This number belongs to a law firm that apparently specializes in collections. They keep calling us even though we have told them many times that the person they are looking for doesn't live here. Today, when I again tried to explain that the individual they are calling do NOT live here, I was told they'd stop calling us just as soon as we gave them a number on the person they are trying to reach. We don't have a number!!!! These people are mean and obnoxious and shouldn't be allowed to call themselves lawyers. They are thugs!!!

Got a call this morning.

Thanks!! The point is I need to contact that people, I want or not . I owned that money . I want to pay,but I dont know how contact these people, they always call other persons no me.

THEY ARE A KNOWN SCAM DEBT COLLECTOR - JUNK DEBT BUYER - NOT LICENSED ANYWHERE

REPORT ALL CALLS TO NY ATTORNEY GENERAL ASAP AS WELL AS YOUR STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL

Your State Attorney General
State Attorney General is every state they have offices

Link to all State Attorney General Websites www.naag.org

If you or they are located in NY ? use this SPECIAL Link  www.NYDebtHelp.com
This special website was created by NY AG Andrew Cuomo specifically for reporting illegal debt collection practices.  HE?S CRACKING DOWN AND SHUTTING THEM DOWN!

http://www.consumerjustice.com/consumer/agencydetail.aspx?id=7439
Wheat Law Office, LLC (Scott Bryan)  
3719 Union Rd Suite # 216
Cheektowaga, New York, 14225
www.mpelaw.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phone No.  877-847-6680 877-877-3074 410-296-4237-MD 410-823-2480-MD  
Fax 716-684-8186  

Scott B. Wheat, Attorney (Licensed in NY & MD)  

Junk debts & payday loan collector.

Collects for Eastern Asset (now Northern) Management)

NO license or bond found anywhere.

Interesting how he can live and work in MD, yet have a 'LAW OFFICE' in New York State.

Received complaints that collectors are notifying third parties about debts, including faxes to employers.  

Aliases Other Locations

Margolis, Pritzker, Epstein, & Blatt,
110 West Road, Suite 222 Towson, Maryland 21204



THE CORRECT WAY TO HANDLE COLLECTION CALLS AND ILLEGAL TACTICS

HANDLE IT CORRECTLY AND THEY WILL END UP PAYING YOU

READ DEALING WITH DEBT COLLECTORS, RECORDING CALLS AND STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS BY STATE

You can also post your questions here http://www.collectorsexposed.com/forum/   NEW URL!    

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

Debt Collectors DO NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS INFORMATION!    
The INFORMED CONSUMER IS THE DEBT COLLECTORS WORST ENEMY!

Dealing with Debt Collectors
Http://www.budhibbs.com/First.htm    
    
Statute of Limitations by State ? always double check YOUR OWN STATE Government Website
http://www.budhibbs.com/statute_of_limitations.htm

Recording calls from Debt Collectors - always double check YOUR OWN STATE Government Website
http://www.budhibbs.com/record.htm


From Federal Trade Commission Website ? FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT
Debt Collection FAQs: A Guide for Consumers
If you?re behind in paying your bills, or a creditor?s records mistakenly make it appear that you are, a debt collector may be contacting you.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation?s consumer protection agency, enforces the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which prohibits debt collectors from using abusive, unfair, or deceptive practices to collect from you.
Under the FDCPA, a debt collector is someone who regularly collects debts owed to others. This includes collection agencies, lawyers who collect debts on a regular basis, and companies that buy delinquent debts and then try to collect them.
Here are some questions and answers about your rights under the Act.

What types of debts are covered?
The Act covers personal, family, and household debts, including money you owe on a personal credit card account, an auto loan, a medical bill, and your mortgage. The FDCPA doesn?t cover debts you incurred to run a business.

Can a debt collector contact me any time or any place?
No. A debt collector may not contact you at inconvenient times or places, such as before 8 in the morning or after 9 at night, unless you agree to it. And collectors may not contact you at work if they?re told (orally or in writing) that you?re not allowed to get calls there.

How can I stop a debt collector from contacting me?
If a collector contacts you about a debt, you may want to talk to them at least once to see if you can resolve the matter ? even if you don?t think you owe the debt, can?t repay it immediately, or think that the collector is contacting you by mistake. If you decide after contacting the debt collector that you don?t want the collector to contact you again, tell the collector ? in writing ? to stop contacting you. Here?s how to do that:
Make a copy of your letter. Send the original by certified mail, and pay for a ?return receipt? so you?ll be able to document what the collector received. Once the collector receives your letter, they may not contact you again, with two exceptions: a collector can contact you to tell you there will be no further contact or to let you know that they or the creditor intend to take a specific action, like filing a lawsuit. Sending such a letter to a debt collector you owe money to does not get rid of the debt, but it should stop the contact. The creditor or the debt collector still can sue you to collect the debt.

