i called the Texas OAG, cosumer protection. As soon as i mention Fraud and Worthless Check she interupted by saying scam. i would suggest if you received the same call to contact the OAG and file a complaint.
I just want to tank all of the people that participate in forums like this. I have gotten several calls like this and you guys have saved me so much money. I'm not sure how these guys get all of my personal information, but these are just awful people. Thank you guys again.
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.
I received the SAME message today and called back. It was also from an Emily Wescott and she was VERY RUDE and unprofessional. She threatened me with warrants for my arrest if I "didn't take care of this by 4 pm today". I couldn't get her to produce any documentation of where they attempted to contact me about a $400 payday loan made supposedly in 2012. She did state finally that if I wanted to prevent the warrant from being issued I could pay $900 to erase the complete debt. THANK YOU all for posting your messages because I was TOTALLY freaking out about this! I did know that I had never applied or received the loan she kept referring to, but it still really shook me up. I hope these people get caught! LOSERS.