why dont you take it easy you internet tough guy. pathetic piece of s***. dont make a post if you arent answering the question. a***ole

Who is making these calls?

I recently got a call from a "David Miller" from Kaufman and Burns. He stated EVERYTHING I have read on this site. I want to thank you all for posting! I for sure thought I had done something or something had gotten mixed up somewhere. I felt I shoudl google this before I called back. I'm glad I did!

Unwanted collection calles from Kaufman, Burns and Associates.  Must stop now!!!!!!!!!!

You keep calling my residence for a second party or third.  Leave my number out of it. 1-864-366-4531.

This unprofessional person keep calling my mother at 864-366-4531 and harrassing her too.  I am sick of these people.   They call my cell 3 and 4 times a day.  My number is 864-391-1399.  Enough is enough of your recordings! Please do whatever to stop this.  They are wanting to collect a debt.

They got me the same way, so I agreed to pay them.  Then, they started ACHing my account on dates I didn't agree to and then some.  If you have given them your account information, CLOSE THE ACCOUNT!  They will continue to send ACH, and a stop payment (I was told by the bank) is only good for one ACH.  Trust me, I am speaking from experience.  I have contacted an attorney to try to get this company shut down!!!!

DO NOT TRUST THIS COMPANY!!! DO NOT TRUST THIS COMPANY!!!  Do not give them your banking account information or anything, they will rob you!!!!!  I'm a victim!!!

Kaufman Burns & Associates are a collection agency.  Most of the time when they call, you will speak with a differnt person (mainly a man) and they will always use a different name each time they speak with you. I looked them up on the internet and found a website for there company.  www.Kaufmanburns.com, they are located in Williamsville NY 14221.

Hey there,
I wrote previously about these jokers.  Since I filed my suit and blocked the payments I have not heard a word.  No serving of papers or contacting me at all. I still have the lawsuit against them pending.  Oh, and I got another call from another firm that claimed to be an attorney's office(yes I was an idiot and had more than 1 PD loan), which they are obviously not.  This seems to be a technique sweeping the industry.

A guy call me by the name of Thomas Riley from Kaufman and Burns and he said that I got a payday loan for $1000 and I told him that was wrong and than he said you got it for $952 and I told him that was wrong also, so he said well how much did your borrow, I told him that he should know since he has my file, he said I gave them an incorrect banking account number and that was wrong, so he start yelling at me and told me too go eat a banana and that they will be serving me a summons on my job and at my resident.

Well, I just got a call and it was an accurate debt that I had with Check N Go. They are a debt collection business that buys your debts from other companys. I did give him my info bc I always planned to pay it and didn't want it on my credit. But that's what that is. You can choose to pay it or not, it will just be sold again to another company. They weren't rude to me and actually willing to work with me moreso than the company was.

annie, do you still have that recording and why not share it with others? some guy that did not leave his name, actually sounded old left me a voicemail indicating that i had to call him by tomorrow. i'm glad i viewed this site

This dip$*it just called my wife and threatened her also.  Im glad i found this site, he made me nervous and almost fell for his scam.

This guy scamed me out of 412,00 told me the pay load i owed had be turned over to them , and if i did not pay i would owe a lot of money more then what i owed.So i paid him a few days later the loan people called me and aske when i wasgoing to make a payment told them i already had, to Tom Riley come to find out they knew nothing of this person. So please people be careful, i am working on getting my money back..

YOU CHECK WITH YOUR OWN STATE GOVERNMENT FOR THIS INFORMATION - IT IS BASED ON STATE LAWS!  

here is a start - but ALWAYS DOUBLE CHECK YOUR OWN STATE GOVERNMENT WEBSITES FIRST  

COLLECTION AGENCIES DO NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS INFORMATION!
FROM www.budhibbs.com  A CONSUMER ADVOCATE WEBSITE that specializes in Debt Collections and offers assistance to consumers.  THEY ALSO EXPOSE THE WORST FDCPA VIOLATOR IN THE COUNTRY
Dealing with debt collectors
http://www.budhibbs.com/start.html
Statute of limitations by state ? always double check directly with your own State Government Website
http://www.budhibbs.com/statute_of_limitations.htm
Recording calls from debt collectors ? always double check with your own State Government website
http://www.budhibbs.com/record.htm
From FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION WEBSITE
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre18.shtm

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.


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.

Hi there.    Actually look closer at the website and it says "pre-litigation".  They are not attorneys, it is a collection company not a law firm.  It is against the law for them to threaten you with any criminal action at all.  If they try to withdraw funds from my bank I am going to dispute it.

I received a call from a Joseph Freeman from this company stating the same thing.  He left a message stating I was being investigated for fraud charges.  When I returned the call, it was about a payday loan that I had gotten.  I am going through a consolidation company to settle the paydays loans that I have, and I told him this.  He insisted that the company that I was going through did not do their job to contact the payday loan company and it has now been turned over to them.  He also stated that if this ended up in court (which they were ready to file with the courts within 48 hours), I would end up owing over $4500.  I too was scared and believed this man and have made arrangements to pay two payments.  I have contacted the loan consolidation company and they stated that it was a way of getting you to pay the loan without having to settle for less.  I now have to contact my bank and put a stop payment on the payments.  I am still worried that I will end up being served and my paychecks garnished.  I feel a little better after reading these posts, but can anyone guarantee me that this company will not take me to court or garnish my paychecks?  Also, if you google this company, they do have an actual website that talks about them being attorneys for collection companies.

