
http://800notes.com/forum/ta-4f7d326029dcf9d/ ... lectors-finally
**************
Extortion Scam Related to Delinquent Payday Loans

Washington, D.C.
December 07, 2010  FBI National Press Office
(202) 324-3691

? filed under: Press Release

The Internet Crime Complaint Center has received many complaints from victims of payday loan telephone collection scams. Callers claim the victim is delinquent in a payday loan and must repay the loan to avoid legal consequences. The callers purport to be representatives of the FBI, Federal Legislative Department, various law firms, or other legitimate-sounding agencies. They claim to be collecting debts for companies such as United Cash Advance, U.S. Cash Advance, U.S. Cash Net, and other Internet check-cashing services.

According to complaints received from the public, the callers have accurate data about victims, including Social Security numbers, dates of birth, addresses, employer information, bank account numbers, and the names and telephone numbers of relatives and friends. How the fraudsters obtained the personal information varies, but in some cases victims have reported they completed online applications for other loans or credit cards before the calls started.

The fraudsters relentlessly call the victim?s home, cell phone, and place of employment. They refuse to provide any details about the alleged payday loans and become abusive when questioned. The callers have threatened victims with legal actions, arrests, and, in some cases, physical violence if they do not pay. In many cases, the callers harass victims? relatives, friends, and employers.

This is all very interesting to me. Today my boss sent me a text saying he received a phone call saying I was scheduled to be served today. He said he would not accept the papers and I was REQUIRED to call 877-725-0245. I called it rang several times finally went to a recording Hartfort and associates. I just decided to Google the name and thankfully the only info I really found was this. It is illegal WHAT they are doing. Threats defamation of character.

Mel, I was wondering what ended up happening with that company that  harassed you, because they have been calling me, and saying their has been a complaint filed against me, which makes no sense to me. So, was just curious of if anything else happened with them. Thanks!

Got a call crom hartford asspciates they gave me a file # an d say for me to call twm they have. A filling agaimst me.    I pqn a small loan havint been able to pay off what to do
)

wow you are an idiot since you are the one making the calls

Speaking of idiots - how about one who can not write a simple sentence?????  WOW, baby!!!!!

SCAM = wow's comment.

Only an IDIOT would call others - unknown to it - idiots.

It's too easy to beat a drum for "personal responsibility" yet demand nothing of the sort from companies which place the responsible at a disadvantage. Lawful debt collection is a process, not an ambush. Alleged debtors are due a chance at each stage to raise a dispute. That's how "responsible" adults solve their problems. You, on the other hand, support browbeating, trickery, and terror to get what you want, facts be damned. The real story is that people informed of their rights frighten you, so you've come running here four weeks late to start a playground fight. Sorry, no takers.

Love and hugs, one of the "loosers" [sic]

.... demanded the grade school dropout who deploys lies and illegal threats in lieu of any realistic debt validation.

Pay it it's not a scam all these people are idiots they just don't wanted to take responsibility so the easy way out is to say its a scam..

You people are all just a bunch of loosers period..all of a sudden u dont remember what accout they are talking about but u idiots spent the money real good with no problem now that u have to be responsible and pay it back ur clueless haha yeah ok u bunch of loosers grow up be responsible for what u owe idiots .

Total scam.  Just ignore 'em.   A lot of 'em use this area code for these kinds of scams.

I got a call from "Hartfotd and Associates" today and when I politely told him I needed a couple of days to research this "debt" he kept interrupting me as I was trying to let him know I would contact him in a few days after I had a chance to research what he had said I owed. He got belligerent with me, spouted off where I worked and what position I held and told me "I eat guys like you for breakfast" at which point I told him to "eat me then" and hung up. He called my number 4x after I hung up. Never heard of a professional legitimate collector being truly belligerent and disrespectful when I ask for a few days to do my own research and then repeatedly call back in an attempt to harass me.

