I just received a call from 909-740-8095 at my place of employment! I cannot believe the scams out there. They said they wanted my attorney's information. They said I had a legal case against me and problems with my social security number. I am so pissed at how fast companies are willing to send (sell) out your information when you apply for anything. This kind of stuff should be illegal. I am now checking my credit and bank information continuously. I hope someone will put an end to the scams!

I have received several calls from this and other phone numbers that turn out to be non-working numbers.  A voice comes on the line saying the person is not available and no further messages can be left in the mailbox.  They claim there was a law suit filed against me from a debt collector and the first caller, who called herself, Officer Naomi Brooks, gave me a court number.  Today, the call was received from someone calling himself Michael Johnson.  I tried to return the call to get more information and received a recording that it was not a working number.  I used the redial number that came in on my phone.  He said if I or my attorney did not call back he all he could do "is wish me good luck."  This is very frightening and annoying.

i have also reieve phone calls n her name was anna june threatened to call my work wanted me to write a letter giving her authorization for my bank account said if she didnt get it today i would have to go to court she said i owe 745.89 i said for what she wouldnt tell me what it was for  n for me her name was anna june funny how they use names like that

I got this same message and the same name.Andy the scary part is he has the last 4 numbers of my SSN as well as the last 4 numbers of my bank account and he knows where I bank!!! I never borrowed any money for some instant cash place! He did leave a number to call  him back at 909-740-8095 and said he was with Anderson Legal Group in San Fransico Cali.

I got a call today from the same guy today (11/4/2010). Called himself Daniel. He told me that I was behind on payments, and they are going to press charges. He wouldn't give me any info. He also wanted to know if I had filed for Bankruptcy and that the technique they were going to use to make me pay was not covered by any Bankruptcy law. I told him I was not going to give him any information and to talk to my Lawyer. When I was getting ready to give him the number, he hung up. I went through a couple of people before Daniel came on the phone. All had Indian accents.

I did call my Lawyer to let them know and gave them the call back number. Hope my Lawyer scares them the way they tried to threaten me.

I received 6 calls also at my work and my cell, today. I told my receptionist at work and she said not a problem, we'll hang up on them. when I get home tonight I am going to use my fire alarm on my wall to deal them a blow...lolol this is pretty funny.. and not, its not fun when you know someone has your info. I am thinking I will change banks just in case they have that info too.

the man said his name was pat cooper and i told him my name was pat cooper man got mad and hung up on me then next time he called i asked him who was 1st president of usa got mad at me and hung up

I got the same thing!  3 Calls within 30 minutes, leaving me messages with a foreign accent that sounds like a robot, claiming to be Michael smith from an attorney's office.  The number was coming through as 'unknown', but he left messages saying I need to call him TODAY at 909-740-8095.  Thanks for all of the info, I can see this is going to be a day full of harassment!!

They called me 8 times within two hours. I called them back about 20 times and put my phone on mute. It starts to tick them off. I also called a couple times playing country music. Hopefully they don't call me again, im sure they have caller ID so they know who is calling. They left me 6 voice mails. Like everyone else said, they're some idian people who you can barely understand.

call from these ham and eggers man calling self pat cooper  im calling fbi state police i hope 2 god these miserables b*****ds rott in hell

Got a call from a Daniel Marshall today, with indian accent, phone number (909-740-8095).  They said they were going to take me to court and put me in jail if I didn't send them a letter stating that I would pay them money I woed to E-Z Cash or some such place.

I asked them to send me proof of the debt and they refused.  I asked them to tell me with what company the loan originated, they couldn't.

I have never been contacted about oweing anyone any money, and the phone they left a message on was my bosses cell phone.  How did they even get his number?  They did know my banking information and the last 4 of my social, which is very scary.