Can a debt collector contact anyone else about my debt?
If an attorney is representing you about the debt, the debt collector must contact the attorney, rather than you. If you don?t have an attorney, a collector may contact other people ? but only to find out your address, your home phone number, and where you work. Collectors usually are prohibited from contacting third parties more than once. Other than to obtain this location information about you, a debt collector generally is not permitted to discuss your debt with anyone other than you, your spouse, or your attorney.

What does the debt collector have to tell me about the debt?
Every collector must send you a written ?validation notice? telling you how much money you owe within five days after they first contact you. This notice also must include the name of the creditor to whom you owe the money, and how to proceed if you don?t think you owe the money.

Can a debt collector keep contacting me if I don?t think I owe any money?
If you send the debt collector a letter stating that you don?t owe any or all of the money, or asking for verification of the debt, that collector must stop contacting you. You have to send that letter within 30 days after you receive the validation notice. But a collector can begin contacting you again if it sends you written verification of the debt, like a copy of a bill for the amount you owe.

What practices are off limits for debt collectors?
Harassment. Debt collectors may not harass, oppress, or abuse you or any third parties they contact. For example, they may not:
    use threats of violence or harm;
    publish a list of names of people who refuse to pay their debts (but they can give this information to the credit reporting companies);
    use obscene or profane language; or
    repeatedly use the phone to annoy someone.

False statements. Debt collectors may not lie when they are trying to collect a debt. For example, they may not:
    falsely claim that they are attorneys or government representatives;
    falsely claim that you have committed a crime;
    falsely represent that they operate or work for a credit reporting company;
    misrepresent the amount you owe;
    indicate that papers they send you are legal forms if they aren?t; or
    indicate that papers they send to you aren?t legal forms if they are.

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.

Debt collectors may not:
    give false credit information about you to anyone, including a credit reporting company;
    send you anything that looks like an official document from a court or government agency if it isn?t; or
    use a false company name.

Unfair practices. Debt collectors may not engage in unfair practices when they try to collect a debt. For example, they may not:
    try to collect any interest, fee, or other charge on top of the amount you owe unless the contract that created your debt ? or your state law ? allows the charge;
    deposit a post-dated check early;
    take or threaten to take your property unless it can be done legally; or
    contact you by postcard.

Can I control which debts my payments apply to?
Yes. If a debt collector is trying to collect more than one debt from you, the collector must apply any payment you make to the debt you select. Equally important, a debt collector may not apply a payment to a debt you don?t think you owe.

Can a debt collector garnish my bank account or my wages?
If you don?t pay a debt, a creditor or its debt collector generally can sue you to collect. If they win, the court will enter a judgment against you. The judgment states the amount of money you owe, and allows the creditor or collector to get a garnishment order against you, directing a third party, like your bank, to turn over funds from your account to pay the debt.
Wage garnishment happens when your employer withholds part of your compensation to pay your debts. Your wages usually can be garnished only as the result of a court order. Don?t ignore a lawsuit summons. If you do, you lose the opportunity to fight a wage garnishment.

Can federal benefits be garnished?
Many federal benefits are exempt from garnishment, including:
    Social Security Benefits
    Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefits
    Veterans? Benefits
    Civil Service and Federal Retirement and Disability Benefits
    Service Members? Pay
    Military Annuities and Survivors? Benefits
    Student Assistance
    Railroad Retirement Benefits
    Merchant Seamen Wages
    Longshoremen?s and Harbor Workers? Death and Disability Benefits
    Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Benefits
    Compensation for Injury, Death, or Detention of Employees of U.S. Contractors Outside the U.S.
    Federal Emergency Management Agency Federal Disaster Assistance
But federal benefits may be garnished under certain circumstances, including to pay delinquent taxes, alimony, child support, or student loans.

Do I have any recourse if I think a debt collector has violated the law?
You have the right to sue a collector in a state or federal court within one year from the date the law was violated. If you win, the judge can require the collector to pay you for any damages you can prove you suffered because of the illegal collection practices, like lost wages and medical bills. The judge can require the debt collector to pay you up to $1,000, even if you can?t prove that you suffered actual damages. You also can be reimbursed for your attorney?s fees and court costs. A group of people also may sue a debt collector as part of a class action lawsuit and recover money for damages up to $500,000, or one percent of the collector?s net worth, whichever amount is lower. Even if a debt collector violates the FDCPA in trying to collect a debt, the debt does not go away if you owe it.

