Who called from 3155083158

This scam has been around for years.  These jerks cannot even speak English.  They probably have names like Muhammid Maktoum or Paramayala Bugananda, but they always claim to be Jeff Cooper or Mark Smith or Peter Scott.

Here are some of their other call back numbers

A consumer posting a complaint about these same scammers at http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-718-831-7157 notes that 718-831-7157 is associated with an India-based "outsourcing" telephone bank.  Though a reverse search on WhitePages.com shows that 718-831-7157 is an unlisted land line in New York City, information on Debtbuyers.Com shows that that number is used by India-based Intellisourze. (Source: http://www.debtbuyers.com/debtbuyers.asp ) My guess is that it's a VoIP phone number.

This is another piece of the puzzle that fits in perfectly with other information about this scam. There are some reports on 800Notes that have suggested that the crooks behind this offshore scam are also the crooks behind the notorious Bass/Ellis Crosby & Assoc./States Predisposition scams in Florida and Georgia. The interesting thing is that the number of complaints on here about the US National Bank/US Legal Investigation/Federal Investigation scam skyrocketed *after* April 7, 2008 when Florida obtained a $1.3 million judgment against Ted Ellis Crosby, shutdown his operations and barred him from ever conducting debt collections in Florida (Read http://myfloridalegal.com/newsrel.nsf/newsrel ... 5257424005858A6 ) There's certainly a good chance that the crooks placing these calls from India are doing so on behalf of the American crooks behind the Crosby/Bass/States Predisposition scams.

Here's the contact information for the phone bank in India:

IntellisOurzE BPO
701, Sapphier, Nr. Cargo Motors,
C.G. Road Navrangpura,
Ahmedabad - 9. (Guj.) INDIA.
E-Mail: [email protected]
Website: www.intellisourze.com

A check on the domain name "intellisourze.com" shows that the website and name registration was created on May 8, just one month *after* the Crosby scams were shut down in Florida:

Domain Name: INTELLISOURZE.COM
Registrant:  Pragra Infratech Pvt. Limited.
Email:  [email protected]    
908, Aksaht Tower, Nr. ICICI Bank
Opp. Rajpath Club, S.G. Highway
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India 380054
Tel. +91.7926871353
Creation Date: 08-May-2008
Expiration Date: 08-May-2009
Domain servers in listed order: ns5.znetindia.com ns4.znetindia.com
(Source: http://whois.domaintools.com/intellisourze.com )

Though scam calls from these crooks have been going on long before May 8, the frequency of complaints about these calls increased considerably after Crosby was shut down in early April.

This is conjecture, but appearances suggest that Crosby and company were originally running a two-pronged payday loan scam operation -- with some calls being made from Jacksonville, Florida and other calls being made from a phone bank in India (and possibly other countries); then, after the Florida Attorney General shut down the Crosby scams in Florida, the Crosby crooks transferred most of their scam efforts to the India phone bank.

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 who are posing as federal law enforcement. Be sure to give as many details as you can.

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.naag.org

5) File a complaint online with The Federal Trade Commission at https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU01

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/1-925-262-1327
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-678-954-6346
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-341-4004
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-856-831-0640
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-949-743-1140
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-410-505-8128
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-917-464-2534
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-210-858-6602
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-775-2121
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-949-743-1156
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-214-245-1402
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-214-245-0922
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-214-723-5572
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-904-425-2863
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-718-831-7157
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-904-425-2857

These guys were featured on 60 Minutes.  They got their information by hacking into Internet sites, and they threaten lawsuits against the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number.  They speak with an Indian accent, and they claim you will face "harsh legal action" unless you send them between $500 and $1,000.  They are total idiots because their name does not even make sense:  United Investigation Bureau Department.

They use names like Roger Smith and Jack Jones, but their real names are probably something like Mahamanda Yogananda.  They can barely speak English.

They use various call back numbers including 347-844-6701 and 718-766-7916.

The best idea so far was what Paybackisabeatch suggested.  Turn the tables on them.  Call them back, ask for Habib, waste their time so that they cannot make money with scam calls to extort money from honest people who may get frightened or confused.

