If you pay close attention to what some of the people are saying then you'll find that some of these people either never had the debt claiming to be owed,  or have proof that the debt was paid years ago.  It is true that people should pay their debts, but it is also true that people should not be scammed.  Most people say nothing when rich people file bankruptcy over and over again, but if a  working class person has trouble paying their bills, they are considered the scum  of the earth.   Pay your debts, but don't be scammed.... A  lot of these people are scam artist.  Please keep in mind that it is the law for  debt collection agencies to send you something in writing regarding your debt within 5  days of them contacting you.

I  got a  call from ccr  and associates claiming that I  have 2  complaints  against me for returned check from a  pay  day loan place  from 2006 and that I  will be served in 24hrs.  They wanted me to verify my social security number and got upset when I  refused. I  asked for  their address  and this is what I  was given
2806 Union Rd. ste 155
Cheektowaga, NY 14225
 Please don't verify or give out your information.  If they are a legit company  they are required to send you something in writing.... It's the law.

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

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://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

And see:

http://800notes.com/forum/ta-86217073a9c8dad/ ... 077595690349410
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http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0258-fake-debt-collectors
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http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/pressreleases/extortion_scam.htm
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http://800notes.com/arts/Jb8EW-eDhQA/harassin ... ou-need-to-know
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Section 809 of the FDCPA http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre27.pdf requires 3rd-party debt collectors to give debtors written notice of debt (the key word is *shall*) :
"§ 809. Validation of debts
(a) Within five days after the initial communication with a consumer in connection with the collection of any debt, a debt collector shall, unless the following information is contained in the initial communication or the consumer has paid the debt, send the consumer a written notice containing?
(1) the amount of the debt;
(2) the name of the creditor to whom the debt is owed;
(3) a statement that unless the consumer, within thirty days after receipt of the notice, disputes the validity of the debt, or any portion thereof, the debt will be assumed to be valid by the debt collector;
(4) a statement that if the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, the debt collector will obtain verification of the debt or a copy of a judgment against the consumer and a copy of such verification or judgment will be mailed to the consumer by the debt collector; and
(5) a statement that, upon the consumer?s written request within the thirty-day period, the debt collector will provide the consumer with the name and address of the original creditor, if different from the current creditor."
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A Collection Agent May Not?

Here are the top 11 actions prohibited by the The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act:

Misrepresent Him or Herself

  A debt collector may not misrepresent himself as an attorney or law enforcement officer.

Use the Telephone to Annoy or Harass

  A collection agent may not cause a telephone to ring or engage any person in telephone conversation repeatedly or continuously with an intent to annoy, abuse, or harass anyone at the called number.

Threaten Arrest or Lawsuit

  A collection agent may not threaten a consumer with arrest. It may not threaten legal action that is either not permitted or not actually contemplated. In other words, a the threat of a lawsuit may be an empty one.

Use Abusive or Threatening Language

  A debt collector may no use abusive or profane language in the course of communication related to the debt.

Publish a Bad Debt List

  Publishing the consumer?s name or address on a "bad debt" list is prohibited.

Contact By Embarrassing Media

  A debt collector may not communicate with a consumer by post card. It may not use any language or symbol, other than the debt collector?s address, on any envelope when communicating with a consumer by use of the mails or by telegram. A debt collector may use its business name if such name does not indicate it is in the debt collection business.

Contact a Consumer at Work

  A collection agent may not communicate with consumers at their place of employment after being told this is unacceptable or prohibited by the employer.

Seek Unjustifiable Amounts

  A debt collector may not demand any amounts not permitted under an applicable contract or as provided under law.

Contact a Consumer Represented by an Attorney

  A collection agent may not contact a consumer after it learns the consumer is represented by a lawyer.

Communicate With a Consumer After Receiving a Validation Request

  If a consumer sends a written §1692g response within 30 days, the collection agent may not communicate with the consumer until it mails the consumer the requested verification of original creditor's name and address.

Communicate With Third Parties

  A debt collector may not reveal or discuss the nature of a consumer?s debts with third parties other than the consumer?s spouse or attorney. A collection agent may contact neighbors or co-workers only to obtain location information. It may contact a third party again if it has reason to believe the information the party provided previously is false.

Bills.com FDCPA FAQ

Below are questions Bills.com readers ask frequently:

Can a Collection Agent Call My Cell Phone?

  Yes. However, if you tell the debt collector it may not use that number because it is a cell phone, it may not contact you again at that number.

I Keep Receiving Dozens of Calls From Collection Agents. Is That Legal?

  No. Unscrupulous collection agents will use "block parties" or "office parties" where they contact a consumer, multiple neighbors, or co-workers telling them they need to reach the consumer on an urgent matter. This is not permitted under the FDCPA.

