I received a message with the number of a bottom feeding collection agency.  They were rude and threatening.

This number keeps calling my parents...I was finally here when one of the calls occurred.In the past , they were asking for me,but this time there was no name on the recording.I live in California.The parents live in Oregon.I called the company back,but whomever I spoke with was extremely rude.Needless to say,nothing was accomplished.T­his company is a bunch of bottom feeders that take the last-ditch effort in collecting a debt that is on the brink of coming off of your credit report.I have been a telemarkerter,­even done some collections and these types of idiots are the reason that job SUCKED so freakin' bad!

I've been getting calls from this number for the past two months. I never pick it up and they never leave a voice mail. Decided to check the number on the internet and found this site

this company is what's called a "junk debt buyer" - basically the lowest of the debt collectors. they search for "dead" accounts such as defaulted credit cards and such where the original creditor has already written off the balance from their books and probably received a tax credit because of this. what they do is pay outrageously low amounts of money for the right to try to collect on these alleged debts. they use scare tactics and threats to try to get money from people. don't let them scare you.

They keep calling for Thomas Barron. I do NOT KNOW HIM! And have been hung up on when I request to have them stop calling me. Whoever the hell Thomas Barron is call these damn people so they will leave me alone!! :)

They are a collection agency of some sort: Here is the information

Contact Merchants' Credit Guide Co.

By Phone

If you have received a letter from Merchants' Credit Guide, you may contact us by phone using the number listed on the letter. For fastest service, we will need your File Number listed on the letter.

If you do not have the letter, you may call us toll-free at (888) 249-4134.

By Mail

Alternatively, you may contact us by mail at the following address. Please include your File Number listed on the letter you have received.

Merchants' Credit Guide Co.
223 West Jackson Blvd, Suite 900
Chicago, IL 60606

I finally called the corporate number and spoke with Mr. Kennedy which he seemed reasonable enough. I hope for their sake I get no more calls or a harrassment suit will be my next step with this company.

This 'automated' phone call comes through about once every three to four months. They leave a long pause between questions...I think it is a scammer of some sort. I owe no one anything and the fact I was a credit fraud victim once before has taught me to use Experians Credit Watch service...They're clearly scum bag's!

These people are total harassing jerks!  I called and told them to please take me off their list, and that I had been receiving these weird messages for like 6 months now for someone named "Chula Dodge" or something, and the lady rudely said "you've been taken off the list!" and hung up on me!  That doesn't sit well with me, so I called back and wanted to talk to a supervisor and surprise surprise they had me on hold for FOREVER!, So I called back and wanted to talk to a supervisor without being placed on hold, and had a huge argument with the lady working there in which she brought up my family and child, TOTALLY UNPROFESSIONAL!  I am so mad!  Obviously I wasn't taken off the list the first time other wise I wouldn't have still been receiving messages for this "Chula Dodge"!

Don't call anymore....thank you!

This company keeps calling for a "Mathew Smith" who I have no idea who the hell this person is but I have gotten calls for this idiot for the last 4 years.

The calls must be at random. My number is new and is not published. There is no way these guys could have gotten it. We owe absolutely nobody. We're elderly and our house and everything else is paid off. But they are not the only scammers who call us. The only way any of them can call us is using block calling - a block of numbers in a range. If these people are caught they should be dealt with severely. Block calling should be highly illegal, but politicians and charities like to harass people using that method.

Had this message on my answering machine today:

"This is a message for Tracy D Lester.  If you are not Tracy D Lester please hang up or disconnect.  If you are Tracy D Lester please continue to listen to this message.  There will now be a three second pause in this message...  By continuing to listen to this message you acknowledge that you are Tracy D Lester.  You should not listen to this message so that other people cab hear it as it contains personal and private information.  There will now be a three second pause in this message to allow you to listen to this message in private...  This is Stacy from merchants Credit Guide.  This communication is from the Debt Collector.  This is an attempt to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.  Please contact us about an important business matter at 888-249-4134.  Once again that number is 888-249-4134.  Thank you."

1.  The statement that staying on the line after a three second pause acknowledges that you are the person they name is a bunch of s**t...  how, as in my case, is a machine supposed to know to disconnect?

2.  Allowing three seconds to allow the person to listen in private is funny...  If I picked up the phone, would not the message be private anyway since the phone would be to my ear?

3.  I have had this # for over four years now.  I receive calls several times a month from "financial" institutions looking for Tracy Lester.  No matter how many times I tell the callers that I do not know the person and ask that my number be disassociated with Ms. Lester, the calls continue.

Caller ID was "Chicago, IL"... not the merchant credit guide company indicated by others here.  Voice mail message said "This call is for _______.  You have a 3 second pause to hang up if you are not _________.  The following message is private and contains confidential information for ________.  Please hang up if you are not _________.  We are a debt collection agency... "  blah blah blah.

I haven't called back them.  They left the number 888-249-4134.

I always let the calls go to my voicemail. I keep getting an automated message for "Candace Vagle(sp?)", with constant reminders to make sure no one else was able to listen to the message. I never listened to the entire thing, in case it was something of extreme privacy.

