I know pete the owner he has always been a piece of s*** rat from buffalo ny.he moved to Georgia because he snitched out so many people in buffalo

When a co. collects a valid debt in a rude and FDCPA law breaking manner, the debt is not automatically INVALIDATED you idiots, pay the debt use your recording then sue the dumb a** collection co. calling you in this manner. The DEBT IS STILL OWED, but you will recompense that with your civil lawsuit suing them for more than your debt worth. Irony is very just here...

You MUST also concede that the debtors are in direct violation of the law too. Or is a Legal Binding Contract no longer upheld by a court of law any longer? Tsk Tsk, Mr F D C P A you need to understand that when a collection co. reps themselves in such a manner and uses terminology that the debtor sees as inflammatory it is not a violation of the law, but a misinterpretation of the terminology used by the collector which allows the fears of the debtor to govern how it feels and sounds. Therefore when a collector says you broke the law you are in violation of the laws in your state and county, it is about CONTRACT LAW their own fears automatically affiliate this with CRIMINAL LAW which then motivates them. They "feel" threatened, but not by the collector but rather their own unchecked fears which debt collectors count on. Still folks, Integrity is a MUST pay your debts, negotiate settlements with your creditors or the collections agencies they hire. As for this firm in particular it is OBVIOUS that they are doing SOMETHING illegal to generate this kind of concern.

Absolutely, their tactics are wrong, but it may be a valid debt. Debt like all other commodities are bought and sold based on an intrinsic value depreciated over time. Settling debts sans credit reporting are prime, if after any credit reporting done then the debtor should request that as contingent on their resolving the debt as well as through the settlement process. What is a really bad idea about what you have said is your using the term "reputable" in the use of describing a debt collection co. By their definition they are the MOST HATED profession on this planet, hence your pretense is incorrect. If that were the case, no collection agency should be paid by you and you will lose any credibility as a "professional" debtor, and no one at some point will loan you a nickle, or enter into a contract with you until you save some face and either knuckle up and pay your debts or file bankruptcy and you will have a 7 year waiting period until you are GTG again. In the end, it is about your integrity as a human being and most of you have very little as your debts remain unpaid. However, there is another possibility and no one seems to talk about it. Often times when you have similar names you will see a merging of social security numbers and 2 diff people will end up "sharing" their CBR unknowingly check on this, while you may be pursued about a valid debt sometimes you will find you are being pursued by another persons debt but because of the merger may be legal until you file for a separation. Get smart folks, don't be a victim; and hold your integrity (your word) close, it is the purest thing in your life you will ever have and only you can corrupt and lose it, no one else can do it to you. Claim your responsibility and your integrity.

I'm well aware of what the FDCPA says. I can barely understand your rambling all-caps prose, but I'm not sure you grasp what it means. The burden of proof is on the debt collector. I find that the more they rely on hostile tactics, the less chance they can substantiate their claims. The reflex cannot be "pay your bills" but "prove you owe", and it may take more than one stage of dispute to get there.

If some one is threaten you,  regarding jail or summons, or Even saying they are invesgators thats ileagal, If the debt is valid.. pay your bill .. If  a company is asking you to verify the last four of your soc sec number.. they are trying to protect you.. they can not release third party info to anyone but your self..  its a scam if you never took the loan OUT .. SEND IN YOUR PAPER  WORK AND DISPUTE OR PAY UP BECASUE THE CREDITORS WILL GO  THROUGH HOOPS TO MAKE SURE THEY VERFIY  YOUR DEBT ... THE PAY DAY LOANS ARE KINDA SCARY EVERY BODY IS WRITING POSTDATED CHECKS.. I WORKED WITH SOMEONE WHO TOOK OUT 2 LOANS IN ONE DAY AND HE  HAD NO INTENTIONS ON PAYING IT BACK.. HE GOT  A JUDGE MENT ON HIS CREDIT AND THEY TOOK THE JUDGEMENT TO THE COURTS . YOU  DON'T HAVE TO  SHOW UP FOR  COURT BUT IF YOU ARE IN STATES THAT GARNISH WAGES .. IT  WILL YOU  AND YOUR EMPLOYER WANT TELL YOU ANYTHING. NEXT YOU  WILL FIND OUT  YOUR PAYCHECK IS SHORY.....CONSUMER SCREW UP THINKING YOU WANT BE PERSUDED  YOU CAN BE.. SCAMMER DON'T HAVE ALL THEINFO YOU PROVIDED WHEN  GETTING LOANS ANS CREDIT.. INFORMATION YOU  ONLY KNOW THINK ABOUT IT.. PAY YOUR BILLS OR TRY TO SETTLE DEBT  FDCPA PROTECTS YOU  BUT YOU  ALSO HAVE TO PROOF SOME SAID THE WILL TAKE YOU  JAIL SO RECORD THE CALLS YOU HAVE TO TELL THE PERSON Y THEY ARE BEING RECORED OTHER WISE IT WILL NO USE...

