Have recvd multiple kols from this number but they never leave messages, always at my work number - which I never use for anything personal, so thats my first clue that this is fake.
Anyways, today I recvd a call from phone number 800-918-3844 Ext 410, message said was from STATES PRE-DISPOSITION SERVICES,INC., Kathleen Kirk/Kerr and I was like "who the #$@*???" Left very abrasive message about how I or my lawyer in-fact needed to call them asap, that they needed to discuss some allegation and find resolution immediately.
The person they were calling for had last name same as mine but different first name. Bcoz they mentioned my last name i decided to call them, talked to Kathleen and she spelt out the person's first name and it wasn't me. Seems this person works at the same company and Kathleen was implying that this could not be a coincedence and that I was lying to her, that I was indeed the person "of interest". Told her I work for a huge company and that wasn't me and she hung up.
Then she called back 2 minutes later, left another message but this time she said the message was for the same person as before but now inserted my first name into it. I kold her back and told her I just talked to her and IT WAS NOT ME SHE WANTED.
Said she would send someone out to verify my information and location and then they would tell me what this was about and I said go right ahead. Ofcourse they are extremely vague with their details, won't give any and are good at trying to get info from you......so be careful about getting pulled into their conversation.
Its after I got off the phone that I googled their number and am glad all these blogs are up coz I know not to worry about their stupid [***] any more, and that reminds me that I need to check my credit report!!!
Y'all be safe, evidently there are some crazy pple out there!! God bless!!
I got the same call from these people. Sad thing is, I paid over $800.00 last year to Jackson Phillips and Assoc. for a unpaid payday loan. They threatened a law suite and legal action because I made the payday loan at work. So I buckled and let them draft two diffent payments from my account. A few weeks ago I got a voicemail from Bass & Assoc, wanting payment for the same loan that was already paid. So I called back and told the rep that I was recording the call. She hung up. I called back again and spoke to the same person and asked for a fax number to fax in the receipts of payment. She gave it to me and now a few weeks later this other company is calling me again for the same loan?!?!??!?!?!? When is this going to stop?
It's a scam, of course. Jackson Phillips and Bass are one and the same scam. They are just different companies incorporated by the same group of grifters. Bass, Jackson Phillips, States Predisposition, Kirby & Associates, Ellis Crosby & Associates, etc., -- it's all the same scam. I'm guessing you won't be hearing from any of them anytime soon. Check this out:
April 7, 2008: "Attorney General Obtains $1.3 Million Judgment Against Jacksonville Debt Collector" http://myfloridalegal.com/newsrel.nsf/newsrel ... 5257424005858A6
Bud Hibbs maintains that there's a connection between Ted Ellis Crosby's collection scam and Evelyn and Frank Jackson's Bass Prelitigation/States Predisposition scams (see http://budhibbs.com/debtcollectorpages/ellis_crosby_and_associates.htm) So it's interesting that reports posted on 800Notes about phone numbers associated with the States Predisposition scam are suddenly few and far between since this April 7 announcement of the $1.3 million judgment against Crosby in Florida.
Coincidence?
Here's the text of the Florida Attorney General's news release:
>>April 7, 2008 - Attorney General Obtains $1.3 Million Judgment Against Jacksonville Debt Collector
TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that a Jacksonville resident and his debt collection agency have been ordered to pay $1.3 million in restitution and civil penalties for violations of Florida and Federal collections laws. Ted Ellis Crosby, individually and in his capacity as owner and director of Ellis Crosby & Associates, was found to have engaged in willful violations of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Business Practices Act and Florida’s Consumer Collections Practices Act. The case was litigated by the Attorney General’s Economic Crimes division. “This case should put similar operations on notice that the penalties for such deceptive business practices can be very costly,” said Attorney General McCollum. “Florida authorities will not tolerate unscrupulous individuals who victimize our citizens in potentially difficult financial situations.” The Attorney General’s lawsuit, filed in June August 2005, alleged that Crosby and his company used deceptive practices in an attempt to scare, harass and intimidate debtors into paying amounts far in excess of their debts. Testimony from victims and witnesses revealed that Crosby and company used tactics such as posing as law enforcement officers, threatening seizure of property, and even threatening bodily harm. More than 380 victims filed complaints with the Attorney General’s office. Duval Circuit Court Judge L. Haldane Taylor ordered Crosby and his company to pay $388,000 in consumer restitution, $700,000 in fines for violating the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Business Practices Act, and $253,000 in fees and costs, totaling more than $1.3 million. The Judge also entered a permanent injunction which prohibits Crosby and his company from engaging in any activity within the State of Florida which is related in any way to the ownership, processing, administration or collection of consumer debts. More information about protecting yourself from improper debt collection tactics is available online at: http://myfloridalegal.com/pages.nsf/main/7cd1 ... d6!OpenDocument A copy of the judgment against Crosby is available online at: http://myfloridalegal.com/webfiles.nsf/WF/KGR ... sbyJudgment.pdf. <<
The Florida Attorney General also maintains that Bass Prelitigation (which is the same group of crooks behind States Predisposition) is just one of many fronts used by Ted Ellis Crosby's debt collection scam. Here's an excerpt from a Florida Times-Union article last year:
"But the state's lawsuit against Ellis Crosby & Associates does contend a link between Ted Ellis Crosby and Bass Prelitigation, the latest subject of an investigation. In a motion filed in November, the state contended Crosby was involved in debt collection by using 'aliases, fronts of strawman operations such as Bass Prelitigation.' Broward County resident Joanna Cook made a similar allegation in a lawsuit she filed in February against Bass Prelitigation. Cook contended former employees of Ellis Crosby & Associates formed Bass Prelitigation last year and worked with Ted Ellis Crosby to develop a business plan for the company. Her lawsuit contends Bass Prelitigation was organized to sidestep the attorney general's lawsuit against Ellis Crosby. Cook's lawsuit said an employee of Bass Prelitigation called and said she faced immediate arrest if she didn't pay $999 that same day by MoneyGram for a payday loan. She said she became frantic because she feared being separated from her two children, including a newborn. David Jacobs, office manager for Bass Prelitigation, declined to comment on the specific allegations and the attorney general's legal filings. But he said Bass Prelitigation does not threaten consumers with arrest or have any association with Ted Ellis Crosby. 'I will tell you, categorically, we have no connection with him whatsoever,' Jacobs said. He said Ellis Crosby & Associates put a 'horrible stigma' on debt collectors and 'is an example of what not to do.' He said Bass Prelitigation will be installing a telephone recording system so it will have records of what employees say in their calls. Ellis Crosby & Associates was founded in 2003, four years after Ted Ellis Crosby was court-martialed by the Navy in Jacksonville, according to court documents." [Source: http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/061107/met_176207561.shtml]
Something tells me that Bass Prelitigation/States Predisposition never got around to installing that telephone recording device.
It's certainly starting look like the directors of Bass Prelitigation/States Predisposition -- Evelyn & Frank Jackson -- are just Ted Ellis Crosby's stooges. Perhaps the Jacksons have scrammed and grown quiet for now, but until the state of Florida obtains a similar judgment against them and Bass Prelitigation/States Predisposition, you can bet that these cockroaches will regroup and eventually resume their debt collection scams.
I got a voice mail from the same number this morning. She said her name was Karen and either me or my legal counsel should call them back today. Her tone was very forceful and I decided to look up the number on line. Sounds like these are the same people that called me about 2 years ago and harrassed me at work. I sent them letters requesting proof of the debt and reported them to the attorney general which I will be doing again today. The whole thing is crazy. Thanks for the heads up!