This person (had an East Indian accent, name was Steve Martin) was very rude to me and threatened if I did not immediately pay him for a bad debt for a payday loan. Similar situation to Ed, he had all my personal information (he must have either hacked into some Internet site or onto my computer) and called my work along with my personal phone multiple times, claiming there would be legal action against me if I did not pay $402.00 directly from my bank account.
Hopefully someone will do something about this...very annoying situation to deal with.
a man is calling me my work all the days and make me crazy because they have all my information my social security then he said he will put in the jail something like that
My husband and I BOTH have been getting phone calls NON-stop by this number. The calls have started as early as 8 am and as late as 10 pm. Neither of us answer calls from unknown numbers and simply request that the unknown caller leave a message. But no, this number will call, get no answer, then call hang up and call back immediately. This immature BS goes on for up to 30 - 45 minutes sometimes, and when he/she is done blowing up one of our phones, he/she moves on to do the exact same thing to the other. How do places like this get our phone numbers in the first place?
If you are targeted by these criminals, be sure to report them to all the following federal and state law enforcement agencies (most of which you can do online or over the phone):
1. The U.S. Secret Service is responsible for protecting the country's financial infrastructure and payment systems from international and domestic threats. Call or write your local Secret Service field office to alert them to the details of this attempted extortion. The addresses and phone numbers for the local Secret Service field offices are listed at http://www.secretservice.gov/field_offices.shtml or in your phone book.
2. Alert the FBI at https://tips.fbi.gov Be sure to tell the FBI that you are being targeted by extortionists over the phone. And if the crooks claim to be law enforcement or lawyers, officers of the court or bankers, be sure to include that information in your report.
3. File a complaint with your local police. Most police departments will take a report over the phone. Be sure to tell them that you're being targeted by an extortionist and give them all the details.
4. File a complaint your state's attorney general, the contact information for whom is at www.wvago.gov
5. File a complaint online with The Federal Trade Commission at https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/FTC_Wizard.aspx?Lang=en
If these crooks call back, promise them nothing, pay them nothing and tell them nothing other than that you know they're a scam and that you've reported them to law enforcement. (And be sure to report them to all the agencies above each time they call you.)
By the way, here's just a small sample of numbers used by this particular group of scammers. Read the reports and you'll see the same pattern time and again -- phony organization names, thick foreign accents, and oddly worded threats that are so melodramatic and ridiculous that it's laughable:
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-771-9249 Scammer posting here as GARY and GARRY JONES
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-866-860-4509 Scammer posting here as Mike Henderson
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-212-500-0839 Scammer posting here as Ricky
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-201-244-7722 Scammer posting as Carole, David Brown and Amanda
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-626-200-4646 Scammer false postings at this new number as silshan kanniue and Tina – preparing a new number to use.
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-424-354-4270 Scammer false postings as Rose
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-785-4479 Scammer posting as Robert
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-909-327-4870 Scammer false postings as Marry
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-646-274-1143 Scammer false postings as Karen Miller, Chichi and Tom Little
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-561-300-8018 Scammer false postings as Marco Polo (real original)
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-226-7488 Scammer false postings as SAM, David S
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-706-7463 Scammer false postings as George
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-209-349-7382 Scammer false postings as Towanda Robinson, Shannon Walsh, Jack Dawson and Cynthia
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-760-514-0132 scammer false postings as Suzy01, Johanna Hall, Cindie McMellon, Michael Dublin, Mark Williams, Carol and Rio (800notes removed some of the scammers posts because the all came from the SAME IP ADDRESS)
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-209-797-2212 scammer false posting as Jaison Connar
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-707-401-4056 Scammer false posting as John Carner, KSR
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-650-241-4604 Scammer false postings as jhon and Kevin
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-708-401-0535 Scammer false posting here as JHON
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-518-212-0219 Scammer false posting
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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.
A James Thomas from 305-647-1365 keeps calling and harassing me and my families cell phones and said there will be legal actions against me! He threatens me saying I need to fax my drivers license to 407-506-0758 and a letter of intent to pay a bill that I don't know of. I reported him to my local Secret Service and also to the FBI web link.
My wife and I have been receiving calls from (305) 647-1365 from a overtly Arabic man claiming his name is "Officer James Thomas" with "Legal Affidavit Processing Department". Note that the same individual has left messages from an Albany, NY number before. After leving messages on both my home and cell phones I got fed up, already knowing that this was a scam. so I call back at the number above and this time actually got an answer.
He claims that my wife had committed an "act of fraud" using my name and phone number. Of course he then began trying to get personal information including but not limited to name, phone numbers, address, social security numbers etc. etc. I told him that he was a scammer. This is when the threats began. I told him i wanted to know his name, address, superior' name etc. and that I was going to contact the Dade County Sherriff's Department, Miami Police Dept., FBI, and Secret Service. <I'm actually still laughing about it as I type this /> ... but I digress. He stated that he would connect me to the FBI. I was transferred (probably to the dillweed sitting next to him as I heard all the same background noise and voices) to a man again with a think Arabic accent who identified himself as "Paul Smith" with the FBI. I couldn't understand anything else this person was saying so I asked if I could speak with his superior. Again I was transferred, again all the same background noise and voices were loud and clear. This time it was ... you guessed it, yet another man with a thick Arabic accent who stated that he was "Robin Smith" with the FBI and that he was the head of everyone there.
Okay, he told me that they were going to arrest me so he needed some information starting with my name. Which I provided as "I don't think so." So he asked, "Are you stupid?" to which I replied "Not as stupid as you." Then he said I had to give him the last four digits of my Social Security Number. To which I replied "I just told you that I'm not as stupid as you." He then began to rant at me in some bastardized mix of Arabic and English saying that they were coming for me. I then said "I'm sorry, you said you needed the last four of my social? Okay, okay, let me spell it out for you. It's F _ _ K Y O U." He didn't seem to appreciate the humor in that, though I am sure some of the readers here certainly may. He then Told me something in the same bastardized Arabic-English how they were coming for me and they were going to arrest me and f my mother and called me a "son of [***]" (no I didn't for get the "a").
What's the moral of the story? These "people" are scammers. DO NOT under any circumstances give them anything they ask for. To me and some others it's just common sense. Some people are too trusting and it's sad that there are "people" like these scammers infecting the planet. I no longer answer my phone if I do not know the number right off the top of my head. If it's important they will leave a message. Of course in this case even if it's a scam they will leave a message.