Today I received a call from a blocked number (it showed up as 000000000). The same E. Indian/Middle Eastern that calls from 206-855-5350 so look up that number for more details on these crooks and what they do, this must be their newest number. He left a message saying they were trying to collect on a payday loan that a friend of mine had used me as a reference on and that he needed to call Officer Mike Morris back at 347-289-3901 or my friend would not like the procedures taken on him. Again it sounded like he was calling from a loud call center. He went on to say he was calling on behalf of financial companies against to my friend and he would not like the results. This time instead of good luck he wished me a blessed day. These crooks will try anything! I have yet to return the call but will post updates. (call type list Debt Collector only because Fraud Debt Collector was not a choice)
J
YES - THIS IS DEFINETLY A SCAM - YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE ARRESTED
They want you to PANIC - its the only the scam works.
THEY ARE NOT IN THE US - THEY ARE NOT EVEN REAL DEBT COLLECTORS -JUST CROOKS
They are hacking PAYDAY websites to get this information.
ITS ILLEGAL for real debt collectors to threaten you with arrest or even claim you have committed a crime at all.
This explains the scam
August 21, 2008
Attorney General McGraw Warns Public of Fake Internet Loan Collectors Impersonating Law Enforcement Officers and Extorting Money From Consumers
Attorney General Darrell McGraw took the extraordinary step today of warning the public about a band of scam artists making threats to consumers who allegedly obtained Internet payday loans in West Virginia and across the nation. The consumers they threaten never obtained a loan at all or paid it off years ago.
Internet payday loans are short-term loans or cash advances, usually for 14 days, made over the Internet via interactive web sites and secured by an agreement authorizing debits of the loan and all fees owed from the consumer’s checking account. These loans typically charge interest rates ranging from 600-800 APR and are unlawful in West Virginia.
The scam artists, who speak English with a foreign accent, call themselves “U.S. National Bank,” “Federal Investigation Bureau,” “United Legal Processing” and numerous other phony names. They refuse to disclose real names and addresses and are believed to be operating “off the grid” from homes, automobiles, or from off shore locations or foreign countries, including India. Since the scammers have kept themselves purposely well hidden, thus far no law enforcement agencies have succeeded in locating or shutting them down.
The scammers typically pose as law enforcement officers, investigators, lawyers, and bankers and threaten consumers that they will be arrested for “bank fraud” or other fictitious crimes unless money is wired immediately. They simultaneously scare and confuse consumers by using meaningless legalese gobbledygook phrases such as, “We are downloading warrants against you” or “We are filing an affidavit against you.” Consumers who don’t immediately fall for the scam are warned, “Only God can help you now.”
The scammers almost always call consumers at work several times a day, and tell their supervisors, “Your employee has committed fraud and is about to be arrested.” Such threats have proven unsettling even to the most savvy consumers and employers who suspect the calls are fraudulent.
Attorney General McGraw stated, “Ordinarily my office protects consumers from fraudulent activities by seeking injunctions in court. But legal action cannot be taken until the scam artists can be located. Even then, it is unlikely that the persons behind the fraudulent calls and extortionist threats would obey a court order. In this case, the consumer’s best defense is to be armed with the knowledge of the scam so that all demands for money can be resisted, despite the false but scarey threats of arrest.”
McGraw added, “Because the fraudsters make a special point of calling consumers repeatedly at work, employers must understand that the consumers are innocent victims of a criminal enterprise and cannot stop the calls from coming. I also wish to assure the citizens of West Virginia that my office will continue to do everything possible to locate and shut down the outlaw debt collectors.”
More information about this fraudulent debt collection scheme is available at the Attorney General’s website, www.wvago.gov/internetloanscam. Any consumers who have been threatened by these persons or wish to file a complaint about another consumer matter may do so by calling the Consumer Protection Hot Line, 1-800-368-8808, or by obtaining a complaint form from the Attorney General’s web site.
MORE ON FAKE DEBT COLLECTORS
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-904-425-9141
http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/call4action/17285785/detail.html
http://www.800helpfla.com/newsletter/2008/092008.html
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2010/01/ks_debt_collection.html latest release of information on this scam
http://www.wvago.gov/internetloanscam.cfm
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 placing 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 placing 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 placing false postings as Marry
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-646-274-1143 Scammer placing false postings as Karen Miller
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-561-300-8018 Scammer placing false postings as Marco Polo (real original)
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-226-7488 Scammer placing false postings as SAM, David S
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-706-7463 Scammer placing false postings as George
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-209-349-7382 Scammer placing false postings as Towanda Robinson, Shannon Walsh, Jack Dawson and Cynthia
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-760-514-0132 scammer placing 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 placing false posting as Jaison Connar
Scam alert: Bogus debt collectors
By Leslie McFadden • Bankrate.com
Monday, Aug. 3
Posted 2 p.m.
Bankrate reporter Leslie McFadden contributed this entry.
This scam isn't technically about credit cards, but it is scary enough to post a warning. The Better Business Bureau issued an alert today saying consumers across the country are getting phone calls from bogus debt collectors claiming default on a payday loan. Of course, the consumer needs to pay a large fee to avoid arrest -- as much as $1,000.
The caller poses as a lawyer, and may threaten extradition to face trial if the consumer doesn't pay up immediately.
What makes these calls alarming -- and perhaps convincing -- is that the perpetrators reference the consumer's personal information, such as the person's Social Security number, driver's license number, previous bank account numbers, home address -- even personal references.
"The amount of information they have is really troubling," says BBB spokeswoman Alison Southwick. She adds that the amount of data points to a possible security breach.
Spread the word to your friends and family: Don't give out personal or financial information to an unknown caller. Scammers can spoof Caller ID to display different numbers, so trust your instincts over technology.
The BBB offers these tips:
• Ask the debt collector to provide official documentation which substantiates the debt.
• Do not provide or confirm any bank account, credit card or other personal information over the phone until you have confirmed the legitimacy of the call.
• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission online if the caller is abusive, uses threats or otherwise violates federal telemarketing laws or the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
• File a complaint with the Better Business Bureau online if you believe a debt collector is trying to scam you.
Received a call from 347-289-3901. Same story as above but he said his name was Austin White, and even had a hard time saying that. He said he works for some affidavit company.
Today....alone....7 phone calls. Oh my gosh, I am getting phone calls from the same "Ross Taylor"...saying that ACS is filing a lawsuit against me and is contacting my references, unemployment office, etc. Who the heck is this crazy man??? What can if anything be done. I did a reverse phone number look up and of course all I get is the fact that it is a land line and in Brooklyn NY. What scares me is that he has my last 4 digits of my ss# and he said this company gave me a loan and put money in my checking accouny and named my bank. This I know is not true ( the loan that is) but obviously I have submitted my info somewhere inquiring about a loan at sometime.
Just got a call from my sister saying he called her and telling my sister there is a lawsuit against me and of course she called me freaking out. This man is a nightmare....and insane!
I have also been recieving these calls. Repeatedly to my work, cell and home. They have threatened to file for a warrant for my arrest. I asked them to fax me the information about the loan and who I owed it to and have not recieved anything yet, even though they claimed to have already faxed it twice. At one point they even asked ME, "I don't know what language you speak" but you must be understanding me.