This is the second random collection agency to call me today. I personally have no outstanding debts that I am aware of.

recorded kept saying this is a message for bradley pennington, something like that.  over ten calls like that for the past two months.  don't know how they got my number

They called my cell today and did not leave a message.

tHERE IS NO ONE BY THE NAME SHANNON ROBINS THAT LIVES AT THIS ADDRESS AND THAT IS WHO THEY ARE CALLING FOR AND THEY KEEP CALLING AT DIFFEENT TIMES OF THE DAY.

I am homeless & without any assets-living by a friend & keep getting calls from a harassing credit card collection company for something that had been resolved in the 1990's-please help me with this.
Thanks

I got the same call with the "If this is you" crap on my answering machine. It said if this isn't you please call a 1-800 # I just deleted the message. Usually when a debt is about to expire these bottom feeding scum bags start trying to collect before it falls off of your credit report. If you talk to them and "confirm" the debt it starts the clock ticking again.

http://consumerjustice.com/consumer/agencydetail.aspx?id=6021
Merchants Credit Guide Co  
223 W Jackson Blvd Ste 900,
Chicago, Illinois, 60606

janisfrom@mcgdps.com
www.merchantscreditguide.com


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phone No.  312-360-6000 888-249-4134 888-249-4134 773-668-1630 312-470-2633 312-895-3703 312-644-1457 312-644-5021  
Fax 312- 360-3024 888-249-3813 312-895-3700  

Daniel F. Burtis. CEO Michael G. Fromknecht, President Edwin S. Burtis, Secretary

Notes
Junk debt collectors/Bottom feeders LOTS of complaints, sued by AG for FDCPA violations.  

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Junk Debt - is OLD WORTHLESS legally UNCOLLECTABLE debt.  they paid pennies for it then break State and Federal FDCPA laws to collect the full amount - THEY CANNOT PROVE THAT ANYONE OWES THEM MONEY



THE CORRECT WAY TO HANDLE COLLECTION CALLS AND ILLEGAL TACTICS
HANDLE IT CORRECTLY AND THEY WILL END UP PAYING YOU

READ DEALING WITH DEBT COLLECTORS, RECORDING CALLS AND STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS BY STATE
You  can also post your questions here http://www.collectorsexposed.com/forum2/index.php
These links are to attorneys for those being scammed www.naca.net or http://www.consumerjustice.com/consumer/searchattorneys.aspx

Debt Collectors DO NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS INFORMATION!    
The INFORMED CONSUMER IS THE DEBT COLLECTORS WORST ENEMY!

Dealing with Debt Collectors
Http://www.budhibbs.com/First.htm    
    
Statute of Limitations by State ? always double check YOUR OWN STATE Government Website
http://www.budhibbs.com/statute_of_limitations.htm

Recording calls from Debt Collectors - always double check YOUR OWN STATE Government Website
http://www.budhibbs.com/record.htm


From Federal Trade Commission Website ? FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT
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.
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
February 2009

File complaints with

Federal Trade Commission  https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/FTC_Wizard.aspx?Lang=en

Your State Attorney General
State Attorney General is every state they have offices

Link to all State Attorney General Websites www.naag.org

If you or they are located in NY ? use this SPECIAL Link  www.NYDebtHelp.com
This special website was created by NY AG Andrew Cuomo specifically for reporting illegal debt collection practices.  HE?S CRACKING DOWN AND SHUTTING THEM DOWN!
    
Also report your calls and contacts with debt collectors at http://www.budhibbs.com/index.html  If the company is listed under agencies ? report there. If not on the list YET, click on Watchlist! and add to the list.   You can also post here http://www.collectorsexposed.com/forum2/index.php?board=2.0

They called me and I told the woman I could not understand what she was saying, all I heard was Merchant. She asked me to verify the last 4 digits of my social. I told her I didn't know who she was or who she was with and I would not give that information unless she explained who she was with and it was legitimate and she said "Okay, thank you and have a good day."
Strange...

I have been repeatedly getting calls for a specific person whom I have tried to tell these people that I do not know. I have never been treated so rudely by anyone on the phone before. These people, both the employees and their supervisors, who help to make collections a joke, From this experience, I can tell that they are never to be taken as professionals.. No one has a right to treat anyone this way. I pitty the persons who they are able to reach, and are actually the people they are looking for.

They've been calling for days now, but I'm never home when they call.

An organization called Merchants Credit is the caller ID for this number. They are credit collectors. They called using an autodialer that said " if you do not answer this call then you admit you are 'XXXX';  I could not make out the name they were calling. After the first message ( which we did not acknowledge ) we have started getting calls in the morning and later at night. We have a computerized telemarketer / spamming call blocking system that records when they call but blocks the phone from ringing after the first ring. We no longer concern ourselves with these callers or get upset. We just block them and document their calls. After a few months if the problem doesn't go away we file a complaint with the FTC for harrassment and use our call logs as evidence. So far three of these callers that used to bother us in the past couple of years have been taken offline and charged.

i called the number back an got the name of the company here is their website
http://www.merchantscreditguide.com/