Hi,
this person is calling from india and gujrat state they all r scam and suspect of big siber crime their shoud be something done about this person
his real name is hardik parmar and if we want to catch this person just get the western union information and forward to cops and catch the person whoes a/c is it
Caller ID: 1-908-212-3726
Caller: United Legal Investigation

New York City number 347-844-6701 ("United Investigation Bureau Department") is some sort of scam run by hackers.  A guy with a thick foreign accent calls to notify you that some sort of lawsuit has been filed against your Social Security Number ending in -xxxx and they try to extort a cash payment from you.  Hang up the phone, and file a complaint with the New York Attorney General's office.
Caller ID: 347-844-6701
Caller: SCAM_"United Investigation Bureau Dept"
Reply !

Guy who sounds like he is in Bangladesh says his name is "Ryan Smith" and claims to be working on a contract with the FBI.  Says he is with the United Investigation Bureau Department (whatever that is?) and threatens legal action, but won't explain what it is.  And he also won't discuss why he is not going through the normal legal channels of process serving, etc.  This is a total scam, and it does not even make any sense.  I wonder if anyone has gotten confused or frightened enough to submit money to these idiots?
Caller ID: 347-844-6701
Caller: United Investigation Bureau Department

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/352/RipOff0352182.htm

Sounds similar to this, with the heavy accent...

Report: United Legal Investigations Bureau

Category: Collection Agency's
United Legal Investigations Bureau Scam from Deep Voiced Indian/Arabic Guy Nationwide
*Consumer Comment ..Me Too
Thank You


United Legal Investigations Bureau
Phone:  607-3300158
Fax:  


Nationwide,
U.S.A.
Submitted: 7/16/2008 9:50:14 PM
Modified: 7/29/2008 4:45:43 PM
Reported By
Jason
Mount Prospect, Illinois

Ripoff Report Verified Safe

Today, I received a call that nearly gave me a heartattack. The man had a deep Indian/Arabic voice. He asked for me. He stated that it was a very very important matter. He told me that I was having charges pressed against me for fraud. This guy had all my information. He read me off my social security number, my home address, my relatives names, my phone number, my bank account number, my bank name, etc. He stated to me that I had taken out a loan of $490 from the United States National Bank and never paid them back. Then he stated to me that I had done an electronic check over the internet, and the money was not in my account. I told him I had no clue what he was talking about. Then he started yelling at me in a deep indian voice telling me that I was lying and such. He then immediately went into telling me that I was going to jail and that I would have to pay $25,000 to get out of jail. He told me I would spend years in jail, pay a huge legal fine and such. He told me I would be arrested in two hours. Then he told me I would be arrested at 8 AM the next morning. Still at this point, I had no clue what he was talking about. He did state to me my bank name, and I did remember having a check bounce over the internet. It was for online poker, Pokerstars specifically. But I did pay all the money back. This was in April 2008. But the guy told me what he was talking about, occured back in October 2007 and it was for $490. He kept telling me that I was going to jail, and kept pounding in my head that I would have to pay $25,000 to get out.

After about 10 minutes talking to this guy, he said he wanted to put his top supervisor on the phone. This guy named Will came on the phone. But it was the same guy talking. The same guy I was talking to first, pretended to be his own supervisor. He started yelling at me telling me that I thought that it was a scam phone call, even though I never once said that. He kept saying 'this is a serious matter, this is not a scam'. About halfway through the call, he then stated to me that we could resolve all of this without having to go through the legal system. He said we could resolve this if I paid $890 to him with a debit/credit card. He said if I paid him, then all my legal troubles would go away. He kept pounding in my head the fact that it will cost $25,000 to get out and that I would go to jail. At this point in the call, I knew that this was a scam. The original number that came up was 524-801-89. I wanted to test the waters and see what he would say to some of my questions. I told him that I didn't have a bank account or credit card. He then said that I would have to go to Walmart, and pick up a prepaid Mastercard/Visa and put money on there and pay them the $890. He asked how long it would take. I told him 2 hours. He then suddenly got really angry and said nevermind and to forget the entire deal and that he would press charges. I found that to be pretty funny. He then settled down and I told him that I would call him back and that I would need a phone number to call him back on. The number was 607-330-0158. I googled it and it came up as a New York number. I don't understand why when he called it came up with the weird odd numbered phone number. Im thinking it was a calling card. This guy was in no way a professional and he was very very angry throughout the call. I found it to be a scam for a number of reasons. The first being that he wouldn't give me details on what my fraud charge was all about. He wanted to make sure I knew the consequences of what would happen if I didn't pay him the $890. And lastly, no business, nor government establishment would give you all this information over the phone and ask for a debit/credit card over the phone. They also would not tell you that you were going to be arrested by 8 AM in the morning. This is very scary though that they knew my bank account information and all, my social security number, my relatives names, my address, my email address. I will contact the FBI and my local police department about this. Anyone with similar calls from this company or arabian/indian guy?

