I have been receiving calls from these guys for the last couple of days. First, they sound middle eastern or Indian (and not Native American!). They then tell me that I owe a debt from a payday loan. I have taken them out in the past, and paid them back. The man said (and I loved this!), "We sent you the information to your e-mail." I asked which one he sent it to and it was one that I haven't used in over five years I told him that and he responded, "This debt is over ten years old!" I told "Rodney Jackson" that I had filed bankruptcy and that I was under protection from the bankruptcy court. I attempted to give him my lawyer's information and he would not let me talk. He kept talking over me. I hung up on him. He called right back, threatening me with arrest and stated that he would "call my employer until I got fired." I said to him that if he got me fired his "client (of whom he had stated he was collecting for) would not get their money so he was welcome to try."
They called again the next day and one of my secretaries was completely awesome. She told him that she would not put him through to me or any other person in the building. She also told him that she knew he was scamming and that he needed to stop calling or he would be reported. He continued to call. After seven phone calls, she had our resource officer talk to the man. The resource officer told the man he was using illegal debt collection practices. The man hung up on him and then continued to call back repeatedly. My secretary was brilliant! When he kept calling, she would pick up the phone and hang it up, not even bothering to answer.
After reporting these clowns to the FTC, I received a call from them on my cell phone later in the day. I told the guy that I wanted the name of his business. He continued to ask for payment of my "debt." I asked this idiot 10 times for the name of his company and he refused to give it to me. He finally said, "Bottom line is: are you going to pay the debt or not." I told him I would discuss it when he gave me the name of his company. I then got hung up on. I contacted my attorney and they even called these guys for me! The attorney asked for a fax number and they refused to give her one.
I decided to be slick. I called them back. I asked for the name of their company. I was told "USA Cash Advance." I then asked for the physical address. I was given "200 Atlantic Ave, Houston, TX." I then asked "Jerry Safiam" what the company policy was regarding harassment and was hung up on again.
They called back! When I answered, I told them that they had the wrong number. The man said, "You are lying. I know it is you, (said my name)!" I then hung up the phone on him. He then called back 16 times in 10 minutes. I sent all the calls to voice mail.
I looked up the address given on google maps and guess what?! It doesn't even exist!!! Color me not surprised.
I wish that there was some way to catch these guys. I would love to see them in court and see how scared they are. :-)
Be careful and NEVER give anyone money without proof!
scam - man had all my info (work #, ss#, address) and stated if I didn't pay them by western union today, they would have the police come and arrest me at my work. he told me it was for three felonies and i owed them $650.
This is a criminal extortion scam operating out of India. They are making the calls utilizing VOIP and the names of legitimate firms to make it appear the calls are originating from within the US. There is NO "company" or "debt" and you will NOT be arrested. They are harvesting and/or buying consumers' personal identifying information from unscrupulous websites like the one you may have filled out an application with, and you need to do whatever you can to protect yourself. This includes: Notifying the FTC: https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/, placing fraud alerts with all three credit bureaus, notifying your bank and employer and letting these criminals know you are aware they are attempting to extort money for a non-existent debt and have alerted the authorities.
ABC News released an investigative report on this scam a year ago:
A man named Kevin Peterson called and told me that he was sending the cops out to arrest me
When I asked to speak to his supervisor he told me N O no when I told home that wasn't legal he hung up on me
I got the call this morning and called back right away. The person received my call knew all my confidential information, such as SS# and my private address. I was accused to own payday loan of thousands of dollars. I was also threatened to get me arrested if I do not pay for the money. Since I never had payday loan, I tried to ask more questions. However, that person hanged up the phone on me.