Update to the prior message left - FTC does go after these people - report them!

 Case in point see below


FTC Puts Texas-based Operation Permanently Out of the Debt Collection Business After It Allegedly Used Deception, Insults, and False Threats against Consumers
Operation also Charged Unauthorized Fees; Owner Will Surrender His Assets
The owner of a Houston-based debt collection operation that the FTC charged used insults, lies, and false threats of imprisonment to collect on payday loans will surrender his assets, estimated to be worth $550,000, to pay restitution to consumers who were charged unauthorized fees. All the defendants will be permanently banned from debt collection under a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission.
In 2013, at the request of the FTC, a U.S. district court shut down Goldman Schwartz, Inc., froze its assets, and appointed a receiver to take control of the business while the case was in litigation. The debt collection operation did business nationwide, collecting primarily on payday loans. In some cases it owned the debt, and in others, it acted as a third-party collector. The operation was charged with multiple violations of both the FTC Act and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
?Debt collectors who harass consumers, make false threats, and charge bogus fees are violating federal law and will be held accountable,? said Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC?s Bureau of Consumer Protection.
The defendants  were charged with making false threats that consumers would be arrested and jailed, and that their children would be taken into custody; falsely claiming to be attorneys or to work hand-in-hand with local sheriff?s offices; disclosing debts to consumers? employers and military superiors; and collecting bogus late fees and attorneys? fees, according to the complaint.
The defendants also harassed and abused consumers by using obscene language and by calling repeatedly and at odd hours early in the morning or late at night, and failed to inform consumers of their rights to dispute the debts, have the debts verified, and obtain the names of the original creditors, the complaint alleged.
The settlement resolves FTC allegations against company owner Gerald Wright, company managers Starlette Foster and Jennifer Zamora, and several corporate defendants. The settlement requires Wright to surrender his assets, estimated at $550,000, which include funds from personal and business accounts and proceeds from the sale of realty. The remainder of a $1.4 million judgment against Wright is suspended based on inability to pay. The judgment against Foster and Zamora also is suspended due to their inability to pay. If it is later determined that the financial information the defendants provided the FTC was false, the full amount of the judgment will become due.
The monetary judgment will be used to pay restitution to consumers who were charged unauthorized late fees and attorneys? fees, often in the hundreds of dollars. The defendants privately referred to these bogus fees as ?Juice,? and used them to inflate the cost to consumers who wished to settle their debts, the complaint alleged.
Also under the order, the defendants are prohibited from misrepresenting the characteristics of any financial product or service.
As part of its continuing crackdown on scams that target consumers in financial distress, the complaint named as defendants Goldman, Schwartz Inc, doing business as Goldman, Schwartz, Lieberman & Stein; Debtcom, Inc., doing business as Cole, Tanner, & Wright; Harris County Check Recovery Inc.; and The G. Wright Group Inc., doing business as The Wright Group. Under the terms of the order, these companies will be dissolved.
For consumer information about dealing with debt collectors, see Debt Collection.
The Commission vote approving the proposed consent decree was 5-0. It is subject to court approval. The FTC filed the proposed consent decree in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division on May 19, 2014.
NOTE: Consent decrees have the force of law when approved and signed by the District Court judge.
The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC?s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC?s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.
Contact Information
MEDIA CONTACT:
Betsy Lordan
Office of Public Affairs
202-326-3707

STAFF CONTACT:
Tom Carter
FTC Southwest Region
Dallas 214-979-9372
Related Cases
Goldman Schwartz Inc., et al.
For Consumers
?    Debt collection
?    Payday loans
?    Coping with debt
For Businesses
?    Debt collection
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Morons started calling me today

This is total crap.been calling and threatened me with service in 48 hours-for years.lately they've said they will service my relatives. We live all across the US.or work.I havent worked for years due to injury.plus the anything I may owe would be older than the hills so heck with it.im starting to find it funny they waste their time with me.the one time I talked to them I just laughed and told them to sue me.I own nothing my credit is crap and have nothing to attach.I just blocked them and ignore.

They called me too.  I don't owe anyone, and I don't have any criminal records.