Jason
Mount Prospect, Illinois
U.S.A.
Reply !

Report These Crooks! replies to Report These Crooks!
28 Jan 2009
http://www.fraud.org/info/repoform.htm

National Fraud Information Center
Online Incident Report Form

NFIC logo

National Fraud Information Center

1-800-876-7060

tiny NFIC logo WHAT TO REPORT

* The NFIC accepts reports about attempts to defraud consumers on the telephone or the Internet.

* Telemarketing fraud can involve companies calling consumers or consumers calling companies in response to a mailing or other form of advertising. It also includes telephone sales pitches to businesses.

* Internet fraud can include promotions found on websites, in chat rooms, newsgroups and bulletin boards, as well as via email.

* The NFIC does not accept reports about home improvement, auto sales, or other transactions that usually take place at consumers' homes or retail stores.

tiny NFIC logo HOW TO REPORT

* The best way to report possible fraud to the NFIC is by calling our toll-free number, 1-800-876-7060, so that our counselors can ask for the information we need.

* Another way to make a report is to use our Online Incident Report Form.

* If you wish to ask a general question, please call our toll-free number.

* If you want to write to the NFIC, the address is:

National Fraud Information Center
PO Box 65868
Washington, DC 20035

* Generally, to process fraud reports, the NFIC needs the following information: name of company, names of people you dealt with at the company, company address (including website or email address if you are reporting Internet fraud), company phone number, description of what good or service was offered, amount of money the company requested, the amount of money you actually paid, how the payment was made, date of first contact with company, date of payment, your name, address and phone number, and a short description of what happened. Please have this information readily available when you call. If you chose to write, please include all of the information in your correspondence. You may also use the Online Incident Report Form as a guide for your letter.

* The NFIC does not take information such as consumers' credit card numbers or bank account numbers. Please do not include this information in your report.

* The NFIC would like to know how you made your payment to the company -- by giving your credit card or bank account information over the phone of Internet, by wiring money, sending it by a private courier service (please provide the name of service), by U.S. mail, or by other means.

* If you are mailing information to the NFIC, do not include the originals of any materials. You may need them later. Please send photocopies.
Reply !

alaina replies to Report These Crooks!
19 Feb 2009
i received and still am receiving calls from these guys. same situation , I got several people to call and even though they never received calls from the number, these people  tried everything to find them on their list. and when they didn't they got really angry. they use names like victor Wilson , Sam, Mr brown , seems from the  heavy accent names like tom, victor, Joe, Sam and  will are just not names used   although not directly talked to them yet they leave messages saying that a lawsuit involving my SS# was going on. the number for call back is 347-844-6701, id caller just shows unknown caller. even got a local area code number which from what ive read they use yahoo account and call . so you think you are getting a call from someone in your area. so many ways now to block numbers use fake numbers and with things like magic jack phone i can register it in new york but sitting in my home state calling you. so who knows for sure where they are really located. I reported them to local police department and plan on reporting to attorney general in new  york.hopefully something sooner or later can be done to stop this.
Reply !

FightScams
28 Jan 2009
347-844-6701

This is a total scam run by HACKERS who threaten a lawsuit unless instant payment is made to them.  This is a form of the Federal Crime of EXTORTION and these guys need to be locked up.  The problem is, judging by their accents, they are based in Bangladesh or India or some other foreign country, although their call back number is in New York City.

What probably catches most people off guard is that these HACKERS have information like the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number, the name and account number of your bank, the names and phone numbers of friends and relatives you use as references, etc.
Caller ID: 347-844-6701
Caller: United Investigation Bureau Department
Reply !

FightScams replies to FightScams
28 Jan 2009
The best advice is to never give out any information over the phone to callers like this.
Reply !