A Collector Says I Will Be Arrested if I Do Not Pay

  This was a true statement before the US Civil War, but has not been true since. People may be arrested if an aggressive judge files a bench warrant for a person who does not appear at a hearing relating to a lawsuit regarding a debt. However, in that case, the offense is the failure to respond to a court order, and not the existence of the debt. As stated above, it is illegal under the FDCPA to threaten a consumer with arrest if the consumer does not pay the debt.

THIS MANZ & JAMES called me with the regular talk from collection agencies on a "real" past due account i have. I paid them the settelment amount. After which i called that number and a new company answer. I was unable to reach them and they did not give me a fegular receit.  I only have my bank recorded... i am calling the past due account..if they did nkt recieve my settelment......i was scammed

3806 Union Rd Suite 169
Cheektowaga, NY 14225 USA

Manz and James Legal Services is what I am told

This address :: 3806 Union Rd., #2
Cheekpowaga, NY 14225
Is for a UPS Store.

I received a call form these people ON A DEBT THAT WAS PAID IN 2004 from 866-751-3328
I also spoke to a Mr. Knoles. Stated the same thing as the others, he works for the Department of Legal Services. When I asked for whom do they work for, he said Check Credit Reporting.

I asked him to resend the letter that he claimed they sent in Oct 2012. He said that he would only fax it. I told him no I wouldn't accept it and that I wanted it to be sent by mail. He said he would bot do that because it would take 7-10 businses days before I received that letter. And by then I would have been served court papers. I did ask for the address this is what he gave me:
3806 Gillian Dr STE 5
Cheeltowaga, NY 14225

When I refused to set up payment arrangements with him he then became angry and said that if I didn't I would be hauled off to jail. I said to send me that paperwork so I can verify the debt and he told me never to call the company again and good luck.

i laugh every time i get on 1 of these sites & read about all the whinning & complaining about people having to pay their bills...WAKE UP!!!! DO YOU PEOPLE READ WHAT YOU ARE WRITTING????? YOU DEBTORS ARE THE FRAUDS & THE SCAM ARTISTS NOT THE DEBT COLLECTOR!!!! IF YOU SCUMS DIDNT MAKE IT SO HARD FOR A DEBT COLLECTOR TO DO THEIR JOB MAYBE THEY WOULDNT HAVE TO USE SCARE TACTICS!!!!!!! YOU PEOPLE ARE ALL CRYING & MAD FOR WHAT???? BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO PAY YOUR BILLS???? ITS AMAZING HOW PEOPLE THINK THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO HAVE SERVICES RENDERED TO THEM BUT THINK THEY DONT HAVE TO PAY FOR IT...NOTHING IS FREE!!!!! OH YEA & F.Y.I IF COLLECTIONS WAS SO ILLEGAL IM PRETTY SURE THERE WOULDNT BE SO MANY JOBS AROUND THE WORLD FOR IT ...BILL COLLECTORS ARE NOT THE CROOKS YOU DIRT BAGS WHO B**TCH & COMPLAIN BECAUSE YOU STOLE SOMEBODY'S SERVICES ARE THE CROOKS!!!!

I coundnt agree more if people just suck it up andpay there bills they wouldnt be getting these calls. Be responsible!!!!!

Just pay your bills

I did. I reported them to the FTC and NY Attorney General's Office. They are threatening people with court action and demanding payment which is illegal.  If they want to collect debt they should follow the proper channels and send a collections letter validating the debt. Also, they represented themselves as attorneys, and never once mentioned they were debt collectors.

I got a call this morning from Thomas & Associates about a debt they are trying to collect from 2007 from a payday loan which back then i was going thru a financial disaster but i thought I had repaid everything.The number was 800-898-9454. I had a gut feeling that something wasn't right.i asked them to fax me something and they did but i still got a funny feeling. Has anyone had any negative actions taken against them?

I'm in consolidation and these folks are currently harassing my clients from 800-898-9454.  They are scammers in that they are in violation of FDCPA in quite a few ways.  Their primary violation is that they will claim not to be collectors.  They and other collectors of this type need not be paid if they cannot provide proper validation of the debts via US Mail.

In brief response to "they wouldn't call you if you'd have paid your debts".  These laws are in place for a reason.  Anyone harassing a consumer illegally and whining that they should be able to do so is still breaking the law, valid debt or otherwise.  DEBTS DO NOT TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER CIVIL RIGHTS PEOPLE!

there new phone number is 800.898.9454

I have gotten the same phone calls and I actually have their address:

William & Associates
3806 Union Rd., #2
Cheekpowaga, NY 14225
800.898.9454

Thanks for the info.

The are now using the name Thomas Gregory and Klein for this address.

This number keeps calling.