They called me also said I needed to call them, they had papers to serve me for fraudulent charges. I called they answered saying pre trial (something) I have read several reports regarding this number it is a scam. They are people claiming they were hired to collect old pay day loans they call from several different numbers.

Call every other week today called said they where from per trail

If you receive a call from these people you need to report them to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

1-855-411-2372
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/

As well as the FTC
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov

Contact your local Police departmnet and conduct a report

As well as contacting your states DOJ (Departmnet of Justice) from there area they are calling from and your states DOJ

I do not owe any such debt and even if someone did who receives these calls, they can not use such measures as

?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.

It's not legal - SAVE YOUR MESSAGES REPORT THEM - in addition contact a class action lawyer - enough of these may cause them to sue them for huge $$$

I need to knw how to stop this.  This is causing me anxiety, they are emabarressing me to my family!  I have been the victim of these calls too much  Please!  Someone enlighten me.  This is crazy!

scam calls

Since you can't stop the calls, you may want to look at getting a call blocker - you can Google these and find many for $60 and under. Your home phone and/or cell phone may also have this feature.  Ask your relatives to ignore any and all calls such as these - these calls are illegal, period, and designed to harass/embarrass people into paying a bogus debt, debt that has already been paid, or even debt that is owed, but to another company.

Total scam.  No one gets a heads up they'll be served - the process server just shows up, unannounced.  It's a scare tactic designed to get you to call back and pay some bogus debt, debt that has already been paid off or even a debt that is owed, but to another company.

You don't have to fax anything to some random caller - per federal law (the FDCPA), debt collectors bear the burden of proving that you actually do owe a debt and also must prove that they have the legal right to collect said debt.  Refusal to mail - do not accept email or fax - this documentation is another violation of federal law.  Print up this thread to give to your HR Dept and/or manager, so they can see that when you get these calls, you're being harassed by scammers.  Unless you can get a company name and physical address, you can't send them a cease and desist letter.  However, being that these are scammers, that won't stop the calls anyway - and any address you do get will probably turn out to be a UPS box number or even an empty parking lot.  Your employer can look into blocking their number(s) - that's the only way to stop the calls, unfortunately.  That, and telling them you've reported them, you know they're scammers and they won't see a nickel from you.

Yes I had payday loans.  After paying on them for years I finally talked to the attorney general and they informed me of which ones were legal in my state and the rest were not.  I paid the legal ones and let the others go.   That was 4 years ago.  Needless to say I get a lot of collection calls.  Download mr. Number and keep putting these numbers under  "hang up and block".  People are always saying they are coming to my house.  I tell them where i live even.  No one shows up ever. Report and block#

I also receive these harassing calls.  Telling me they got a fax and are going to send me a citation, blah blah.  I have never in my life had an internet loan.  They try to get my banking info as well... BLOCKED!

The phone calls always sound legitimate (case against your account or you, case number, summons sent to home or work, your rights and then a phone number to call before your rights are violated).  If no one wrote about these phone numbers, there would be so many victims already!  I've remembered:  if it is a true case against you; a letter will be sent to you.  there will be no phone call or scare tactic (court summons for court, etc).  If it is a person to ask for a business address and number as well as the court house they work out of.  never ever give out any personal information or repeat the case number that they have provided.  Too bad these people don't put half this much effort into doing something good for society.  Instead they create havoc and confusion.

I am a stage 4 cancer patient and am doing my best to cling to life.
These people call on a daily basis.  They refuse to give out a phone number, address for place of business, or even the name of the business they supposedly represent.  It was bad enough when they were calling me.  But, now they are calling my relatives of the same last name and threatening them that I am going to be summoned.  They claim to work for some pretrial servicing agency, but they won't tell you what courthouse they are working out of.  They have called all hours of the day and night.  They tell me if I don't respond before the official summons, I will lose all my rights.  Ha.  Shows how little they know of the legal system.  I have never had a payday loan.  I did have the terms of my auto payment changed recently... I can't imagine where they got my name, and why they continue to harrass me.  I am poorer than a church mouse.

If you receive a call from these people you need to report them to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

1-855-411-2372
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/

As well as the FTC
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov

Contact your local Police departmnet and conduct a report

As well as contacting your states DOJ (Departmnet of Justice)

I do not owe any such debt and even if someone did who receives these calls, they can not use such measures as

?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.

