Gotten several recorded calls from this "Karen Rodgers, Financial Crime Division", different numbers, usually from Georgia area code 404. This call was from 404-418-8981. Says I'm under "active criminal investigation"
SCAM SCAM SCAM
So are they fake? I got the same message for Karen. I called back and they said the debt was to Cash Central which I have never heard of. They said that Cash Central covers 300 pay day loans companies. I have two unpaid loans. BUt they would not tell me who they were the individual loan company. Not sure what to do. When I called back they said they were with a mediation company called Bloomberg and Cohen.
This is a long summary, but you need to read it carefully if you think you are being threatened by a debt collector.
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) includes statements such as this:
* Every collector must send you a written “validation notice” telling you how much money you owe within five days after they first contact you. This notice also must include the name of the creditor to whom you owe the money, and how to proceed if you don’t think you owe the money. ["Written" means snailmailed ... not emailed or texted]
* Debt collectors may NOT
- repeatedly use the phone to annoy someone.
- falsely claim that they are attorneys or government representatives
- falsely claim that you have committed a crime
- falsely represent that they operate or work for a credit reporting company
- say you will be arrested if you don’t pay your debt
- say they’ll seize, garnish, attach, or sell your property or wages unless they are permitted by law to take the action and intend to do so
- communicate with consumers at their place of employment after being told this is unacceptable or prohibited by the employer.
- say that legal action will be taken against you, if doing so would be illegal or if they don’t intend to take the action
- use a false company name
- take or threaten to take your property unless it can be done legally;
The debt collector may not garnish your wages unless there is a court order to do so.
+ Many Federal benefits (including Social Security Benefits) are exempt from garnishment
You have the right to sue a collector in a state or federal court within one year from the date the law was violated. If you win, the judge can require the collector to pay you for any damages you can prove you suffered because of the illegal collection practices, like lost wages and medical bills. The judge can require the debt collector to pay you up to $1,000,
Report any problems you have with a debt collector to your state Attorney General’s office, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Contact the State Attorney Generals office. I received a call they claimed I owed two loans. When I began to question the person she hung up on me. Well, I called back and got further information. The ss # was wrong, email address was wrong, and the birth date information was wrong. The person to whom I was speaking to understood that I was not going to accept this mess. She cleared my record or should I say the bogus record with my phone number attached. What these folks do is called a skip trace to find folks with the same name then they make the random calls hoping to find who they are looking for. They cannot threaten you with arrest or anything else for that matter as it is against the law. Again, report it to tne State Attorney General's office. I hope this helps. Oh yes, make sure you get the name of the person you spoke to so you may add it to your complaint.
I just had a call from a Lisa Wiliams @ 404-410-1518 saying they would be downloading an affidavit @ 5:00 pm EST for Grand Larceny & Theft. Claims I owe 1601.39 due TODAY or I would be arrested tonight. She said she the company name is Cash Central & they have over 300 payday loan companies, all under different names. She then let me talk to an "arbitrator" by the name of Lance, went thru the same spiel as others went thru, demanded full payment today. I told him NO & he got mad & hung up on me. I knew it was a scam, 1st - I don't have any payday loans & 2nd - it is illegal for any bill collector to threaten arrest & demand a payment immediately