A Mr. 'Officer Roger Smith", and "Officer James Wilson" called me, my mother, my boyfriend, and ex employer saying I have committed fraud. The first phone call he stated my case # "ACS- 1601524", had ALL my personal information and read it all off to me. His phone disconnected during my " concern plea" that was being recorded and listened to by the top attorneys on my case. They came to the decision that I was an honest person and should be offered to settle out of court. He put me on hold to check with the top attorneys......came back and told me my settlement amount was $736.00.
While on hold I grabbed my computer and googled the number....and found something that disturbed me yet at the same time gave me joy.
Suspicious, I started to ask him many questions regarding my case including what PDL company he was referring to, what date the loan was taken and how much.....he could not give me any of those.
When my boyfriend was contacted he asked for their physical address so he could come and pay (knowing full well it was a scam). He also asked for the officer's license #; neither of which the thick-accented guy could give.
I then (still acting concerned) said that I would have to contact my lawyer who is the senior partner at the second LARGEST law firm in the WORLD and have him speak to the officer assigned to my case. He sounded a little scared. He harassed me for my CC# and said if I didn't give it to him right then ...then I would for sure be on trial. :(
Such a scam....who should I report to??
Caller ID: 347-844-6701
Caller: United States National Investigation Dep
Reply !

PT replies to Courtney
7 Feb 2009
You can report these jerks to the New York State Attorney General's Office, the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  They are probably difficult to prosecute if they are in India or Bangladesh, but maybe with enough complaints their phones would be disconnected.
Reply !

KAKTUSFLR
11 Feb 2009
If Officer Alex Green calls from the US Legal Investigations Bureau saying you or your friends are in fraud transactions, don't believe it!!!!!! It's a scam. They call you then ask you for your phone # or your friends.It's the 3rd call to myself and friends trying to get money. They are using different phone numbers every time. It's all over the internet that they are HACKERS. I told them I had already reported them twice and will again and contact my attorney. Then they start talking very fast and shacky when you read the info off the scam reports to them. They say that you are responsible for your friends if they used you for a reference and that you'll be taken to court. REPORT THEM!!!!!!!!!
Caller ID: PRIVATE
Caller: US Legal Investigations Bureau
Reply !

GLASto
12 Feb 2009
"David Richards" from the "United States Legal Investigation Department" with a very thick accent called to suggest he was investigating fraud activity on my father, who apparently used me as a reference on some application. Left "direct call back number" of 347-844-6701. I did not call back and discovered all this information about this scam. My sister received the same call.
Caller ID: 052480189
Caller: unknow


Reply !

hollie
12 Feb 2009
I also have recieved a phone call from this number from a guy named Mike with a very thick indian accent, who had all my information including my banking account and that I had taken out a loan back in March of 2008 for 500.00 and now there is a lawsuit against me, I am definately filing this with someone which i never did have money in fact was a negagtive balance.
Caller ID: 347-844-6701
Caller: US Legal Investigations Bureau
Call Type: Debt Collector
Reply !

Lil Red
16 Feb 2009
A guy named Roger Smith called a friend of mine, whom I put as a reference on  student loans. I called the number back and Mr. Roger Smith says I am being charged with fraud and then transfers me to his supervisor, Mr. Wilson, who told me if I provide him with a credit/debit card number and pay him $300, we can settle out of court! I hung up and googled the number and found that it is a scam! I am calling the credit bureaus and having them to do an investigation on my credit report and freeze my information.
Caller ID: 347-844-6701
Caller: United States Legal Investigation Bureau
Reply !

ivette
20 Feb 2009
I've been getting calls from these creeps and I know for a fact that this is a scam so I kept getting under this guy's skin saying to put someone who really spoke english on the line and he lost it.. he said I was going to get arrested in hours.. this is a SCAM! do not pay attention to these idiots
Reply !

Anna replies to ivette
20 Sep 2009
I tried to avoid these calls that these scumbags were making to me everyday leaving voice mails....Then they started calling my job.  I don't deserve this crap, cause I don't owe them. How do we stop then and shut them down.
Reply !

paybackisabeatch
24 Feb 2009
On today's date these tards called my phone four times stating that I was committing fraudulent and criminal activity. I googled the number and located this blog. I was p-retty sure this was a B.S. scam and this site helped reenforce that. I decided it was my turn to be annoying and harassing.
I called the 347-844-6701 back and a man with a heavy indian, arabic accent answered stating he was from United States Legal Ihnvestigation. I asked for Habib. After repeating myself ten times the guy said maybe he could possibly help me if I provided my telpehone number. I told Habib that it was 4. Habib asked for the remaining numbers and I stated that there were none. Habib stated there had to be more. I advised him that my number was one of the first ever given out and that it had been passed down through the generations. Habib then placed me on hold and I hung up.
I called back. Habib answered and I asked for Habib. He stated that there was no one there my that name but he could assist me. Habib asked for my telephone number and I agian said it was 4. Habib stated that I was bull @#$% and I advised him that his company was bull #$%@. Habib hung up on me.
I called back. I asked for Habib and the man stated that he was Habib and asked what I wanted. I told him that they called me and what do they want. Habib placed me on hold. I hung up.
I called back. I asled for Habib and he stated that there was no one there by that name. Habib then hung up on me.
I called back again. Habib hung up as soon as he answered.
I called back again. Same result.

