P.L.S.INC
2588 ELCAMINO  REAL  SUITE F215
CARLSBAD, CA 92008

888-662-3382
FAX 888-826-8813

SAYS REPRESENTING CHASE BANK, NA
CAMERON COX LITIGATION MGR
DEBT COLLECTOR SETTLEMENT

SAYS WILL SETTLE DEBT AT 20%

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, etc.) 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 is illegal. Bear in mind a legit collector can take you to court at any time without warning.
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. Any 3rd party who buys the debt for the purpose of collecting debt is treated as a debt collector, i.e., ownership is irrelevant for debt buyers and they 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.
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.

Well I called this # back after I got a threatening message because I have been taken to court for credit card debt. I gave them my current address and she said i could make a lump sum payment of $600 but i couldnt so she said someone would serve me in 1-2 days and that was almost 3 weeks ago! What do I do now?

yes! I just had someone call by the name of Jeffrey Lynch and said he was a process server for the County I live in but when I questioned him further he said he didn't have any information but I needed to call that same 888 phone number with my case #.  he said someone would be serving me in 2-3 hours so we'll see what happens.  Did anyone ever show up at your home?

A Mike Jacobs called me, left a number with the same speech about failure to be served, yadda yadda.  Thankfully I have learned to look up every number before calling it back!

Just received the same kind of message from a guy who called himself Kyle Graham.  Someone needs to put a stop to this kind of random calling.

received a call on my answering machine about noon-listened when I got home . Woman said she was calling from a private process servers office.Did not identify the office. said a process server will be coming to my home in a few hours to issue a summons to appear in court. told me to call the # 888-662-3382 and ask for my case worker. If I do not call it is out of their hands and I will be served-I had a few hours to call(she said) She then said that this is will be considered a final attempt and if no contact is made it will be reported as a failure to be served...so call that ## asap.. Has this happened to anyone else ???

we received a call today telling us we needed to call this # and give them the case #, because we were being served and would need to appear in court over an overdue credit card bill. When my husband called the # and gave them the case #, he was told he owed a large amount, and they would work with us, if we paid them $300.00 to put a hold on the case, and to pay them $1000.00, in 3 wks. ( this was the amount they said they would settle for). So we were going through past bills looking for this acct., and trying to figure out how we would pay it. We were told that we had until end of business today. So when we explained it to our son, he said look up the # and see if it was a scam, well low and behold, we were not the only people getting the same kind of call, and threat of being taken to court. My husband was also told if he didn't make some kind of arrangement, then he would have to go to court, and they would garnish his wages. Just one threat after another, which is not good on my husband, since he has already been having heart problems, and was told to minimize stress!!! I am so thankful for my son and his knowledge, it helps us from being scammed. These type of people make me sick, and I hope they get caught, and prosecuted, brecause if something would have happened to my husband because of them, they would have paid!!!! That is my threat to them!!!

I have been receiving messages from this same number for over a month now. Every message says final attempt. If that were the case, why haven't I been served? The message verifies my correct address!

Getting  harassing calls by these people telling me im being sued.

I got the same call and have been getting it for the past week or so. Same story that they are process servers and they have a summons for me, that they will give me three attempts and a 2 hour window and I will be served at my place of employment or home.  Like I will call them back and tell them bring the summons! Yeah right!  They are pretty stupid.  My 3 attempts were over and they are still calling me. Said they are turning me over to the clerk's office as a failure to serve.

Whoever they are they need to be stopped.  I am tired of this CRAP!!!!!!!

I just received a message from a jeff lynch at 888 662 3382 stated that it was the last attempt to contact them or i will be in trouble and i need to call today willl give me 2 hours i was told when i called the last time it was for a credit card that i have no idea and wanted 800 sent western union to a number that was given how do i get rid of the calls to stop at ,my job

lol ... They left a message that I was to be served today. Checked county records and no lawsuit has been filed. So ... How is it I can be served to appear in court? Oh ... And if I don't call them back in a specific timeframe, I would be a 'fellow to be served'. Remember people ... Either settle in full or send nothing. Never do a partial payment ... that extends the period a collection agency can collect and you are under no obligation to call these people back.

Got a call from this number for an employee in the office I manage.  When I called the number back...it just rings and rings until a voice message comes on saying "You've reached the corporate offices."
Corporate Offices of what?!!!
Total scam

An idiot called my phone and left the same message about a process server and 2 hours or will be evading process server.  Truth is that scare tactics are illegal in florida, as is leaving personal information on someone else's phone.  The only way to stop it is to contact the lawyers that sue them.  You pay nothing!

I just received a call that said this is the final attempt and they are giving me a two hour time fame to call them back, and will be sending a process serbor to my place of employment. I have paid all my stuff off, or else they wrote it off. Please leave me alone!!  They said there from Johnson County!! Never head of it, never been there!!!

I just received a call threatening that they are having a process servor come to my place of employment to serve me when i call they said it is from a credit card.  but i have no knowledge of this card- i have called and they wanted me to send them 800 to this company.  yeah right
now 2 weeks later they just left a threatening message witht same thing   how do i get rid of them calling me

This is one of many numbers used by a lowlife "collection agency" to scare you into paying an old debt or one that may not even be yours! Beware they will also call your family members so give them a heads up. DO NOT GIVE THEM ANY PERSONAL INFO! They will leave a message with a bogus case number, tell you they are giving you 3 attempts etc.....just another load of crap and another scam!!!! TOTALLY ILLEGAL PRACTICES!!!! May be associated with a company called "WEST".........dirtbags!!!