These people are awful and threatened me with a supposed court date for tomorrow!  Gave me an internal case number that they could not (would not) equate to a docket number where i was supposed to show up.  I in fact, called the state and county courthouses and they showed NOTHING with my name on it and that I had NO appearances scheduled.  This was for a $300 PayDay loan that i took out back in 2008... paid back in full - and when they kept taking money out of my account every two weeks (twice - even after I called) - I closed the account so they wouldn't continually keep ripping money out.  3 years later - they're trying to intimidate me with this BS!... incredible!

These people called and left a voice mail inquiring about a person whose last name is the same as mine. I suppose that they presumed that I would give them information about the "the party of [their] primary concern. I called back and informed them that I do not know the person about whom they inquired, but I am furious that they can/could/would just pluck my name out of "wherever" and call me about some matter in which I have absolutely no interest and about a person who has the same last name as I do but whom I do not know.

Someone by the name of Eric Marshall called two people inquiring about my whereabouts.  He said I had a court date that day and that I have been under investigation since 2007 involving a County and State matter, when he was actually calling about a Pay Day Loan.  The manner in which these people threaten people is against the law.  I plan to file a case against them with the State Attorney General's Office.

These guys are unbelieveable!  They called my work phone, my cell phone AND my ex-husband, said I had an "urgent matter" with their firm " William's and Associates", told my ex that they were going to repossess my vehicle-that I was scheduled to appear in court at 2pm that same day, that papers had been filed in the county that I live in, etc etc etc...total crap. My vehicle has been paid for since June of 2010, (and it was financed thru Chrysler--not some shady payday loan place!)  I don't and never have had any pay day loans--tho i was used as a personal reference for a friend on one back in 2006!   Total BS is what these guys are!!

These people have are calling for a friend of mine.  They are also calling everyone else she knows.  The landlord and all!  Claiming to be some "senior investigator".  I don't believe in it and hope they stop messing with my friend.  Its very embarrassing and to think its fraud, too!

Called me and my son-in-law on the weekend.  from all the practices described, I would guess they are probably a scam since this kind of debt collection is not legal.

I got a call from this number it was a guy named Mr. Knoles.  The place was Williams and Associates.  He told me that the matter he was calling about was a state and federal legal issue.  He said I had committed a crime and it involved the company I worked for also.  He said it involved them because I used my companies email address when I applied for an on-line payday loan.  He then recited my email address and it was my personal email address.  He sat and argued with me about it becoming more and more angry.  He then went on to say I was going to lose my job and my professional license.  He then faxed an employment verification form to the HR Department of my company.  They gave it to me and said they cannot release that info anyways.  The form wanted what my hire date was and what I make per hour, ect.  This was very upsetting.  It scared me but after researching the number I am angry that someone can gain access to so much personal info about another person.  Then call and use it to threaten you.  He said if I paid them 1,400.00 then things would be fine otherwise they would continue with legal proceedings and again stated I committed a crime and would lose my job and professional license.
Caller: Williams and Associates
Call Type: Debt Collector

To "T"  u did commit a crime. You defrauded your lender. Hello

Has anyone tried to contact them lately, there number is no longer in service? big surprise since it probably is a fraud, I would think they would contact if there info changed if it was a legit company.  I reported them to the better business bureau, but i never received an email confirming anything.  I'm stopping all payments to this company as soon as I found out the number is no longer in service.

you would think there smart enough to know, that if you were to go in front of a judge, they would have to subpoena you to court first, it's not like there going to just pick u and take you to court on the spot these guys are really pieces of work for sure.

well we have been receiving the same calls, these guys are very persistent in getting your money, they told us my wife used a work email, a state ID her driver's license and both would be brought up in county court for her using in a fraudulent matter.  I actually had them send an email to verify information, one of the people i talked with was Mr. Knoles as mentioned in other statements.  They advised me it was for Payday Services but couldn't be more specific.  The email stated a claim number beginning with X an account number, tried to make it look formal, claiming the ammounts and of course ended the email with no type of electronic signature.
there address
Williams & Assoiciates
3806 Union Road
Cheektowaga NY 14225
Phone 1-877-908-6251  Fax: 1-877-747-7683

Theses guys are slick, there saying my wife's debt was from 2008 and are now just calling to tell us about it.

TO SINGLEMOM; DID YOU THINK IT WAS OK TO TAKE THE LOAN AND THEN BECAUSE YOURE SINGLE NEVER PAY IT BACK? I agree some debt collection tactics may be harsh, but if people just paid their bills they wouldnt have to worry about these practices. It does amaze me that people can take out loans and then whine about people calling them after they stiffed their lender.

Just got the exact same call word  for word. Said if i didnt cooperate I would lose my license and my name and social security number was used in a fraud case that was going being investigated. There was going to be a hearing in his office tomorrow April 5 &if I didnt cooperate the authorities would be notified. SCAMMERS!! I take no phone calls and will never commit to any sort of payment via phone or internet. Im ignoring the calls. I thought this type of collection was illegal in PA?