I guess Ill wait a while and call them again, to harass the crap out of them because it is highly entertaining to listen to Habib get mad. My suggestion to everyone is that if these tards call you. Call them back and harass the crap out of them. Maybe they will get annoyed and stop this crappy scam they have going for them.

I they don't hopefully the government will put a stop to this with enough complaints. Also for those that think contacting your local law enforcement with this information will help stop the phone calls it won't. Most of your local agencies won't be able to assist in this matter and it is best to contact your state attornety general's office or a federal agency. Not that local agencies are incompetent but it is beyond their ability as most of the phone calls originate out of your state or country.

So let this company get a tast of their own medicine, I will. Eventually when they call I'll answere and attempt to put a stop to this but in the meantime I can have fun to. Gotta go , Habib is awaiting my next call.
Caller ID: 347-844-6701
Caller: United States Legal Investigations
Call Type: Debt Collector
Reply !

BT
16 Apr 2009
These guys were featured on 60 Minutes.  They got their information by hacking into Internet sites, and they threaten lawsuits against the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number.  They speak with an Indian accent, and they claim you will face "harsh legal action" unless you send them between $500 and $1,000.  They are total idiots because their name does not even make sense:  United Investigation Bureau Department.

They use names like Roger Smith and Jack Jones, but their real names are probably something like Mahamanda Yogananda.  They can barely speak English.

They use various call back numbers including 347-844-6701 and 718-766-7916.

The best idea so far was what Paybackisabeatch suggested.  Turn the tables on them.  Call them back, ask for Habib, waste their time so that they cannot make money with scam calls to extort money from honest people who may get frightened or confused.
Caller ID: 052480189
Caller: SCAM_"United Investigation Bureau Dept"
Reply !

wlkngtall69
29 Apr 2009
I've received a call from this same #. Guy says he is looking for Debbie Barnette, or Borders, or something (I could not understand him). I have never in my entire life used a loan company or a finance company. And my name is not Debbie. It is Dennis (not even close, and my last name starts with S not B). On top of that, I have never had a "late payment". So, my question is, how did he get my phone # to begin with? Also, for the above reasons, I knew it was a "scam" as soon as I got the call.............
Caller: United States Legal Investigation Depart
Reply !

Tobias
10 May 2009
This is a total scam run by idiots who cannot speak English, have heavy Mideastern or Indian accents, and use organizational names that would never exist in this country.

Their real names are undoubtedly names like paramanansa yogamatash or maktoum bin mohammad, but they have used, among many, the following American sounding names:

Ryan Smith
James Wilson
Roger Smith
Alex Green
David Richards
Jack Jones
Robert Jackson
Paul Murray
Frank Johnson
Chuck Rogers
Danny Jones
Jake Wood
Jimmy Carter
Joe Anderson
Shawn Michaels
Harry Wilson
Louis Martin
Patrick Wilson
Eddie Wilson
Mark Smith
Peter Scott

They claim to be from:

United Investigation Bureau Department
United Legal Investigations
United Fraud Investigations
United Legal Investigation Department
United Legal Investigation Bureau
United Stated Legal Department

It should be possible for authorities to trace them to this FAX Number:

646-786-4334

They are running scared, and they keep changing their callback number, including:

212-461-1163
937-664-5824
347-844-6701
718-766-7919
607-330-0158
818-688-7216
727-803-9802
713-568-4627
513-754-1987
904-239-3968
718-673-6146
303-968-1170
315-508-3158

Also, they were featured on ABC News:



READ THIS:

http://abcnews.go.com/ http://abcnews.go.com/
Fake Debt Collectors Terrify Consumers
Alleged Debt Scam Calls Threaten Consumers: 'Only God Can Help You Now'
By ALICE GOMSTYN
ABC NEWS Business Unit
Aug. 21, 2008 —

Scammers masquerading as debt collectors and law enforcement officials have terrified consumers with threatening phone calls and bilked them out of thousands of dollars, officials with the West Virginia Attorney General's Office say.

