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

These people left me a message at work (I was out of the office).  The caller said his name was Alexander Judge and he was calling regarding some "papers that just came across his desk" with my name on them, regarding FRAUDULENT ACTIVITY!  So I called them back at the number and extension he had left (866.219.8497 ext 353) had to leave a message with an "Investigator Jason Chambers".  

I was pretty freaked out, trying to think of ANY time I may have accidentally put wrong financial information on a loan application or something.  Fraud is pretty serious, so I was scared!!

Then I decided to Google "First National Arbitration Services" as that is where Alexander had called from (Investigator Jason has used some other Arbitration Services name).  I'm relieved to see that this is just a scam, and I will definitely be reporting them in every way that I can.  

I'm glad this information is out there to help scared consumers such as myself!!!  I appreciate everyone's posts!!!

First of all cash advances are high risk loans, so they cannot sue you for it, worse case it could become a judgement. Second, The government puts laws in place to protect consumers from these places if they cannot repay.

I owe money, took an advance and couldn't pay it back...to bad so sad! Life is hard right now! And clearly the comments that state to pay your bills are from the bill collectors, life is so unhappy you have to be a blood sucker and go after people that are having it hard and trying to trick them into thinking that they will have charges against them if they don't pay.

Fraudulent bill collector.  They gather old bills and try to collect from them.  They barely have any information and they do their best to get info from you.  If they ask any questions regarding what city/county, verify your address, etc., DO NOT ANSWER.  They will write down anything you tell them.  Ask them to fax you all of the information or send it via certified letter....THEY WON'T.  They will just try to get you to pay them something for a bill they aren't even authorized to collect on.  They say things like, "I have a warrant" or "we are getting ready to go to court".  They don't have enough info to do that, nor is it legal.  Advise them you have just record their conversation and see how fast they hang up!!!  They are suppose to sound mean and nasty and threatening...that's how they get your money.  DO NOT ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THEY ASK OF YOU!!!  You start asking them questions and see what happens and how fast they hang up.  You won't hear from them again.

This office is a complete scam operated by Jamie C***s. He is a convicted felon and a drunk. He works along side a drug abuser named Justin Tata who worked with many other corrupt and failed agencies. They have been pulling the scam that a process server is on the way and the only way to stop them is to contact the petitioners office. The "process servers" and petitioners are in the same office and is all part of the scam to get you to call. Tell them that you will wait for the process server, get as much info as possible and send it to the attorney general. There is already a federal investigation open. Their lines are monitored and they will be in prison. Watch the news they have enough interstate felonies to go away for a long time. Help put an end to these uneducated thieves. Do not pay a dime and if you did you are entitled to your money back. They will be prosecuted. They are breaking the law and the more charges brought against them the longer they go away. Federal sentencing already has them for a good 20 year stint. Good Luck

Yeah, how can we take your message seriously when you type like a preteen girl?
Too lazy to spell out "you" and "your"?
You scammers certainly look for random victims, whether or not they owe anything.

*Those saying to "pay your bills" obviously have no training in critical thinking so STFU.

1) Most of the posters above clearly state the calls are random and they don't owe anyone anything.
2) These scammers buy defunct charge off information for pennies and make it an personal business to follow up under the umbrella of the fake "First National" name. Most of the time their info is oudated and they are calling anyone and don't care - chances are they can find someone who can't recall if they wrote a bad check 10 years ago and the callers try to get them to pay for non existant debts.
3) Even if you bounced a check or something many years ago and the company charged it off, the charge off is final. You owe nothing after that. Especially if it's under $50. It is on no record at all - anything under $50 is a pure lie if they tell you you owe.
4) If they can get you to say you owe anything, or might - or if you discuss payment plans you are on the hook. Ignore the MF's. Do not talk to them.
5) I have a new phone number. These frauds call and leave nasty messages on it constantly for the prior owner, I ignore them. The more frantic they get, the funnier it gets.

DO NOT TALK TO THESE COLLECTORS, THEY ARE A TOTAL SCAM AND DON"T CARE IF YOU ARE THE RIGHT PERSON - THEY WILL TRY TO STEAL MONEY FROM YOU.

And trollers - eff off. Noone owes you anything either. If you want to yammer about responsibility and productivity, first get yourself a dictionary and make an attempt to learn to spell. Maybe then if you want to parade your ignorance, someone might take you seriously..

Start paying on your cash advances losers and u wouldn't get calls...u think ur name comes up randomly...no...ur on the loser list....pay ur bills idiots and u wouldn't get calls....ur bank knows what u did..tell the whole story...instead of justifying ur actions

They have been calling me for the last two weeks from their 5853660556 number.

I was called from their other number 585-366-0556 with the same message including the 1800 number for a return call. They called back to back. When they call again, cause im sure they will lookin at other post, I will collect as much info as possible and report them to the "proper authorities"

These pricks just called my 80 year old grandmother and told her that I was writing bad checks and that there was a warrant out for my arrest.  I have a box of checks, I can count on one hand how many of them I've used since I opened the account.  I knew this was a scam.  I spoke to some jack*** named Melvin Jackson at 866-769-7008 from this company.  I was told that my case was already sent to litigation.  I started laughing which this Melvin Jackson didn't like.  He said "Is somethin' funny?"  I said, "Yeah, what's your address."  He got defensive, real quick.  "EXCUSE ME?"  I said, "Again, in plain, well spoken and articulated English... what is your address?"  "What the f*** do you want it for?"  I said, "for your cease and desist letter"  The guy then went ballistic, yelling, profanities, threats... it was funny.  The more he lost it, the more I laughed.  These guys are a joke and a scam.  I'm not sending them a DIME.  Just thought I'd put in my .02.