Yes exactly!!!   Tom Reily called.  I didn't talk to him, but this guy also said that I just happened to be so unlucky that my account bypassed collection action and went straight to legal.  Oh and also that if I didn't pay, I would be charged with defrauding a law firm.  They aren't a law firm, they are a collection company.
I am not paying them.  I tried to call back all afternoon and it says "you do not have enough credit for this call"- whatever that means.  I tried different phones.  I wonder if becuase I promised to pay now they don't want to talk to me.

Yes I just got calls from them too!  They presented themselves as attorneys, poised to serve me at my work for funds and on criminal check fraud charges.  He scared me adn so I agreed to pay, who wants to get served at work?  For more than 2X the original amt.  Now I am planning to block this pmt, call them back.  I have called around for some advice I'll reply again!  I have recieved no paperwork, nothing detailing why I have to pay 2X, other than they say so, that it's attorney charges.

Same bad collection tactics as those posted before me.  I have contacted the Amhurst, NY area Better Business Bureau.  This company has an "F" rating which is the worst possible.  With that being said, I still can't tell if they are frauds.
As of right now, I just had a mess. left asking again that I return the call to 888-468-9075...I get a vm for a company called PEC & Assoc.  Not sure if they are changing their name/scam.

After communicating with this company for 5 months on & off, I cannot get anythign that validates the debt they are trying to collect.  They sent me a 1 pg letter indicating they hold the debt & I need to pay then, but I could have drawn something more legal looking up all on my own.

I just do not believe they are collecting on behalf of the companies they claim.

I guess the new name that their using is Mr. Tom Riley, so watch out.

Got a  call from A joseph freeman stating that he was from kaufman & burns and that my social security number was mentioned in an inveswtigation in maricopy county, arizona.  Left message on my cell phone for me to call him back.

Maybe it came up a landline because all buisness phones are landline would you rather them call you from cellphones you idiot....or would you be more impressed  if they had sattelite phones you moron if I reverse your number its a landline .....ooooooooohhh suspicious you fuking scam artist half brain idiot

I received a phone call too. I spoke with Frank Siegel who transfered me to the litigation department. They said that I had committed fraud and that if I do not pay they will freeze all of my bank accounts and credit cards accounts. They were unable to supply me with any details on some account back in 1993. They said they would process a summons to appear in court and that would be the only paperwork I receive. I am upset and do not know what to do or where to turn.   April 29, 2009

Oh I had it out with Frank Segel today on the phone.  He left me a voicemail saying he was calling from litigation department of Kaufman and Burns on a matter of Fraud.  WOW!  I'm a former bill collector and he violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act big time!  I called him back goating him into breaking more laws and he certainly did.  I have reported him and am in contact with a firm to press legal action on him and his company.  I encourage you to do the same.  Look up the FDCPA, i'm sure you can get him on violations as well and you can be rewarded handsomely.

I have had numerous calls from 888-468-9075, Mr. Truman and he leaves a  case # to reference.  I called him back and it's about a debt my neice owes.  He says it pertains to fraud that the county clerk's office has filed and that a warrant will be issued for her.  I told her she does not live here and to stop calling me and besides way doesn't the sheriff's office call if a warrant is going to be issued.  What a dumb a** Mr. Truman is.

Do you know how I could find out if the state I live in can record his phone calls?  At first I felt so helpless with this person but after reading everyones comments and the tatics they use it makes me feel alittle better.

I had a relative that received a phone call from this "Paul Truman" and he gave ALL my personal information to my relative.  Once my relative gave me the message I imediatley returned the phone call, once I did he continually threatned me and harrassed me and told me I was a loser and worthless.  The original debt is from a Payday Loan dated back to December 2001, and he was trying to collect 3x the amount owed.  He told me I had until 9:00 central standard time to take care of the debt that day or else he would take me to court and file fraud and a judgement against me. I even tried making payment arrangement with him and he said that was unacceptable.  At first it scared the heck out of me until I watched dateline.msnbc last night and then I decided to google the number and take action against people like him.

I have gotten calls from this character for a few months now.  He claims that he is going to have me arrested on a payday loan that I couldn't pay at the time ( btw:I went back to the payday loan company and arranged to pay it off thru them only, which is possible, if you can make the arrangements) After I made the mistake of explaining to him that I already made arrangements, he began to rant about that until he gets the information from his client, I still owe him and the interests.  I chuckled, told him that I have sent a certified letter stating this and that if I continue to get these calls, that I can file suit on harrasment and violations of the FCDA.  He then began to say that since I have no rights because 'he's a lawyer and knows the law better than me' that I don't stand a snowball chance in you know where to succeed.  I told him that I also use to work for an collection attorney that rented his name to do collections and that if he was one, what is his bar number.  He called me a bi*** and hung up.  And since I can record his calls in this state, this will be interesting when this comes to the fan.