Alleged caller location: San Francisco CA
Alleged caller ID: none provided
The beginning of the pre-recorded voicemail (spoken in a woman's sales voice) intentionally began in the apparent middle of a sentence. This tactic is meant to get you to be curious enough about the part you'd missed that you call back.
The prerecorded voicemail then said, "For further details, press 1 now. To be placed on a Do Not Call list, press 2 now." Yeah, right. Right there are two [***] ruses: Pressing anything just lets the scammer know your number is active. Also, you would register your number on the DNC registry directly via the FTC — a scammer is not going to do this for you.
Called no message. I'm in medical debt up to my eyeballs so if someone wants to scam money they should probably call someone who actually has it. Called back and got the "this number has been disconnected" 15 minutes after I was called.
I would suggest that you take the time to learn how debt collection is supposed to work.
It is incumbent upon them under the law to prove that the debt exists and that you owe it, and that they have the legal right to collect it. You are not obligated under the law to prove that you don’t owe or that it is paid.
Federal law (FDCPA) requires them to send you a letter (US MAIL ONLY) postmarked within 5 days of their first contact that contains their name, physical address, the creditor’s name, and the amount of the alleged debt. It also must contains “mini-Miranda” telling you that it is an attempt to collect a debt and that all information will be used for those purposes. The one other important thing that this letter must also have in it is that you have a right to dispute the debt within 30 days of receipt of the letter and if you do so, all collection activity must be stopped until the debt is verified.
Read up on your rights here and also make a complaint at this government site: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/
Also file a complaint with your State Attorney General's office.
List of State AG’s offices: http://800notes.com/faq/attorney-general