The number that called me was 323-238-9760 and they said I have a credit card debt they are suing me for and I've never received anything from them in writing. I have the name of the supposed creditor. How did you guys handle your experience with berg and associates? They told me they will garnish my wages if I don' t pay. How do I determine if this is real?
Oh my gosh! I received a call yesterday stating a civil lawsuit against me. The caller confirmed the last 4 numbers of my social security number and I didn't confirm. She gave me a case number and I kept saying who are you? She only said you'll be served soon. I don't have any debt and no past due bills. So I knew this was fake and obviously a SCAM! I hung up on her.
Yeah, so this unknown number calls me and says my mother is being served. Gives me 2 hours to let her know to reschedule the hearing and gives me this number 323-484-2910 and says to call it, Berg and Associates... I call and by now I feel like this is totally a scam. He says his name is johnathan and my mother owes 2000 for a credit card she had used in 2007. First off, my mom hasn't had a credit card in over 15 years. Second, the guy that called me first threatened me with liability if I didn't tell my mother to call Berg. I get pissed, call the guy and go off on him. Don't mess with me, or my family I tell him; I'm a f@*$ing combat veteran who's really pissed off, don't think you will be safe stealing from my mother and threatening me.
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.