Prosecutors said that the scammers, who speak with heavy foreign accents, are known for repeatedly calling people at home and at work and threatening them with arrest if they don't repay supposed debts -- debts that, according to West Virginia officials, don't actually exist.
Sign Up for Our RSS Feed and Get the Latest Business Headlines From ABC News

The scammers operate under names such as U.S. National Bank, Federal Investigation Bureau and United Legal Processing, said West Virginia Assistant Attorney General Norman Googel.

The callers also have invoked the names of actors Denzel Washington and Steve Martin, people who've received calls tell ABCNews.com.
Googel said that the scammers have been impossible to track down, but ABCNews.com spoke to one man who claimed to be associated with U.S. National Bank. The man said he works for Financial Crime Division, a company he said provides services for USNB.

The man refused to give his name and gave little information about his company.
'It's not necessary that each and everyone knows about Financial Crime Division, and probably one of them is you,' he said. (To hear an excerpt of this interview, click here. Links to more interview excerpts are included on the second and third pages of this story.)
The man also denied that consumers had been threatened with arrests.

But Mark Feury, a 35-year-old assistant manager at a hotel cafe, said it was the threat of an arrest that drove him to wire nearly $800 to U.S. National Bank in January. The Lewisberg, W.Va., resident said that he took out several payday loans -- short-term loans -- in 2005 to help pay for Christmas presents and medical treatments for his son, who suffers from autism.
Feury said he paid his loans back in 2007, but the scammers' phone calls -- at least 35 in all, he said -- and their threats made him doubt himself.
'I was scared to death,' he said. 'Everything they said literally just stressed me out to the max.'

The group has targeted consumers who took out payday loans through Web sites years ago, Googel said.
The group has secured consumers' Social Security numbers and other personal information, which may have been stolen from Internet payday lending sites, Googel said.
What has made the group especially intimidating, Googel said, is its use of phrases that sound like legal terms -- such as 'downloading affidavits' -- but, in reality, are meaningless.

The alleged scammers have also invoked God, Googel said, telling victims that 'only God can help you now.'
Some of the scammers' tactics are downright puzzling.
One West Virginia woman, who asked that her name not be revealed, told ABCNews.com that a scammer once called her and identified himself as 'Denzel Washington.'
Feury said that one of the scammers who called him said he was calling from 'Steve Martin's office.'
Collection and Money Fraud

Googel said that the scammers' use of celebrity names may indicate a lack of familiarity with American names. Some, he said, suspect that the scammers are based in India.

Since July 2007, Googel said, the West Virginia Attorney General's Office has heard from nearly 20 consumers who have complained about the scam.
West Virginia residents aren't the only ones complaining. The Florida Attorney General's Office said it has heard more than three dozen complaints related to U.S. National Bank.

Thus far, Googel said, the scammers have been impossible to trace, using a multitude of phone numbers and fake addresses.
'The way they've hidden themselves is pretty slick,' he said.

ABCNews.com called a phone number associated with U.S. National Bank -- Feury listed the number in a complaint against the company -- and was transferred to the man who claimed to work for Financial Crime Division.
The man, who spoke to an ABC News reporter for about five minutes, said that U.S. National Bank owns Internet payday lending Web sites and that Financial Crime Division is a 'legal affidavit processor' -- a term that Googel also has dismissed as meaningless -- that works to notify borrowers that they still owe money to USNB. (The man refused to provide ABC News with contact information for U.S. National Bank.)
'They have taken so many loans they have forgotten that one to pay back and we are calling them about this legal matter,' the man on the phone said. 'That's not our problem that they have forgotten.'

The man argued against the complaint that his company had called people about nonexistent or repaid debts. Consumers, he said, have failed to provide the company with proof that their debts have been repaid.
'When we are asking the information, they are not ready to give to us,' he said. 'If they have paid it, they must have something in writing, some kind of receipt, but they are not going to give it to us, so how can we trust them?'

Loan Scams and Fake Address
When asked where Financial Crime Division was based, the man hung up.
Googel said that he has been on the phone with the suspected scammers many times and that each time they refuse to provide identifying information such as valid addresses or a licensing number, which collections agencies operating in West Virginia are required to have.
'I yell and scream at them, but it doesn't do any good. It's sort of high drama in a way,' he said.
Googel said that he has notified the Federal Trade Commission about the scam, but the FTC would not confirm whether it had launched an investigation. An FTC official told ABCNews.com that it does not disclose whether it is investigating a company unless it takes the company to court.