THIS IS SO AMAZING, THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING ALL THIS INFORMATION! I RECIEVED ANOTHER CALL FROM ANOITHER SCAMMER CALLING HIMSELF MICHAEL SMITH BUT IS INDIAN. I TOLD HIM HE HAS BEEN HAD AND TO YOU KNOW WHAT WITH HIMSELF AND TO LEAVE ME ALONE. HAVEN'T HEARD FROM HIM SINCE THANK GOODNESS, BUT IM SURE MORE IS TO COME, THANKS AGAIN FOR THE INFO.
      DONNA

For at least the last four years, possibly longer, a group has been calling former payday loan applicants advising them that they have defrauded a bank and are now being sued for non-payment of a loan.  The callers will claim to be calling on behalf of an attorney's office (name varies), the Dept. of Law and Investigation, ACS, or other similar combinations below:

United Legal Processing Division
Midline Marketing
Crime Monitoring Services
Monetary Crime Division
U.S. National Bank
Attorney General?s Office (usually in California)
American Legal Services
Affidavit Consolidation Services (ACS)

You will be threatened with arrest, a costly trial and possibly worse.  In no shape, way or form can you be arrested for non-payment on a consumer debt.  Do not believe these threats, as they are without merit and cannot be carried out in the manner they allege.  

Who are they?

In the past when pressed by law enforcement for an address, the callers have provided the following information:

David Morgan and Associates
Morgan & Associates
Morgan Associates
954-727-8481
1155 Northwest 85th Street
Wintergarden, Florida  33150
(Address is likely invalid)

The collector's MO matches a once legit collections agency called Ellis Crosby & Associates.  Here are some links on them:

http://www.budhibbs.com/collectorpages/ellis_crosby_and_associates.htm
http://www.budhibbs.com/collectorpages/EllisCrosbyJudgment.pdf

They have been previously fined over $1.3 million for various violations.  They have been known to use phone banks in India to make their calls, which more or less coincides with the difficult to understand accent many of us detect when we are contacted.  

The last time this group went by any "official" name was back in 2008:

Ellis Crosby & Associates / Douglas & Morgan Associates
4494 Southside Boulevard Suite #200
Jacksonville Florida 32216
Phone:  800-928-3536 / (904) 928-3536
(Address is likely invalid)

There are NUMEROUS consumer alerts out against this group of individuals:

Florida:
http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/061107/met_176207561.shtml

Kansas:  
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2010/01/ks_debt_collection.html

Colorado:  
http://www.coloradoattorneygeneral.gov/press/ ... lls_likely_orig

Rhode Island:  
http://www.collectionscreditrisk.com/news/rho ... -3002135-1.html

West Virginia:
http://www.wvago.gov/internetloanscam.cfm

Missouri:
On July 15th, 2010 a Public Awareness Bulletin was sent out by Missouri Information Analysis Center.  

"..received reports from individuals in Ohio and Illinois reference suspicious telephone calls they received. In both instances, the callers are reporting that a voicemail is received from a man, with a Middle Eastern accent, identifying himself as an officer working with the Financial Crimes Unit.  The message indicates that the reason for the call concerns a loan made by the receiver or someone in the receiver's family. The voicemail requests that a return call be made and a telephone number is provided. When a return call is made, the caller is asked to provide personal identifying information such as their date of birth and social security number.

Reports indicate that the calls are frequent and persistent and that they even threaten arrest or legal action if information or money is not provided. It appears that the individuals making these calls may have access to some records connecting individuals and their relatives.  Missouri does not have a Financial Crimes Unit and all indications are that this is a fictitious agency. If you receive a similar phone call, please be advised that it is a scam and please contact your local law enforcement agency or the Missouri Information Analysis Center at 866-362-6422."

Bottom line:

Do not supply the callers with any additional information.  Inform them you have reported them to law enforcement and hang up.  If you haven't already, go ahead and report the calls to local law enforcement, your state's Attorney General and beyond.  Look up the local Secret Service branch's information in your area and get in contact with an agent there.  

