Received phone message today 6-8-2010....this AM.....Foreign voice and could not understand him...he said he is OFFICER NICK MARTIN...with United Financial..........(didn't get it all)...that I have an outstanding debt and he can help me settle it....something about my property being seized....left a number had to decipher....it was 718 766 5546....these people have to be stopped...what is our government doing about this....isn't this a form of harassment on the edge of terrorism???....what gives them the right....background sounds very noisy and far away....probably in a foreign country....I am not calling back...this has happened to me over the last few months...same foreign voice different American name...I have notified the FTC...and all government agencies....federal and state....Do not go online and even inquire about a payday loan....this is when my problems started....it is a network along with marketing companies.....they steal money out of your bank account...and say that you ordered whatever they are marketing...BEWARE...
I Get the same Message, Saying I owe on a Loan. I asked to show me documents that it was my loan, because I had stolen identity, and they said they couldnt send me documents, but wanted my debit/credit card number for $700.00 and says I committed fraud. I tried calling them back and the number says they are unavailable. I think we are all smarter than the average bear! Who would give out their credit card number without proof of documents, with your signature on it. Something to Ponder...These guys are scumbags!! can you say Scammmmmmmmmmm!!!
You guys shouldn't let thme get u all worked up... Like I've said in another post just talk [***] with them let them know you know their game and they won't waste their time on you..
I keep getting the same calls from them. Saying their officers and blah blah blah. Dude they gave me a fax number. LOL it said it was not a working number WTF. These fools are crazy i am in texas and there in dumb A** land. Really leave me alone plz
Just received a call from a foreign male who said his name was Officer Nick Martin and that he was calling for United Financial Crime Debt and that it had been reported that there was a lawsuit against me. I pretended not to be me by saying that I was not in. This is the fifth time that they have tried to scam me. The first time scared me until I found out the phone number was a cell phone in Philadelphia. I have reported all my scam attempts to my attorney general. But now I have more information that I can report to secret service and FBI.
Consumer Alert: Attorney General warns Kansans of debt collection scam
January 29, 2010 -- Attorney General Steve Six is cautioning Kansas consumers about telephone calls from apparent fake debt collectors who are impersonating law enforcement officers in an effort to extort money from consumers. Consumers are warned to not submit payments to these fraudulent debt collectors.
When calling, the scammers most often state they are attempting to collect a debt related to an internet payday loan obtained by the consumer, but which the consumer never repaid. Consumers state they have never obtained such a loan or paid off the loan years ago. The scam artists have most recently identified themselves as ACS, National Affidavit Processing Department and United Financial Crime Division, but may use additional phony names. It appears the phone numbers used by the scammers are “spoofed” numbers, so that the number appearing on a consumer’s caller ID is not the actual number of where the call originated. It appears the calls in question may be originating from outside the United States.
When questioned, the individual calling refuses to disclose the full name or address of the collection agency they claim to represent. These scammers have been able to provide consumers with identifying information, such as the consumer’s social security number, home address, e-mail address, names of family members and the consumer’s computer IP address. Since the callers are able to provide valid personal information, consumers may become confused and believe they are being contacted in regard to a legitimate debt.
If the initial debt collection scam is unsuccessful, consumers have been re-contacted months later with the scammers posing as law enforcement officers or officers of the court. Typically, the consumer is threatened with arrest for fraud or some other fictitious crime unless the consumer agrees to immediately wire money via Western Union. The fictitious officers strive to frighten and confuse consumers into compliance by using legal sounding terms such as “We’re filing an affidavit against you” or by stating a lawsuit has been or is in the process of being filed against the consumer.
A hallmark of each scam has been calling consumers repeatedly at their place of employment. This scam hit home when an employee of the Kansas Attorney General’s Office was repeatedly called both on her cell phone and at work. Despite the employee’s repeated verbal disputes, the caller refused to provide any identifying information to allow her to send a written dispute. The scammer also continued to call her numerous times a day regarding a payday loan she denied obtaining. Two months later, she was again contacted by telephone by an individual identifying himself as an “officer”.
“I denied owing the debt and refused to pay without being provided validation of the debt. I was then told, ‘If that’s the case, I will have local law enforcement come to your place of business and drag you out kicking and screaming’,” stated the employee.
“It is important for consumers to know their rights under the law,” Attorney General Six said. “If a consumer is receiving calls from a debt collection company and believe it is a scam, I encourage them to contact our office immediately.”
Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), collectors are required to send consumers a written notice within five days of the initial contact. The notification should contain information such as the amount of the debt, the name of the creditor to whom the debt is owed and a statement informing the consumer they have thirty days to contact the debtor in writing to dispute the debt or request validation of the debt. In addition, legitimate debt collectors are prohibited by the FDCPA from making false or misleading representations, such as the consumer has committed a crime, implying nonpayment will result in the consumer’s arrest, or using the threat of violence.
More information is available on the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre27.pdf.
To register a complaint with the Kansas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, call 1(800) 432-2310 or visit www.ksag.org.