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

A ms kemp beening calling me at my job n home leaving threating message because they are a locating company and thay are sending a mr wayne to come send me paper at my work place this is constant harresment i dont know what to do

The FDCPA http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre27.pdf treats the INITIAL CONTACT between collector and debtor (first call, first letter, first whatever) as a special event. Legit collectors per section 809 of the FDCPA *must* tell you at initial contact, or send you paperwork within 5 days of initial contact, the following:
1. $amount of debt,
2. name of the current creditor (which may differ from the original creditor who might have sold your debt),
3. a statement that that debt will be assumed to be valid unless you dispute in writing within 30 days,
4. a statement that that if you do dispute in writing within 30 days, the collector must mail you written verification of the debt,
5. a statement that if you ask the collector in writing within 30 days, the collector must send you the name and address of the original creditor if it's different from the current creditor.
If you don't get the 5 disclosures, orally or in writing (you do not have to ask for them, the FDCPA requires collectors to provide them), treat the collector like you would any SCAMMER.
Note that 3,4,5 must be done *IN WRITING* so you will need to ask an address from your collector. If s/he refuses to give you one for any reason, treat the collector like a SCAMMER.
The collector can threaten court action at initial contact but the FDCPA requires that the collector actually take you to court if the collector threatens it. Threatening court and not going through with it (coercion) is illegal.
If they say the FDCPA does not apply to them because they own your debt, the debt-owner exemption only applies to the original owner. A 3rd party who buys the debt for the purpose of collecting debt is treated as a debt collector and not an owner and must obey the FDCPA as explained in this FTC Staff Opinion letter here http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fdcpa/letters/arbuckle.htm
Has the statute of limitations for your state http://www.fair-debt-collection.com/SOL-by-State.html expired on your debt? If expired, don't pay.
Collectors generally have to be licensed by your state to practise (collect debt) in your state and you can find out by calling your state Attorney Generals Office. Ask if a license is required and does this collector have one. If not licensed, don't pay and file a complaint with your state AG.
Read useful debt-collection FAQs from the FTC here http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre18.shtm
The debt collection process explained in plain English http://www.consumeraffairs.com/debt/fdcpa.html
Be aware that scammers are using bought/hacked/phished loan application data to extort payments for fictitious debts from victims and victims' families and friends.
The FBI warns about payday loan extortion scams here http://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/paydayloanscam_120710
The FBI warns again http://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releas ... nt-payday-loans
The BBB has issued several alerts on this scam, just google "bbb.org alert phony debt collector"
Report to the Internet Crime Complaint Center http://www.ic3.gov/complaint/default.aspx , the Federal Communications Commission http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm , the Federal Trade Commission https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/ and your state AG http://www.naag.org/current-attorneys-general.php as appropriate.

Same thing happening to me I got a guy calling me same story I told him and "Global" to cease and desist all communications at my place of employment and even contacted an attorney who told them they to cease and desist all communications with me last week. Again today the guy called again 10 times in a row and I told him there was a cease and desist and to call my attorney, he then called my work talked to a co-worker who told him he is not to call this # and tried to give him my attorneys info to which he said I am not listening to that you tell her I will be there in an hour to serve her these documents. Its been 2 hours and still aint showed up these people are FRAUD and are pissing me off! If anyone finds an address please share it!!!

I have been getting calls at home from "Michael Banks",or sometimes "Mike Banks" regarding some charges and I have until he presents papers to me personally to contact "the firm" to straighten this out. He finally called HR at work today and tried to do the same thing. So far,he has called from three different numbers,plus some calls came from "Unknown". It's obviously some phony pay-day loan scam using scare tactics. Hey,Mike,if you're reading this, I truly hope you actually show up at my door !!!

The caller id shows the message came from phone number 714-855-1635

I have received two messages on my cell from some lady saying charges have been filed against me, leaves me the number 888-331-9087 and a claim number.  She even left messages at my grandmother's house.  My aunt called and spoke with someone who told her the firm is Global Litigation and they have hired a locator to find me.  wtf?

A Scott called my job with the same story. Also, attempted to provide personal information, to HR Personal. When I called the number 888-331-9087 I spoke with an Amber White, As infomred Ms. White do not call my place of employemnt this this non sense . Also I asked for proof in writting and was denied. I am looking to see where this company is based at , as well as our HR Department to bring up charges against company

Yes the same thing happened to me. That Kim talked to my boss and asked her what my address was and then asked what the procedure was to have documents delivered to me.  My boss asked her if she was from the sheriffs office or what. Kim said no, so my boss said I would not and can not release that information and even if I could you are not the Sheriffs office. My boss put her through to me and she told me she was about to come down and deliver some papers to me but,....So I stopped her and said " Im here at work, come on down, I'll be waiting." She didnt show up and she just left an anoyying message on my cell phone. I dont think she will call my work again but I am not sure how to get their address to make them stop calling my cell. The number is 903-949-6231 and she refers you to a number 1-888-331-9087. Im certain its a pay day loan of some sort.

"Kim Johnson" called a supervisor and left a message that her employee has an order against her and that she needed to call this number.  She mentioned something about charges were filed against her too.  No mention of company name, what it was regarding, etc.  Clearly this was a high pressured credit/debt collector.  "Kim" also stated that by leaving that message the employee was officially notified.  I advised the supervisor to ignore the call and send it to me if "Kim" called again. (I'm Human Resources). We never told the employee.  HA  I called the number on my cell phone to get a company name and it was a very generic voice message system stating "thanks for calling Global".  That was it.

IDIOTS!