An Officer Cooper called and gave me a case file # then transfered me to a Officer mark Braces who said that there was a case against me from Cash Express America and that I could settle the case for $702.39. I told him I was paying nothing because I have had no loan with Cash Express America and I have received call like this before that have been scams. He can threaten to send officials after me all he wants. Sure this is another scam from a new phone #.
officer david brown from the federal burueau called to say i will be arrested if i did not call him. He said i will have some surprises if i did not call him baack
Received a call from officer "David Brown" stating that he was calling from the "california police department" (it doesn't really exist) attempting to scam money out of me calling me at work a lot at least 4 times. even after I told him to not call my work!!!!
http://news.yahoo.com/protect-yourself-fake-d ... topstories.html
You will be behind the bars for six months and once you go behind the bars, you will lose your job. Once you are behind the bars, you won't get a single drop of water."
That's the message received by just one of hundreds of thousands of cash-strapped Americans who authorities say have become the targets of a "phantom" debt collection scheme in which victims are bullied and threatened into paying conmen money they do not owe, as reported in an ABC News "Nightline" investigation.
"They call up and they pretend to be policemen... sometimes they've been from the FBI or the Department of Justice," said Jon Leibowitz, chairman of the Federal Trade Commission. "So it is just a hardcore kind of scam and we're beginning to see more of it." Spotting a Potential Conman
Just because the caller says he's an authority figure, that doesn't mean he is. According to the FTC, there are several ways to tell if someone may be trying to pull one over on unsuspecting callers. Keep a lookout for the following red flags:
First, does their story make sense? Are they asking you about a debt you don't recognize in the first place?
Be suspicious of anyone claiming to be law enforcement. "The police, the FBI, the Justice Department probably never enforces payday loan collection," Leibowitz said. "They're not debt collectors." Also, Leibowitz said to be on the lookout for clues about the caller. "If someone is calling themselves Officer Mike Johnson and they're speaking with a thick Indian accent, I suppose that would be a red flag."
The caller won't give you ways to reach him such as a mailing address or phone number.
The caller asks you for personal financial information -- that a legitimate figure would likely not have to ask for -- or threatens you with legal action if you do not pay.
If You Think You're the Target of a Scam...
First things first, the FTC says to ask for the caller's name, company, address and phone number and for a "validation notice" detailing the debt owed. "If a caller refuses to give you all this information, do not pay!" the FTC says.
Do not provide any personal information over the phone. If you do, that information could be used by thieves for identity theft.
Tell them to stop calling and, if you have an address for them, ask them to stop calling in writing. By law, real debt collectors must stop calling if you request that in writing, the FTC says.
The most obvious course of action, Leibowitz said, is to call up your actual creditor. "If a consumer knows they have debt, call the debtor up. The debtor can can you, 'Yes, I called.' or 'No, that was somebody else,'" he said.
Report the call to the FTC and state authorities. "Many states have their own debt collection laws" in addition to federal ones, the FTC says. "Your Attorney General's office can help you determine your rights under your state's law."
"The thing we wanted to do first and foremost was we wanted to shut this operation down," Leibowitz said.