these guys called me and left a message saying detective zacamino was trying to locate me for a criminal matter that i should call back and give a account number he gave or he was going to let the court attorney press charges and that i had to comply within 72 hours. i called back and the person who answered said he would transfere me when the detective answered he didnt have my file and would have to call back in a while when i did call back he answered portraying a detective and that if i went to walmart and did a money gram express he would watch for it then release me of any further obligation and the court would drop the charges  i almost did this untill i looked the company up online and found these phone numbers to be for first national arbitration services i imediatly call an attorney to have him handle it  these guy use any attempts to get you these guys didnt even know where in the country i live and i wasnt about to tell them

These people have been calling me for over 3 years now and won't stop.  They keep leaving mesages that I am going to be served, and the Eastern Indian people calling even threatened my supervisor at work.  They were repeatedly asked by the Director of my work site to not call there anymore, yet they continued to do so.  The messages all say it's for writing bad checks, but I haven't written a check in over FIVE years and none were returned.  The current messages are a recording (American at least) and not even stating a name anymore, they say "This is First National Arbitration with a very important message for _________.  Please contact our office within 24 hours to discuss bad checks written on your account.  If we do not hear from you within 24 hours, we will be forced to serve you with papers at your job or home."

I just got a call and they are a scam!!!!!  i have check protection on all my accounts!!!!!!!!

How do you know she hasnt paid her bill and they are a scam.... tried to rip my sister off and she never applied or requested any type of loan, maybe its guilt talking on your part.... maybe you have stole money or not paid your bills

KEIRRA K SULLIVAN you should pay you bills and not steal money

They called me today and tried to say that I owed money for a payday loan. I do.t even right checks so.I told the to send me to court!!! I asked for their address they couldn't even give me that, its a scam.

They keep calling my house saying that they are a sheriff and I have a court date today
And now they say they are an arbitration service all lies

LOSERS CALLING MY WORK AND THREATING THIS IS THE LAST CALL THEN WE ARE COMING TO GET YOU IN THE THICKEST EAST INDIAN VOICE. HEY DUMB A** I REFUSE TO CALL BECASUE I DONT OWE YOU ANYTHING. THE PAYDAY LOANS OR ANY OTHER DEBT CAN BE SOLD TO A 3RD PARTY AND THEN THIS IS WHAT YOU GET. SHOULDNT BE ALLOWED BUT THEY GET AWAY WITH IT.

HE DID SAY GOOD LUCK TO YOU IF YOU OR YOUR ATTY DONT CALL OH YES FUNNY COMING FROM HIM "GOD BLESS YOU" LOL CMON ON BUDDY GO BACK TO INDIA OR WHERE EVER.

I had recieved a call from these same people a few wks ago saying that i was going to get served for not paying back a payday loan from 2009. And this was a message on a recording, so i barely checked my answering machine today cause its been turned off for a few wks, and said i had two days to respond to them or i was gonna get served. I called cause i was confused as to why they were calling, and they start trying to set up payment plans and i couldnt do any of the plans they wanted. right away they were trying to get my bank acct info and credit card info to set up payments... which i didnt do cause i said i dont have the money to pay it back right now! So he suggested i go get a pre paid credit card and start making the payments from that. Once i said thats not gonna work for me i dont have the money he said ok i'm just trying to help you out so we'll be sending out a summons tomorrow... I'm still confused as to if that was a real attourney's office??

Calls started last week from this number for a friend who moved out near a yr ago.
At first the message on the machine was from a male that said his name was R. Nichols and he was calling regarding a legal matter, and they wanted to settle it out of court they could, otherwise he was going to file papers in 3 days on the 16th. he said call the following number 877-801-8409 and stated it was the phone number to the Petitioners Office. The call sounded odd to me, especially since he called twice, and the first time he screwed up the message like he was reading from cue cards....long pause for about 30 seconds and stumbling over his words...Then the second time he got it all out...After playing the messages back I noticed both were exactly the same word for WORD! Literally....I called my friend and told them about the call, and later in the day I looked the number up and found as expected it was the not the petetioners office but FIRST NATIONAL ARBITRATION SERVICE...Days passed as did the 16th of March with no more calls...Which was supposed to be the cut off date or whatever...Calls resumed yesterday which was March 21st, same guy still saying he is R. Nichols and they really need to call the petitioners office at the number 877-801-8409 and take care of this legal matter...Called again today and said this is the final notice and they are filing something and they would be showing up at their home and or workplace to serve them papers. The last call that came through was this awfully put together automated message saying this is first national arbitration service calling you to inform you that the filing status has changed for file number so and so. It sounded like someone created it with a text to speech program on the computer, not a human voice at all. If im correct I truly can't see someone ho is trying to serve someone legal papers, giving them phone calls and heads up about it! Makes no sense...Lets tell you where we are going to serve you, this way so you can't be there! LOL....Ive heard recently about all these scams coming from 1-877 numbers and others...has anyone else got the automated phone call from these people?

These people are a fraud.  DO NOT PAY THEM AT ALL!!!!!! 1st national arbitration services my a**.  FAKE FAKE FAKE.. REPORT THEM TO New York Attorney General...They will shut these blood suckers from Buffalo, NY down immediatly....