What should I do if a debt collector sues me?
If a debt collector files a lawsuit against you to collect a debt, respond to the lawsuit, either personally or through your lawyer, by the date specified in the court papers to preserve your rights.

Where do I report a debt collector for an alleged violation?
Report any problems you have with a debt collector to your state Attorney General?s office (www.naag.org) and the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov). Many states have their own debt collection laws that are different from the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Your Attorney General?s office can help you determine your rights under your state?s law.

For More Information
To learn more about debt collection and other credit-related issues, visit www.ftc.gov/credit and MyMoney.gov, the U.S. government?s portal to financial education.
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad
February 2009

File complaints with

Federal Trade Commission  https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/FTC_Wizard.aspx?Lang=en

Your State Attorney General
State Attorney General is every state they have offices

Link to all State Attorney General Websites www.naag.org

If you or they are located in NY ? use this SPECIAL Link  www.NYDebtHelp.com
This special website was created by NY AG Andrew Cuomo specifically for reporting illegal debt collection practices.  HE?S CRACKING DOWN AND SHUTTING THEM DOWN!
    
Also report your calls and contacts with debt collectors at http://www.budhibbs.com/index.html  If the company is listed under agencies ? report there. If not on the list YET, click on Watchlist! and add to the list.   You can also post here http://www.collectorsexposed.com/forum2/index.php?board=2.0

This people was calling many times my friend, the last message was "She has finally court on Monday" , I never recieved letters or somenthing. I try to contact that company but they have answe machine. Somebody have more information about this company?

I've never heard of that before, but that is a great idea.

Another potential violation could be naming and operating their collection agency as a law firm.  Some junk debt collection agencies include a legal term in the name of their agency to trick people into believing that it is a lawyer calling.  Thus we see names such as, "The Law Office of Xxxx" and "Xxxx Legal Actions."  

Some debt collectors will refer to themselves as "litigators" to falsely imply they are lawyers.  Others will answer the phone "law office" or "legal department."  Others will state that they are about to drop papers in "your county" if you don't pay, as if they were attorneys.  It's usually B*S* meant to scare, confuse, and dazzle the unsuspecting citizen.  

In many cases the junk debt buyers are trying to squeeze money out of old debts that are beyond the statutes of limitation or are trying to extort an unwitting third party into paying someone else's old debt.  There is much consumer fraud in this business, so BEWARE.  Always ask that written verification be sent to you establishing that the debt is yours.  In most cases, there is no written documentation.   Your name (or someone else with the same name) is usually just an entry on a spreadsheet or computer screen, with the amount they allege that is owed, and maybe some other misc info about the debt.  This is not proof of anything and they will almost always ignore your request for validation because they have no actual legal proof.  

Check out this news story on a debt collector who was sending notices under guise of a lawyer's letterhead:

http://www.collectorsexposed.com/forum/index.php?/topic/3265-judge-rules-on-mis-leading-letterhead/

A PA Judge has Ruled Collection Letterhead Can be an FDCPA Violation
June 18, 2010

A federal judge has ruled on the side of the plaintiff in an FDCPA case that involved the use of law firm letterhead in a collection communication, despite a disclosure that stated the case had not been reviewed by an attorney.

That annoying and mis-leading phrase in some collection letters - "an attorney has not yet reviewed your case" needs some clarification, according to a federal magistrate's ruling. The letterhead on collection letters cannot be from a law firm unless an attorney has reviewed the file and the firm is truly poised to file a lawsuit.

That suggests to us there are thousands of suddenly illegal letters passing through the mails.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew J. Smyser, of the Middle District of Pennsylvania, ruled that two collection letters from a New York law firm violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The use of the logo and letterhead gives the false impression to the least sophisticated consumer that an attorney had engaged in meaningful review of the account and was planning to file suit.

-- rest of story is posted on the site

I filed a complaint with the Arizona State Bar Association stating this company has been going though the phone book and calling everyone with my last name.  Proof is inthe fact that called my parents house, both phone numbers, one listed right after the other.  They continued to contact my parents knowing that is not MY number.  Regardless, they are presenting themselves as a law firm with pending legal motions against me and they are not licensed in the state of Arizona.  The Az Bar Association has informed them they now have 10 days to show them why they feel they are allowed to practice law in the state of Arizona or they will be referred to the discipilinary board where formal charges will be brought up.  It would appear what they are doing is "unlawful practice of law" and the Bar Association now wants them to answer for their actions, at least in Arizona they do. I wonder if anyone in other states has gone this route, filing a complaint through their state bar association?