I got a similar call.  I need to know if this is a scam outfit.  They said I took out a payday loan from some place called Money and More and it was from an account in 2008.

I got the same call from a guy named carltin. He was very rude and stated that i could go to jail if i didnt pay this loan from some place called MONEY AND MORE they had my OLD bank from 2008. i got scared and call that same number they gave you guys. i (like an idiot) gave them my credit card number. about 2 months later, after i had paid $150.00 to them, i decided to look up these people and this is what i found. i cant believe i was scammed so i called and cancelled the card. today i got a call from a private number saying they were going to come to my house and my work between 12-5 tomorrow. they better not i will call the police

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 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.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt076.shtm

PETE YOU ARE DEAD WRONG--I CAN SEND YOU A CD OF RECORDINGS IF YOU WISH--IVE BEEN A DEBT COLLECTOR FOR 22 YEARS AND THE SCUMBAG MESSAGES YOUR PEOPLE ARE LEAVING IS AN EMBARRASSMENT TO OUR INDUSTRY---THE WHOLE WORLD WILL COME CRASHING DOWN ON YOU VERY SOON---ITS CALLED A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT---MY CELL IS 312 502 4268--NOTHING TO HIDE..CALL ME SO WE CAN CHAT.

I am so relieved that I saw this post! I am supposed to be served today between 12-5 from a guy named Josh Smith. I am scared and took out a payday loan , years ago, and haven't paid it. Not because I didn't have the money, but, because the payday loan tried to wipe out my account and I got another bank account. I would pay the loan, through the mail with a money order, but, they want an account number. And I'm NOT going to do that anymore! I'm happy to know that they will not be coming out to see me and that I have rights~It is comforting to know that if they do, that I have rights.  I will check out that info on the owner of Barrett , smith and Associates. Let's keep these posts coming. Is there anyone out there who is legitimately wanting to pursue legal action against these people? If so, please reply to this post. Also, I this the company has a new phone number. The numbers that I got were these 951-488-7215 (on the caller ID) and 866-678-9479 to call back. I called the  866 number and it was Barrett Smith and associates. I will also check with my local magistrates office to see if anyone has filed suit against me. Thank you!

Hi. I was wondering if they did, in fact, show up? I am scheduled to be served today. Between 12-5 this afternoon. I'm supposed to be served by a guy maned Josh Smith and the phone numbers are 951-488-7215 and the call back number is 866-678-9479. The company--barrett smith and associates. I called the number (after hours) then looked them up. One number is out of CA and the other is out of GA.

This guy is the true scumbag.

How dare he or his minnions come on here calling people scumbags

He is someone who got into trouble with his friends, and ratted them out to save his own a$$

THAT IS A TRUE SCUMBAG.

Dude has to walk around the rest of his life knowing he is nothing but a low down dirty scum cheese eating RAT.

Barrett Smith and Associates
(877) 812-1761
P.O Box 492242, Lawrenceville, GA 30049
http://barrettsmithassociates.com

Rating: F On a scale of A+ to F

Barrett Smith and Associates is not BBB Accredited.

Factors that lowered Barrett Smith and Associates' rating include:
13 complaints filed against business

licensing, where applicable.

BBB file opened: 05/04/2011

Contact Information
Primary Contact: Mr. David Thomas (Senior Risk Manager)