If you ever applied for a cash advance online, your information is out there.  
Possible sources for the breach of your privacy are:

* The scammers obtained your information from Teletrack - a reporting agency used by many cash advance lenders to determine their risk lending to you.  The service is able to tell cash advance lenders if you have existing loans with other companies, for example.  Many state laws prohibit borrowers from having more than two cash advances out at the same time.

* The scammers created their own fake payday loan application site.  People looking for a cash advance went to the site and applied, thus freely providing the scammers with their information for malicious use at a later time.  

* The scammers were able to get into the database(s) of cash advance lenders - probable targets being Sonic Payday and Cashnet USA.  


How to protect yourself:

* Inform your employer.  You are likely getting calls at home and/or at work, so make sure your employer is aware the calls are part of a scam and to not take them seriously.  Advise the callers that they are no longer allowed to call you at work.  If they continue to call, document the date and time of the calls you received.  Save voice mails left if at all possible.  

* Change your number(s).  For some this may not be an option, for others a one-time number change can be done free of charge.

Be advised - any references you listed on your payday loan application will be contacted.  Let those people know that this is a scam, and they can disregard.

* Use Google Voice.  Google Voice is a great replacement voice mail system for just about any phone number you use.  Messages can be transcribed and voice mail recordings can be saved as mp3 files.  

Pro Tip - call the scammers with a Google Voice number before turning off your old phone numbers.  Make sure when you call you identify yourself so they can start up their script.  At any point after they have your information pulled up just hang up.  They will then start religiously calling your Google Voice number.  At this point, you are free to change your regular phone number(s) and enjoy not having these people ever call you again.  (And laugh at the fact these people are basically talking to a brick wall several times a day)

The scammers change their numbers frequently.  Law enforcement used to think it was because the callers ran out of minutes on their prepaid wireless accounts or they were shuttered due to fraud, but now they understand it's simply to evade detection by savvy consumers online.  With the proliferation of VoIP, it's even easier for the crooks to stay a couple of steps ahead of law enforcement.  Below is just a sampling of the 30+ numbers that have been used in recent memory.

1-201-244-7722
1-209-349-7382
1-209-797-2212
1-212-500-0839
1-213-256-0408
1-213-995-3039
1-281-763-0433
1-347-289-3902
1-347-844-6817
1-347-844-6831
1-424-354-4270
1-516-232-8905
1-516-232-8935
1-518-212-0219
1-561-300-8018
1-561-210-4185
1-626-200-4646
1-631-456-4041
1-646-274-1143
1-646-810-8635
1-650-241-4604
1-707-401-4056
1-707-633-2789
1-708-401-0535
1-716-442-2824
1-717-862-4080
1-718-705-8669
1-760-514-0132
1-760-563-5384
1-772-318-4938
1-850-201-1111
1-858-777-1977
1-859-908-2281
1-866-860-4509
1-877-226-7488
1-888-706-7463
1-888-771-9249
1-888-785-4479
1-909-327-4870

So can they really do anything to you?

It's not a simple yes or no answer.  Logic dictates that, if they really wanted to take you for a ride and drain your bank accounts, they already would have.  

So, why haven't they?  

Authorization.  

Why do you think you are being called so much?  Perhaps it is because they like the sound of your voice?  No, they have to have your authorization to take any form of payment from you, period.  The callers know their audience, and that audience is typically a bunch of people that have applied for payday loans in the past.  Most of those people they call couldn't afford an attorney if they wanted one, and are so used to receiving collections calls that so long as they sound like a real collector, they will likely be perceived as one.