Based on what is posted, the "Offices of Scott Wheat" debt collection agency in the Buffalo area is a shady outfit formed out of the remains of a scam agency called NR Group or National Recovery Group.  They were featured in a CBS news documentary, along with other collectors in the Buffalo area.   The caller is simply trying to to pressure and bluff you through what is called "lying."  He probably is trying to wrongfully attach someone else's debt to you.  They most likely got your information by using a "skiptrace" service.  The next time they call, tell them they have the wrong person and not to call you again.  Then ignore further calls. You can use a computer program like PhoneTrayFree, which is free from cnet.com, to screen your calls.  If the collector actually sends you a notice they have filed a lawsuit, then get a lawyer or look on websites on how you should respond.

Also, be sure to file complaints with the NY Attorney General and FTC on their websites.  An agency that used tactics similar to Scott Wheat was just shut down by the NY AG.  Go to the NY AG website for details.
Good luck.

A man named Mr. Dunn has called me twice now demanding that I pay them $975 for a loan that "I" took out from CashNet USA.  I've never taken out any loans.  He was extremely rude, said that it was too late to do anything about it, that they were going to file a lawsuit in a different county than I live in.  I asked why this particular county, and he said it had to be filed in the county where I resided.  Somehow he now has my work number, called me again today, said I had 24 hours to do something, or they would file suit with the county and I would lose because the judge would wonder why I did nothing.  What does an online loan have to do with a small county in Texas?  The whole thing is very suspect.  What scares me is how much information this guy had on me.  Some of it was wrong, but not all of it.

I spoke to my I.D. theft protection service and she helped me to file 90 day fraud alerts with all of the Credit Agencies.  She also sent me my credit report, and CashNet or anything similar did not appear.  I've decided to ignore the guy.

Any advice?

This company called me on my cell phone and said that there were going to file a federal case against me in the Baltimore County court.  They gave me a case number and wanted me to respond asap. They have also been calling one of my relatives constantly.

Woman Sues Debt Collector, Wins $8.1 Million

by Rogers Cadenhead
Monday, April 05, 2010 at 09:37 AM

At courthouses across the United States, it has become increasingly common during the economic downturn for lawsuits to be filed against consumers to collect old debts. Lawyers who specialize in the practice are filing thousands of suits on behalf of large firms that have acquired debts from other companies. Although most people don't fight the suits and lose them by default, a Dallas woman bucked the trend last October.

Chrystal A. Snow challenged the validity of a $9,000 debt in a Dallas County Court-at-Law and countersued the debt collector for making improper phone calls, her attorney Ross Teter said. In a case that has received no media attention, Snow won her suit against Midland Funding LLC and the jury hearing the case awarded her $8.1 million -- $250 for actual damages, $100,000 for mental anguish and $8 million in punitive damages, he said.

"The jury made a finding she did not owe the debt," Teter said in a phone interview. "We argued that they violated the Texas Fair Debt Collection Act by making harassing phone calls and the jury agreed."

Complete article at: http://watchingthewatchers.org/read/3610

Janice, from number  877-877-3074 Scott Wheat saying that she has paper work with my name on it stating that I need to contact her ASAP or it when  be sent to the state attorney  She didn't site any case number

What did they say when they called you?  (Don't disclose any personal information or your Scott Wheat "case number" on this site.)  Was it a recording left on your answering machine?  (Keep a copy.)  Did they use an autodialer and automated message?  Did they pretend that you needed to call them ASAP to avoid their filing a case against you in court?  Did the person imply they were a lawyer, when perhaps they were not?  If it was a message on your answering machine, did it disclose that the call was about a debt?  (recently ruled as an FDCPA violation.) Was any legal action threatenened against you that is illegal in your state?  (i.e., wage garnishment (not permitted in many states), imprisonment, arrest, jail time, physical violence)  Is Scott Wheat registered as a debt collector, if required to do so by your state?  (many states require a debt collector to register and/or post a bond in the state before they can contact anyone in the state about a debt.)  Did they threaten police action or represent themselves as law enforcement officials?  Did they scream or otherwise mistreat you?

Please get up to speed on your protections and legal remedies.  Keep a close record of the calls and what was said.  Record the calls if legal in your state.  Think about contacting a lawyer.  Also, file a complaint with the NY Attorney General and FTC.

The site,  http://www.avvo.com , may be able to offer useful general legal information based on the specifics of your case.

