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.
scammers claim they are bhl & it stands for berlinsky Huffman & levitt I tried a google search for this name but came up empty. does anyone know who these people really are? they also use the number 406 272 1527. they call and threaten to file legal charges against my wife claiming fraud when I request a debt validation letter they hang up on me.
3 calls from Berlinsky, Huffman, and Levity (BHL). Calls themselves an information agency who mediates for the client and you. Will not give any information regarding the alleged debt. But wants you to settle with them on behalf of their clients. They called my home phone threatening legal action and court papers being served at home or on my job. The numbers they contacted me from are 701-491-7809; 701-491-7802; and 406-272-1527. When I request proof of debt caller became irate and threatening. I plan to report yo BBB and my State Attorney General's office.
I have been through the same thing fot the past 2 years or so. They call my cell and work phone and they use different phone numbers. today they called me from 317-200-3265.
I just got a call from these people, the message they left is that they identified I got two charges that appear to be fraudulent and that I have to call to their legal department to clarify otherwise I will forfeit any right, and I can be served either at my job or my personal address, the caller did leave her name being Gina Ricalder or something like that. I was calling back but decided to check first if this number has been reported, I figured right, this is very tricky and recommend caution to give them any information
I received a call from this number today. They said that I was in the process of being sued & prosecuted for bad debt and that I was going to be served from two creditors. I needed to pay the amounts (what ever they were) prior to being served at either my home or at work.. I hung up! I knew right away it was a scam!