Furthermore, they don't even really want to talk to your attorney - that just sounds official and scary enough.  A real attorney would take the callers to task and write them off as two-bit con artists.  The callers need you, in writing, to authorize payment against the fictitious debt they claim you owe.  Go ahead, ask them for proof you owe the debt - more commonly known as verification of debt.  See what they say.  A phone authorization carries very little weight, so if they have something signed by you on file, you are done for - and the callers know that.  That authorization is the only thing these callers are doing by the book, and for good reason.  If they just went all willy nilly and made an ACH debit from your checking account, without your written approval, you could in turn report the transaction as fraudulent to your financial institution.  In about 7-10 business days, you would get the funds returned to your account.  Then the scammers would be up against a bank and their team of lawyers and investigators.  

Bottom line:

If you haven't paid the callers a dime, don't.  If you planned on paying them to shut them up, just don't.  Remember - you are not being contacted by a legally licensed, ethically owned and operated collector.  Read up on the FDCPA - http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre27.pdf - and know your rights.

http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-646-274-1143/3

I received a call from them today too about a payday loan that I had back in 2008. I called them back and advised them that this debt was discharged in my chapter 7 bankruptcy and the girl named "Melissa" was like "We don't care about bankruptcy you must pay" and hung up on me. I called my bankruptcy lawyer (The debt was discharged on 05/25/10) and they told him that "Bankruptcy doesn't matter in our state"...He was like "Well it matters in the USA so go ahead and sue him then we can get your company shut down or deported which ever works best" and hung up on them. I am glad to see that I am not the only one recently having this problem with them. They some how knew I banked at Wachovia though and had the last 4 of my SSN and my cell number. How can they get this information?

PROTECT YOURSELF!  IMPORTANT INFORMATION YOU MUST READ ? HOW THE SCAM WORKS AND WHAT AGENCIES TO REPORT THEM TO

LONG RUNNING AND KNOWN SCAM ? ALL OVER INTERNET AND NEWS FOR ABOUT 4 YEARS NOW


Fake Debt Collectors ? Terrorizing Consumers
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=5621205&page=1

MORE ON FAKE DEBT COLLECTORS
http://www.wvago.gov/internetloanscam.cfm
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-904-425-9141
http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/call4action/17285785/detail.html
http://www.800helpfla.com/newsletter/2008/092008.html
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2010/01/ks_debt_collection.html  
http://consumeraffairs.com/news04/2010/07/video_bill_collector_scam.html  WITH VIDEO!  
http://consumeraffairs.com/news04/2010/09/fdic_debt_collector_scam.html  9/7/2010 -NEWEST CONSUMER ALERT ?SCAMMERS NOW CLAIMING TO BE WITH FDIC

If you are targeted by these criminals, be sure to report them to all the following federal and state law enforcement agencies (most of which you can do online or over the phone):
1.    The U.S. Secret Service is responsible for protecting the country's financial infrastructure and payment systems from international and domestic threats. Call or write your local Secret Service field office to alert them to the details of this attempted extortion. The addresses and phone numbers for the local Secret Service field offices are listed at http://www.secretservice.gov/field_offices.shtml or in your phone book.
2.    Alert the FBI at https://tips.fbi.gov Be sure to tell the FBI that you are being targeted by extortionists over the phone. And if the crooks claim to be law enforcement or lawyers, officers of the court or bankers, be sure to include that information in your report.
3.    File a complaint with your local police. Most police departments will take a report over the phone.  Be sure to tell them that you're being targeted by an extortionist and give them all the details.
4.    File a complaint your state's attorney general, the contact information for whom is at www.wvago.gov
5.    File a complaint online with The Federal Trade Commission at https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/FTC_Wizard.aspx?Lang=en
If these crooks call back, promise them nothing, pay them nothing and tell them nothing other than that you know they're a scam and that you've reported them to law enforcement. (And be sure to report them to all the agencies above each time they call you.)