It's not legal - SAVE YOUR MESSAGES REPORT THEM - in addition contact a class action lawyer - enough of these may cause them to sue them for huge $$$

Thank  you

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:
I received several calls - with messages left in which I saved - I have contacted the local police and made a police report as well as the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/ and the FTC

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.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0258-fake-debt-collectors

People all you have too do is ignore these people is that why we have caller id and voice messages
I ignore all numbers I don't know!!!

BMG is Bahama Marketing Group its one of the names that the Payday Loans run under.

Just got a call from this number stating that this was the third time they called me and they will be calling my place of employment to follow proper proctical to serve me papers at work or home. The lady also said good luck in court.  Who says that.  anybody else have this claim number ZX1439.  

got a call from this number about 10 minutes ago again they call me every other day give me a case number to call back which I never do. the message states they have a complaint against me they are calling me from the process and summons division but no company.  Not sure if should call them back said they would call my place of employment to verify the protacall
so they can serve papers at my place of employment or my home at the end of the message they told me good luck in court.  Really

Got calls yesterday and today. Caller ID is 'unknown' or 'private' number. I used the call back number just now. I couldn't understand what the person said, so I asked for her name "Lisa Davis". I asked where she was calling from. Kept asking me to give a "case" number, verify my birthday, verify my last 4 of social security. I said I wasn't verifying anything till I knew who the info was being given to. She said 'pretrial processing center' because of fraud and something else to a company called "BMG". I told her I had no idea (and don't) what "BMG" was. She kept trying to get me to verify the info I already mentioned; I refused unless she told me what the company was, etc. She put me on hold and came back on asking "ARE YOU READY TO VERIFY THE LAST 4 OF YOUR SOCIAL?" Told her what I had been telling her. I asked where (her) the business was located. She said the state I live in. When I said I knew that was a lie, she asked me why I was asking (if I knew it was a lie). She put me on hold again and came back saying "WE'LL STILL COME OUT THERE TO SERVE YOU!" I told her that was fine and I would take any info to my attorney and to please stop calling me. She hung up. I did have some payday loans in 2008 but went through bankruptcy with all debts discharged. I do know these parasites are scammers.

THESE JERKS CALL ALL DAY FROM SUNRISE TO SUN SET. A***HOLE

Thank you, Alfalfa, for your post.  I just received a phone call from this number at my place of employment and my cell phone. Because of what you wrote, I asked for their address.  She said she doesn't feel comfortable giving me that information.  When she refused and I said that they must be trying to scam me, she asked what my address is.  I stated that she can't compare the two, my address is personal and I'm asking for her business address.  If someone calls my place of employment, I'm required to tell them my address if that's what they're seeking.  She hung up on me.  Anyway, I had 3 pay day loans back in 2008.  All 3 were paid but one may have been to a fake collection agency (UGH!!).  I paid the loan off and in their final letter stating that the loan was paid off, they changed the account number and I didn't notice it.  The collection agency is no longer in existence so it was probably a scam.  Anyway, every few months I get harassing phone calls from a collection agency and have to fax proof that the loan was paid off and they promise to close my account.  It's a revolving cycle and I'm over it!  Does anyone know how I can get these calls to stop?!  It's embarrassing at work to have these people call with such harsh and threatening messages.  I have a file about an inch thick with my proof of payment and documenting every phone call I've received regarding this.

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.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0258-fake-debt-collectors

Yeah, they keep calling me also with the same s---! They are a bill collector for old payday loans or I guess any other old debt that they can scavenge like hyennas. GET A REAL JOB and leave decent working folks alone. SCYMS!!!

These muther f'ers call and call. I have had my number changed 3x only to have these pricks call again. I call them back ask for the name of the company they will not answer my questions. I believe legally they must. All three times I called back they were rude. Not that much will come out of me turning in the number but i AM.

These people call me all day long from several different phone numbers claiming to have a case file against me and threatening to deliver a summons to my place of employment. They never leave a company name, when calling them back they refuse to answer any of my questions. They apparently are calling from a landline in Rhode Island.