Consumers across the country report that they're getting telephone calls from people trying to collect on loans the consumers never received or on loans they did receive but for amounts they do not owe. Others are receiving calls from people seeking to recover on loans consumers received but where the creditors never authorized the callers to collect for them. So what's the story?

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 no
t 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

Don't give them ANY information, including your address.  If they are a legitimate debt collector (possible oxymoron there) then they already have your address.

this is really a scam- they claim they have documents to deliver - but they need you to give them the address?
why? just deliver the doucuments

Just got same message as everyone hear. It definitely sounds like a scam.

I got the same message. They are scammers. Just ignore there call. No one can give that type of information over the phone or leave it on voice mail. If they continue report them to police.

Same thing just happened to me.  They called three times in succession from a Columbus Ohio phone number.  My phone number is still a 614 or Ohio area code but I have been living in Colorado for over a year.  They left a message saying they had a claim out and to call 888-953-6736.  They also said they contacted my work.  I think it's a scam because of the fact that I left my job last month and don't start my new one until Monday.  Therefore they couldn't call my place of work.  It sounds like they are trying to strong arm people for information or deposits on false debts.  I wouldn't give them any information over the phone and if they keep harrassing file a federal complaint.  If they claim you owe money don't go through a third party to pay it back, call the company you owe and try to resolve it through them.

same thing happened to me just a minute ago, sounds like a scam of some sort. the foreign guy even gave me a case # to reference when I call back...whats going on?

Just received the same call, no idea who it as, anyone know this number?

man called with foreign accent..says a claim is out for me..calls from local number and says firm at this 888 number needs me to call...he said he verified address...I can find no info on this number..did not think they can give this info out over phone.. he also called my workplace.. said he was a locator for court documents...not sure what to do...