Business Category
Collection Agencies

http://www.bbb.org/atlanta/business-reviews/c ... lle-ga-27407589

I received the call this last Thursday, the 2nd, from a ?Jason Owens? stating that he was about to serve me with papers as I was being sued and he was just giving me a courtesy call. He gave me the number for Barrett Smith and Associates, along with a reference number. When I called them, they would not give me any information unless I provided, ??only the last four digits of [my] social security number?. What a crock! I told them to get lost and just like the ex-employee of this company said, ?Jason Owens?, or Steven, called me every day through yesterday, which was supposed to be my service day. Well, I?m still waiting for these papers and now that they know for sure I am not falling for it, they have not called me since.
This is a scam! I don?t know about other states, but I am a WA government worker and know my rights for my state. I know here that any creditor that wants to file a claim against a debtor must do so in the debtor, or consumer?s, jurisdiction. I looked for any filings against me, as well as checking my credit, and I have nothing against me. Please don?t fall for this people! Know your rights so that when this happens to you, you do not fall for it! They are in violation of many state and federal laws and they are not legitimate! Even if you do have a debt somewhere, paying Barrett Smith & Associates WILL NOT make it go away; it will go directly into their pockets!
Any time you do a loan people, check to make sure that the company has a state license for the state that YOU live in, no matter what they say! A lot of these online and/or payday loan companies are operating illegally and therefore put people in the position of having no rights to go after them for illegal practices as the contract is null if it was done illegally. Check the state laws for the state that you reside in before taking out any kind of loan. For example, in WA state, an online loan company must have a WA state business license to do a loan with a consumer in WA state. If they do not and they do a loan with a WA state consumer, if that consumer does not pay that debt, they have no legal right to come after them as the contract was illegal and therefore would have no standing. On the flip side, the consumer also has no legal rights in terms of Fair Debt collection laws as again, the loan contract was illegal and therefore does not stand up in court. A colleague uses the dark example of a drug deal; if the consumer doesn?t pay for the product, the dealer cannot sue the consumer and if the produce is shoddy, the consumer cannot sue the dealer for this because a drug deal is an ILLEGAL CONTRACT! KNOW all the credit laws for the state you reside in and ALWAYS look into anything that involves personal information and/or money before you give away anything!
To the gal that is on her high horse about people taking loans and not paying them: some people, like myself, did not take a loan but had their information sold nonetheless so have a little heart and understanding and don?t be so ignorant and quick to judge. Also, these companies that do pay day loans are typically just as corrupt as this scam company and are illegal to even do business in the state of the consumer. Until you understand what a person is dealing with, maybe you should reserve judgment. Yes, people should pay their debts but when they are dealing with companies that will ONLY take payment through direct debits (actual access to the consumer?s account) and then wipe out that person?s account far more than what is owed, people may be hesitant to pay. The best advice to give would be not to get involved with these companies in the first place, but of course desperate times can call for desperate measures and that is the risk that people have taken. But tell me why it is your place or right to judge and criticize something you probably know nothing about, and call people names for making bad financial decisions? That is so ignorant that it is abhorrent.

Dont worry they are scammers,  if u want to be sure, call ur county court to see if u have any claims against you.  not only that officers can only serve you.  They called and left voicemails and said they were coming to my place of employment but no one ever showed up, and they wont. they are not even a credited company and they created their website on godaddy.com its all made up and they stay in business because ppl fall for their scam and pay them. when ur really not payig off the loan and its still on your credit report.  hopefully these ppl will be busted and put in jail.

Yea, i recieved a call friday from a blocked number from a Kevin Carter saying he will be buy to serve me papers for a claim that has been filled againt me for $900. me being young, i was scared because i really dont have any money considering i almost just got evicted, but i didnt( thank you Jesus).  i called the number he left on my voicemail and some lady answers saying no one works ther by that name but she asked for my claim number and saying they have filled a claim against me and left me on hold for about 10 mins.  then she calls friday stating that i have until 6pm to work something out.  Then i get another call this morning from Mr. kevin stating he was coming by today to serve my paper between 12-5.    i found it kind of weird that he doenst work there but can call me from a blocked number. something told me to google this number and this came up.. so im so glad that i found this, now i am releived and i can pay my light bill.  Thank you so much!!! God Bless!!

Funny, that's exactly, almost to the word, what "Dell" said on another site. It is definitely a scam but seems fishy that "Rachel" and "Dell" say the exact same thing. Exact format and choice of words...

I am the owner of Barrett Smith and Associates.  This post was made by a disgruntled former employee who was terminated for cause.  I deny that Barrett Smith and Associates has ever violated any consumer debt protection laws or otherwise broken the law.   The allegations contained in the above post are false.  I respectfully request that said posting be removed.  Thank you for your consideration.

Pete thanks for posting this. Your company is really racking it up and showing your true self.

Well I hope you have a nice day as well. All people are not on here because they owe debts to a company some are on here to expose truths to this companies facade. If your company did not commit the crime of theft by deception or violate FCDA sanctions then you wouldn't be in the public eye. If this is Joey have fun sitting in jail for selling dope to the owner of the company. Don't throw stones when you live in a glass house.

Your either Tammie or Jackie. Thanks for a perfect example of how unprofessional your work environment is. Tell Pete we will see them in court. Next time I check hope you won't be living in a trailer park. :)

I can help you file a lawsuit as my fiance is an ex-employee of this company and they still owe him for over a weeks worth of work. You can contact me at made.new911@yahoo.com

Do you still have this voice mail saved? My fiance was recently laid off from this company and has not even paid him for over a full weeks work. When he called to inquire of where his check was at the owner started to curse at him and make false accusations. I have sent a very friendly letter letting him know the practice he runs and makes his money off of is criminal and is called theft by deception. He has threatened to take us to court for deflation of character! Can you believe that? This company is over the top and must be stopped. People like this make me sick.