By the way, here's just a small sample of numbers used by this particular group of scammers. Read the reports and you'll see the same pattern time and again -- phony organization names, thick foreign accents, and oddly worded threats that are so melodramatic and ridiculous that it's laughable:


http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-771-9249   Scammer posting here as GARY and GARRY JONES
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-866-860-4509   Scammer posting here as Mike Henderson
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-212-500-0839   Scammer posting here as Ricky
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-201-244-7722   Scammer posting as Carole, David Brown and Amanda
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-626-200-4646   Scammer false postings at this new number as silshan kanniue and Tina ? preparing a new number to use.
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-424-354-4270   Scammer false postings as Rose
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-785-4479   Scammer posting as Robert
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-909-327-4870   Scammer false postings as Marry
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-646-274-1143   Scammer false postings as Karen Miller, Chichi and Tom Little
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-561-300-8018   Scammer false postings as Marco Polo and Covenant
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-226-7488   Scammer false postings as SAM, David S
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-706-7463   Scammer false postings as George
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-209-349-7382   Scammer false postings as Towanda Robinson, Shannon Walsh, Jack Dawson and Cynthia
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-760-514-0132   scammer false postings as Suzy01, Johanna Hall, Cindie McMellon, Michael Dublin, Mark Williams, Carol and Rio   (800notes removed some of the scammers posts because the all came from the SAME IP ADDRESS)
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-209-797-2212   scammer false posting as Jaison Connar
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-707-401-4056   Scammer false posting as John Carner, KSR
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-650-241-4604   Scammer false postings as jhon and Kevin
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-708-401-0535   Scammer false posting here as JHON
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-518-212-0219  Scammer false posting as Prince Christian, Arpit
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-718-705-8669  Scammer false postings as Alicia
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-707-633-2789  Scammer false postings as Rojer, Minni, Rhone, Smith, Lisa Jack, Julie, Sean, and Carol. ? preparing a new number to use to steal money
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-205-294-6271  Scammer false posting as Thomas Jhonson
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-661-263-4011  Scammer false posting ?ILLEGALLY claiming to be an attorney Charles F Robinson
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-321-684-4117  Scammer false posing as Harry Patt
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-518-565-0306  Scammer false posting as Wellvishers
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-678-791-4673  Scammer false posting as Sherrie Ann and Elvine Buris
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-305-390-0607  Scammer false posting as James and Mark
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-209-349-3112  Scammer false posting as Roger Brown. David Macrow and Andrew
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-646-360-1702 Scammer false posting as STATE LEGAL DEPARTMENT
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-850-254-8883  Scammer false posting as Stella
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-347-875-8165  Scammer false posting as Lisa L Johnson, Mark Taylor
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-310-872-2861  Scammer false posting as Jim, Keith
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-760-582-0311 Scammer false posting as Alex Morrison
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-817-393-0246 Scammer false posting as Mark Smith
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-678-619-1686 Scammer false posting as Beckham, Beckh, BECK and MOCK and MINDY
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-352-653-1302 Scammer false posting as Christy and ANNA 2 times, KAT V DON, SANDRA JR, PAUL WRIGHT ALEX SCOTT DR Kim preparing a new number to use in their unsuccessful scam ?
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-646-770-2937 Scammer false posting as officer
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-623-465-9849 Scammer false posting as Bob Keeshan
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-325-260-0090 Scammer false postings under Jhon, Mishele and Tyrone Johnson
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-213-784-5745 Scammer false posting as United Man and Don't be so sure & immediately judge, ac
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-718-841-9420 Scammer false posting as Marcus, Barbara, Kevin and Dina
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-772-675-9488 Scammer false posting as Michael
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-760-284-4600 Scammer false posting as doreen legas, corey, brown
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-209-623-4683 Scammer false posting as Rex Pertrson. Tommie
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-206-801-1004 Scammer false posting as Mark
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-213-286-0299 Scammer false posting as Wagner