The official said that consumers with complaints about U.S. National Bank are encouraged to contact the FTC, the Better Business Bureau or their state attorney general's office. Read a statement by the West Virginia Attorney General's Office's office on the issue here.
ABC News' Gerard Middleton contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures
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Irritated Receptionist replies to Tobias
31 Jul 2009
Better add John Wilson to your list and 917-628-2413 as the next number on their scam spree. Unfortunately I can't block their number because it's not a 7 or 10 digit number. But I can save their voicemails and put in my complaint, and if I have to, hand over the voicemails as evidence if need be.
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Irritated Receptionist replies to Irritated Receptionist
31 Jul 2009
Oh and they used United States Legal Investigation Department for me.
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earnest replies to Irritated Receptionist
21 Sep 2009
Send your voice mails to ABC News or your Local Radio Stations and have them play it for other consumers who they might be trying to run the scam on.
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Karl
21 Sep 2009
These guys were featured on 60 Minutes.  They got their information by hacking into Internet sites, and they threaten lawsuits against the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number.  They speak with an Indian accent, and they claim you will face "harsh legal action" unless you send them between $500 and $1,000.  They are total idiots because their name does not even make sense:  United Investigation Bureau Department.  Do not believe a word they say.  You can't go to jail and no one will ever come pick you up.  They lie and try to scare you into sending them money.  Its all a Scam.  They are terrorizing US CITITZENS.  Our FBI and Secret Service need to shut these terrorist down.

They use names like Roger Smith and Jack Jones, but their real names are probably something like Mahamanda Yogananda.  They can barely speak English.  Be sure to change your banking information and put fraud alerts on your credit reports.  

They use various call back numbers including 347-844-6701 and 718-766-7916.

The best idea so far was what Paybackisabeatch suggested.  Turn the tables on them.  Call them back, ask for Habib, waste their time so that they cannot make money with scam calls to extort money from honest people who may get frightened or confused.  Call themm back and run a scam on them.  I get free miniutes on Saturdays and Sundays and after 7:00 so I callthe hell up out of them...Turn about is fair play.
Caller ID: 347-844-6701
Caller: Scammers from Overseas
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Candice replies to Karl
13 Oct 2009
I got a call today from 052480189 saying I owe 610.00 to cash advance mutual they wouldn't give me the number and wouldn't set up a pmt plan. the guys name was shaun woods and the girls name was ivey foster. The call back number they gave me was 914-373-7095.
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UpsetinWichita
19 Mar 2010
Dennis called me and left 2 voicemails that I urgently needed to call him back regarding a financial matter.  I couldn't understand half of what he said but he knew my full name, my mothers' name, who I banked with and my full address.  He claimed I received a $300 payday loan that was never repaid and I owed $5444 in damages but $425 was all that was needed to settle out of court.  I told him I was at the pc looking at my banking statement at the moment.  He said not to bother bringing those to court because they could obviously be doctered.  I was told to report to court Tuesday in California although I live in Kansas.  I cursed him out and hung up.  He called back several times and told me to call 914-595-7417.  He couldn't tell me what payday service was used, when it was used, etc....  The caller ID showed a number from 052-480-189.  He had a very heavy indian accent but was very irrate.  I called my bank and they said not to worry about it.  Obviously my info had been sold and I was being scammed.  I am waiting for Hassanhabbibjabar to call back so I can record it for my records.  He claims they sent several emails requesting the money for 4 months.
Caller: United Investigation Legal Department
Call Type: Debt Collector

I keep getting harassed by these same people everyone else on here has been. they use the same names like frank johnson and officer wilson and peter scott: however, they are indian men. My boss told me if the phone calls continue, I may lose my job> I'm a single mother struggling as it is and I can't affor dto lose my job over this scam! please help me to stop this harassment!

I have been contacted by this 315-508-3158 # a number of times and im sick of it they always call and leave very threatening messages about being arrested, and needing a lawyer, this is a serious matter threatening a persons lively hood and I take it very serious, I do plan on contacting the social security administration and the credit burro, and report this as a form of identity theft. So if the persons responsible are checking this web page please note that I mean business and you will be the ones needing an attorney!!!