I got a call from this same number say they were free Anderson Shumaker and Associates. They left a message, never said a name just said my s.s. or tax Id number was flagged for possible fraud. I never called back. I did a search online for the company and nothing came up. I searched the number and found a few posts just like this.
For a call from this number, investigator named Michelle White. Threatened me with felony charges if I didn't pay. Have me a choice to settle out of court. I knew I had a loan I needed to pay so I set up a payment plan. Just read these posts. What do I do!!!
The first thing you do is stop payments if you used a debit or credit card. file a police report since money changed hands and file a fraud dispute with the bank. then you need to learn how to keep from becoming a victim of a crime, especially now that you paid them so easily. You have now gone on their easy marks list and both they and their criminal buddies that they sold your name to will be calling. Now read this and use the links to learn what you neeed to know\
It is incumbent upon them to prove that the debt exists and that you owe it. Not the other way around.
This is a common ploy by criminals masquerading as debt collectors who are attempting to extort money from people by scaring you into believing that you will be criminally charged, go to jail, lose your driver’s license, have wages garnished, be sued, and a variety of other variations on this, all for an alleged or nonexistent debt. One of the tricks they use is to call your work place, friends, or relatives repeatedly in an attempt to shame you into paying. They also use the “process server” ruse who calls and claims he is going to serve you, but then says you could avoid it by calling another number
Federal law (FDCPA) requires them to send you a letter (US MAIL ONLY) within 5 days of their first contact that contains their name, physical address, the creditor’s name, and the amount of the alleged debt. It also must contains “mini-Miranda” telling you that it is an attempt to collect a debt and that all information will be used for those purposes. The one other important thing that this letter must also have in it is that you have a right to dispute the debt within 30 days of receipt of the letter and if you do so, all collection activity must be stopped until the debt is verified.
Read up on your rights here, get template letters to send and also make a complaint at this government site: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/
Also file a complaint with your State Attorney General's office.
List of State AG’s offices: http://consumerfraudreporting.org/stateattorneygenerallist.php