Scam alert: Bogus debt collectors
By Leslie McFadden ? Bankrate.com
Monday, Aug. 3
Posted 2 p.m.
Bankrate reporter Leslie McFadden contributed this entry.
This scam isn't technically about credit cards, but it is scary enough to post a warning. The Better Business Bureau issued an alert today saying consumers across the country are getting phone calls from bogus debt collectors claiming default on a payday loan. Of course, the consumer needs to pay a large fee to avoid arrest -- as much as $1,000.
The caller poses as a lawyer, and may threaten extradition to face trial if the consumer doesn't pay up immediately.
What makes these calls alarming -- and perhaps convincing -- is that the perpetrators reference the consumer's personal information, such as the person's Social Security number, driver's license number, previous bank account numbers, home address -- even personal references.
"The amount of information they have is really troubling," says BBB spokeswoman Alison Southwick. She adds that the amount of data points to a possible security breach.
Spread the word to your friends and family: Don't give out personal or financial information to an unknown caller. Scammers can spoof Caller ID to display different numbers, so trust your instincts over technology.
The BBB offers these tips:
?    Ask the debt collector to provide official documentation which substantiates the debt.
?    Do not provide or confirm any bank account, credit card or other personal information over the phone until you have confirmed the legitimacy of the call.
?    File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission online if the caller is abusive, uses threats or otherwise violates federal telemarketing laws or the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
?    File a complaint with the Better Business Bureau online if you believe a debt collector is trying to scam you.

I 've been having this same problem from these people also. I have a website you can go to to register a complaint against these people. The website is www.complaint.Ic3.gov

My caller name was Gary.

That Anna Jones called me four times this morning!!! I called her back and she claims to be an attorney. When asked to verify my debt she had no clue.She said that by 5 pm today I would be getting subpoena papers..  When I told her to call my attorney she hung up on me.If she was an actual attorney she would know that it's  a summons to appear.

They are relentless. I am surprised that we can not get them stopped. I have had police look at the number. I have called the phone company. I love their American names and their Indian accents. I have told them to F--k off. I am now going out to buy a whistle.

I received several calls too, they even have the last 4 numbers of my social!!!!

I have been harrassed on my cell phone, texting me and at my job by a person claiming I owe $300.00 on a payday loan and who will not identify himself calling herself Anna Jones, the phone numbers they were calling me from were 321 275 5257 909 740 8095 and also an unknown number, they started calling on 10/26 at least 20 times, threatening me that I will get arrested if I didn't wire them the money, person seems to be of foregin origin in a call center enviroment, I also reported this the local police department, Orange County Sherrif's dept.

Thanks for the suggestion, I wish I could put my foot through the phone and you know where I would put it. LOL. And I know God will forgive me on that and anything I'm thinking of saying or doing to stop these people from scamming. Again thanks. Appreciate it!
         Donna

Buy a whistle or air horn and use it, God will forgive.

Correction with the name it is ANDY HUNT!!!! Not Andy Hunter.

This # too is a scam!!!!  I have recieved several phone calls from this # claiming to be "Debt Solutions Law Firm Instant Cash". They claim that there was a law suit brought against me through "Instant Cash"  Payday, I have never borrowed from this company and I do have proof, I have borrowed from 2 other companies that are legit. This person named Andy Hunter, called me, my job, and has threatened to call my boyfriend and another friend, he has threatened to put a freeze on my bank account, call the human resource department at my job, told me that if I did not come up with the settlement of 875.96 that I would be summend to go to court then I would have to put out about 3000.00. I have contacted a lawyer and did tell him this, but as someone reported they really do not care. I have reported this scam also on the other scam phone # 916-395-0000. When I do get phone calls sometimes these #'s come up either 0000 or 1-000-1. You can't call back on these #'s because your phone carrier will come on the line saying this is not a number or a working number. This person and people have to be stoped. There are innocent people out here trying to earn a decent living while there are people like this trying to distroy it. I promise you this, I intend to get to the bottom of this. I'm sooooo tired of getting scammed & it's going to STOPPPPPP!!!!!!!! Anyone with me? Please, lets stop these people. Thank you!!!!