On youtube.com , search on "Dateline" and "Debt Collectors."  There is a series there that reveals the debt collector game of buying old debts and then trying to fraudulently get someone to pay up. (There you will see that many people never owed money in the first place, but will pay because they are afraid big guys will come to their door or they will be arrested or something else bad will happen to them.)

Good luck.

Recently, I received a call from a Janice from 'Scott Wheat" law office!  Stating they have paper work with my name, and would either myself or my attorney contact them ASAP!

From other postings, it seems that National Recovery Group or NR Group has changed their name to "The Law Office of Scott Wheat," in what may be an attempt to trick people into believing that the people placing the calls are lawyers, which would be a serious FDCPA violation.  In various 800notes postings, people have stated than these debt collectors announce that they are calling "from the Law Office of Scott Wheat."  This may falsely implies they are lawyers or that perhaps they are working for a lawyer.  When questioned whether they were an attorney or not, they have referred to themselves as "litigators."  This may falsely implies that they are someone who practices law.

According to various sources, this company has identified or registered themselves as:

"The Law Office of Scott Wheat"
"The Law Office of Scott and Wheat"
"Advanced Data Mining Solutions"
"Southern Capital and Associates"
"NRG Billing, LLC"
"NRG & Associates"
"National Recovery Group"
"NR Group"

The listed address is the same as National Recovery Group's or NR Group's address of:

305 Cayuga Rd., Buffalo, NY 14225

The numbers that "The Law Office of Scott Wheat" are reported as using are:
866-279-6888
877-847-6680 (one of NR Group's old numbers)
716-568-7173
877-877-3074
716-568-7173
877-847-6675 (one of NR Group's old numbers)
877-847-6674 (one of NR Group's old numbers)
716-362-4898 (one of NR Group's old numbers)
877-847-6679 (one of NR Group's old numbers)
716-565-2316

If you want more postings on NR Group, AKA, National Recovery Group, look up these numbers:
877-847-6680
877-847-6681
716-362-4891
716-362-4898
716-565-2319
877-847-6675
877-847-6674
877-847-6679

It appears that NR Group or National Recovery Group may have reincorporated themselves once again.  If it's like their last three re-births, they are running from lawsuits by changing their name.

I hope to raise this issue when I next meet with the New York AG.

[This post has been removed]

This law firm as they call themselves have been calling my realatives (how they got the nubmer I am not sure) and calling alot.  They are threating that I need to call them back or else they will be filing papers in the county in which I live.  They will only give their first names, however I have checked and this law firm tends to move around and there are several complaints on file with the Attorney Grievance Committee in New York, where his offices supposdly are.  I am going to fax a cease and desit letter to his office and he better comply, as I know my rights under the FACPA. He will not even state what company he is representing.  The number he left is 877-877-3074 and when I try to call that back all I get is very angry people. I am also going to report his contant calling to my relatives as a violation to the Attorney General In the State of New York.

I get a message on my maching that the Law office of Scott Wheat is contacting us and that it is imparitive that we return their  call to stop any law suit against us. These idiots are a collection agency that owns a debt that was not claimed during our chapter 13 bankruptcy filing and since the originator of the company did not contact our attorney within the timeline that the bankruptcy court ordered, This and any debts that are not filed with our trustee are no longer valid. Any debt collector or lienholder that does not file the debt with the courts by the deadline issued by the bankruptcy court can not place this debt on our credit. That makes these calls harrassment calls. The Debt collectors game is to try and settle for an amout that will cover the cost of their bulk purchase of bad debts. This is a practice of purchasing bad debts from someone that baught numerous debts from other credit companies for pennies on the dollar then try and collect for a profit. I called  them at both 877-877-3074 and 866-941-3774 and I recieved a message maching at both numbers. My message to them explaining briefly that they are holding a moot debt may cause more calls but if they truly were a law office then they know their stance and will know that they have been trumped by our states bankruptcy court and close the case. A debt collector will probably bundle this moot debt into another mass of other uncollectible debts and sell it to the next idiot collection company to recoup the losses from the bad debts they could not collect from.  The caller ID posted was 866-941-3774 but the number left by their automated machine is 877-877-3074.

A guy called just a bit ago, said his name was Hill? Hilst? Hilt? Anyway said he was with the law office of Scott and Wheat and was given my number as a possible way to contact so and so on a civil complaint filed with them. So to call such in such number, ex. such in such and tell them I was calling back on case number such in such. Big scam!!!!!!!!!!! Just low life bill collect groups. They will say what ever untruth it takes to get what they want, so don't fall for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!