Per the FDCPA, do NOT pay any caller who refuses to MAIL a debt validation letter showing you owe a debt and that your caller has the legal right to collect said debt.  Just because you get a call and they spout off your information does not make them the legitimate owner of the alleged debt.  Please read:

Consumers across the country report that they're getting telephone calls from people trying to collect on loans the consumers never received or on loans they did receive but for amounts they do not owe. Others are receiving calls from people seeking to recover on loans consumers received but where the creditors never authorized the callers to collect for them. So what's the story?

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.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0258-fake-debt-collectors

I received a call today from  a private number and I was told I must contact 877-725-0245 with a file number. When I did I was put on hold 2x's and they told me I owe on a credit card and must pay them or I would be served papers and have to go to court. They said I owed a company that had me as a charge off. What does a person do when the caller has a legitimate company that you owe.

I to got a call from nick saying I had a credit card opened 3 years ago in collections and they were serving me papers at work he also told this to my supervisor the number is 877-725-0245 I told him I never had an account and certainly not in the last 3 years he told me I was a damn liar and they were going to sue me. I told him to cease and desist any communication that was not through the US mail he said they mailed several letters and someone was opening my mail and throwing it away. [ and just how would he know this] then wanted my email I told him I didn't have one. they continue to call and leave messages when I called the number back they answer corporate when I ask "corporate of what company" they say its just corporate. I called after 10 and got a voicemail and it says Hartford and Associates. This "Nick" was pretty pushy and demanding I provide my checking account info t him I told him this is not mine and he's not getting anything. He said well we will just serve papers on you then! First of all I don't have any credit cards and second this is illegal as it can be! I am contacting my AG's office and the FTC! beware never give out your information!

I got a call from number 8777250245 on my cell phone. It showed up as unknown but they left a message. First the message was from Matt Johnson about a property in my name (Ive never owned a property) then when I call back I get a Rob Brooks from Hartford and Associates and he says its about credit card that has been in collections. First its about a property now a credit card make up your mind! This credit card that he spoke off has been charged off. He said a judgment was being filed to garnish my wages. First of all, in most states you cannot garnish wages for credit card debt. And there has to be a judgment, I have to be served, appear in court etc for them to be able to garnish my wages, that is definitely not something that is done overnight. So I told him that the call is being recorded, I told him that when I looked up this number it appears to be a scam, and told him my research about garnishing wages and he said, have a nice day and hung up on me. Hmmm...something I just don't see a real lawyer doing.

I was able to file a complaint against Hartford & Associates 877-725-0245 with the Consurmer Financial Protection Bureau without their address. Will see what happens.

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.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0258-fake-debt-collectors

They called me today at work asking for my director, who happened to be out of the office today. They wanted me to have her call them back so they could get information to serve a summons on an employee (me). I told them they could talk to me because my director would not be calling them back. Then they told me I was breaking he law if I didn't deliver the message to her. The also mentioned at the beginning of the call they were with Independent Process Servers (IPS) a software delivery company. I called them back and asked the name of the business & they gave Hartford & Associates, then I asked for their mailing address and they refused to give it to me. I can't file a complaint with the State Attorney's General Office without their address & they redirected the conversation back to "we just talked to you and you need to have your supervisor call us" at which point I hung up on them.

These punks called my work today and told HR they were going to serve me at work yet they have completely failed to provide and documentation of who they are and the purpose of their over bearing calls.
Anyone know if they can legally call your place of work and harass or "serve" you there?

Scammers.  First of all, they violated the FDCPA by calling your supervisor and disclosing the reason they were calling.  Secondly, no one gets a heads up that a summons will be served - the court process server just shows up.  Report the caller to the FTC, FBI, Dept of Justice and your state's Attorney General.  And NEVER pay any caller who refuses to mail proof that you owe a debt and that they have the legal right to collect said debt.  That is another violation of the FDCPA - the burden of proof is on the collector to prove you owe them money.

Sue you obviously work for this company. Please know your laws before you try to post something on here calling your company legit. No company but a goverment agency can freeze someones bank account. You would have to have an asset search done first and a judgement filed long before but good effort to try to deceive even more. SCAMMERS

Print this page and show it to your HR department and to your supervisor.  Give them the link to this site.  With a little luck they will believe you when you say you don't own any money and you are not able to stop the calls.