Shill.

Barrett Smith and associates is a illegitimate company. And I will break down the process and cycle of this harassing company one by one so stay tuned. I have insider information from this company and it is 100% reliable, as a family member was a victim.
1. This company obtains personal information from each case they receive. The cases are sold to them by payday loan companies and other organizations like this type of company. What is sold is credit card information, social security numbers and relatives information. This information is sold to the company at lower prices than what is owed, as larger companies do not have time to pursue these little charges. For example a loan that is owed for $400 they will buy for $200 or less.
2. They contact you from an unknown number and leave a message stating they are coming to your place of business or home to serve papers and this is a private courier. They then tell you if you need further information to contact Barret Smith and Associates. Each employee in the company has a fake name they go by for this first call. When you call back and reference that name they can see on their computers who actually placed the call within the company.
3. They then jack the price you actually owe up and refer to themselves as lawyers and threaten litigation. This is not true as a great majority are actually not even college graduates. They portray this story to threaten you and get your money as they actually have no power to bring any law suits into existence. If the original loan was for $400 and they paid $200, you would be told you needed to settle this for at least $1000. This is how the company stays in business. They threaten and harass.
Although the debts alleged are legitimate, the company is backwards and should be sued. See their website at barrettsmithassociates.com/Home.html. If you notice no where on the website does it say they are lawyers and does not have a physical address for this company but a PO box instead. They are located off of Riverside parkway in Lawrenceville, GA next to the sports medicine clinic. There are no signs hanging on the building and no indication, but have a tight security system in which numbers have to be entered into a door in order to gain entrance. If I was a personal victim from this company, I have would not wondered why this has been in instituted. When you call ask to speak with Pete , he is the owner and paid from your hard earned money drives a baby blue corvette. You can tell him Rachel said hi and you understand the scam.  I hope this information has been helpful.

The truth he goes by KP in the company and it is a scam.

Barrett Smith and associates is a illegitimate company. And I will break down the process and cycle of this harassing company one by one so stay tuned. I have insider information from this company and it is 100% reliable, as a family member was a victim.
1. This company obtains personal information from each case they receive. The cases are sold to them by payday loan companies and other organizations like this type of company. What is sold is credit card information, social security numbers and relatives information. This information is sold to the company at lower prices than what is owed, as larger companies do not have time to pursue these little charges. For example a loan that is owed for $400 they will buy for $200 or less.
2. They contact you from an unknown number and leave a message stating they are coming to your place of business or home to serve papers and this is a private courier. They then tell you if you need further information to contact Barret Smith and Associates. Each employee in the company has a fake name they go by for this first call. When you call back and reference that name they can see on their computers who actually placed the call within the company.
3. They then jack the price you actually owe up and refer to themselves as lawyers and threaten litigation. This is not true as a great majority are actually not even college graduates. They portray this story to threaten you and get your money as they actually have no power to bring any law suits into existence. If the original loan was for $400 and they paid $200, you would be told you needed to settle this for at least $1000. This is how the company stays in business. They threaten and harass.
Although the debts alleged are legitimate, the company is backwards and should be sued. See their website at barrettsmithassociates.com/Home.html. If you notice no where on the website does it say they are lawyers and does not have a physical address for this company but a PO box instead. They are located off of Riverside parkway in Lawrenceville, GA next to the sports medicine clinic. There are no signs hanging on the building and no indication, but have a tight security system in which numbers have to be entered into a door in order to gain entrance. If I was a personal victim from this company, I have would not wondered why this has been in instituted. When you call ask to speak with Pete , he is the owner and paid from your hard earned money drives a baby blue corvette. You can tell him Rachel said hi and you understand the scam.  I hope this information has been helpful.

I have received this call  twice this week, on my cell and at my job. I called them back and a lady answered the phone. She wanted my SS#. I told her NO, if she has my paperwork like she said, she should have all the information she need.

Yes, this is definitely LEGIT.  They can and will come to your home/job to deliver paperwork regarding your debts, if they are valid.  If a company who serves paperwork has reached you in error, then they certainly will not have your correct address.  I am not sure when the debt/legal agencies became the bad guys?  If you owe the money, pay, or else see your credit plummet.  My cousin had them come to her home and she did owe the loot and it showed all in their papers.......say you're having financial difficulties and try to settle this for less money.